So much for not being able to win close games. A year after struggling mightily in tight contests, the Warren County High School baseball team picked up a pair of one-run wins on its home field Friday night.
The Pioneers got great pitching from Logan McCormack and Kyle Rutledge to beat White House 2-1, then the bats came out for Warren County in an 8-7 victory over Grundy County in the nightcap.
Winning two one-run games, which improved the Pioneers to 5-0 overall, may not have been the craziest event Friday.
With rain soaking Grundy County Thursday night, Warren County improbably became the host of the Grundy County tournament.
The Pioneers got two home games, with one coming against Grundy County in its own tournament.
The home crowd was treated to two great games, one a pitcher’s duel and another a slugfest.
Against White House, the Pioneers got an inspired effort from McCormack for five innings and Rutledge came in to close the door in the final two.
McCormack, a senior, and Rutledge combined to pitch a two-hitter and White House’s lone run was unearned.
McCormack looked dominant from the very start as he struck out two batters to start the game. Control became an issue though.
McCormack surrendered back-to-back walks, then hit a batter to load the bases. McCormack battled the next batter to a full count, but lost him after the White House batter fouled off four straight would-be third strikes.
White House took a 1-0 advantage with the bases-loaded walk, but it would be the last time the team would score.
It wasn’t until the bottom of the third when Warren County knotted the game at one.
Lee Carden, filling in at first base for a sick Chayse Frye, got on base to start the inning.
With one out, Brett Mullican came up and hit a hot shot to shortstop that looked like a tailor-made double play ball. Carden’s hustle to second made the White House shortstop hurry his throw though and the ball couldn’t be controlled by the second baseman.
The error opened up an opportunity for the Pioneers to tie the game. Collin Hutchins followed with a perfectly placed bunt between the pitcher and third baseman to load the bases for Garrison Holmes.
Holmes hit another ball to shortstop, once again giving White House a chance to turn a double play to end the inning. The throw to second was on time to get Hutchins, but Holmes beat the throw to first as the ball sailed and brought the first baseman off the bag.
Carden scored on the play, making it 1-1 entering the fourth.
McCormack continued to dominate the White House bats as the senior collected eight strikeouts before calling it a night after the fifth inning.
Warren County made sure McCormack left with the win in hand when the Pioneers took the lead in the bottom of the fifth.
Senior Nick Grandey started the stanza with an impressive at-bat featuring nine pitches. When Grandey finally drove a 3-2 pitch into left field for a single, his teammates erupted.
It didn’t take long for Grandey to move into scoring position as Mullican sacrificed his teammate over with a bunt, then Hutchins blasted a shot into center field that brought Grandey around to score.
Coach Adam Childs decided to bring in Rutledge to close and the junior had no trouble finishing out the game.
Rutledge struck out two and didn’t give up a hit as he faced the minimum to pick up the save.
It was just the beginning of a great night for the Pioneers at Patrick Ramsey Field though.
Warren County locked up with Grundy County in a wild game that featured the teams combining to score 11 runs in the first inning.
The Pioneers ultimately prevailed in the bottom of the fifth when Alex Hillis came in to score on an errant throw after time had expired in the lengthy contest.
Warren County trailed 5-0 after the top of the first as Grundy County plated five runs against starter David Lee.
The Pioneers came back with six runs in the bottom of the first and the game went back and forth until the final inning.
Hillis started the bottom of the fifth by getting hit by a pitch to reach base. Hillis swiped second to get into scoring position, then the game ended on a bad throw.
Green hit a ground ball to third, making Hillis hold at second. As the third baseman tossed to first, Hillis took off for third. Grundy County tried to rifle it back to third to get Hillis, but the ball went into left field and Hillis was able to get up and scramble home for the game-winning run.
Derek Brumley  improved to 2-0 this season as he earned the victory on the mound by getting the final two outs in the top of the fifth.
Warren County will play in the championship game of the Grundy County tournament today at 3 p.m. at South Pittsburg High School. The opponent was determined by pool play yesterday and games were not completed by press time.