Aiden Robertson already etched his name onto the all-time enemy list for Pioneer baseball long ago. Caleb Moran may have added his name Monday night.
Coffee County’s battery was just too much to handle for Warren County at Patrick Ramsey Field, leading the Red Raiders to a 5-0 win in an important District 6-4A clash. Robertson was again dominant on the mound against the Pioneers, striking out 12 on his way to a complete-game shutout, while Moran – the talented catcher for Coffee County – hit a pair of homers in the victory.
Robertson has been a thorn in the side of the Pioneers dating back to last year. The hard-throwing righty is now 4-0 against Warren County in the last two seasons and has a 1.01 ERA in 27.2 innings of work. Monday was his first shutout against the Pioneers and he now has 36 strikeouts in four starts in the border battle.
Warren County (6-2) had hoped to get to Robertson early, but Coffee County got on the board before the Pioneers ever got to the plate. Moran hit a solo shot on the sixth pitch of the game, lifting a deep ball into left field that caught the wind and left the outfielders watching it sail.
The Red Raiders would tack on another run in the first by taking advantage of some sloppy play by the Pioneers. Starter Baler Melton looked like he had gotten out of the frame when he forced a grounder to second after giving up a two-out double, but it was booted and left runners on the corners.
Melton tried his best to erase the runners by catching Nate Rutledge straying too far from first on a pick-off move, but Coffee County turned the play into a positive for the visitors. Rutledge was able to stay in the rundown long enough to allow the runner from third to break home, where he slid safely around a tag at the plate.
The Pioneers had to have a mound meeting after the pair of miscues, but the damage was already done. Robertson wasn’t going to let Warren County dig out of the early hole. He struck out five in a row at one point early and didn’t allow a hit during his first trip through the Pioneer order.
Easton Denning broke up the no-hit bid by leading off the bottom of the fourth with a double that smacked into the centerfield wall, but the slugger was left stranded in scoring position.
An RBI groundout made it 4-0 in favor of the Red Raiders in the fifth, then Moran – who also had an RBI single in the second inning - sent another ball over the left-field wall in the sixth.
Warren County wasn’t able to get anything going on offense late as Baler Melton, Alex van Vuuren and Jax King all had singles, but the Pioneers never had a runner reach third base throughout the night. Melton ultimately took the loss as he gave up 11 hits and surrendered five runs in 5.2 innings while striking out five and walking one. Adrian Harris (1 IP, 1 K) and Alex van Vuuren (0.1 IP, K) worked in relief for the Pioneers.
All District 6-4A series are played on back-to-back days (weather permitting), but Tuesday’s matchup in Manchester was not completed at press time.
Warren County will return to action Friday at Cumberland County. The Pioneers will take on the Jets at 5 p.m. The WCHS JV baseball team is set to play a doubleheader against Coffee County at home Wednesday, with the first pitch set for 5 p.m.
