Monday night couldn’t have played out any better for the 12 Warren County High School baseball seniors playing their final regular-season game at Patrick Ramsey Field.
All 12 played a big part in helping the Pioneers defeat the Lebanon Blue Devils 8-4 to capture their 18th win of the season.
Coach Adam Childs used six seniors on the mound, starting with giving Connor Dixon his first work at home this season and finishing with center fielder Brett Mullican trying his luck from the hill.
In between, Logan McCormack, Spencer Pryor, Micah McColloch and Derek Brumley each took the bump as the six pitchers combined to hold Lebanon to eight hits and four runs.
Senior Austin Panter worked all seven innings behind the plate, catching each of his senior teammates.
Nick Grandey, Calvin Hammond, Collin Hutchins, Austin Green and Garrison Holmes did all their damage at the plate.
Grandey ignited a five-run rally in the third that ultimately proved to be the difference. Hammond, Hutchins and Green all had base hits during the rally and Holmes capped off the scoring with a two-run triple in the sixth.
All eyes were on Dixon to start the game. The senior, who had sat out most of the season after shoulder surgery in the fall, earned his first start. Dixon worked a clean first inning, allowing just one hit and striking out one.
McCormack entered in the second, but Lebanon got its offense going against the 6-foot-6 senior. McCormack surrendered two runs on three hits as the Pioneers fell behind 2-0.
Warren County cut the lead in half in the bottom of the second. Mullican reached base with two outs after he was hit by a pitch. After a stolen base, followed by an error that let Panter reach first, the Pioneers had runners on the corners.
Coach Childs brought in Daulton Foster as a courtesy runner for Panter and Foster wasn’t content with staying on first.
After one pitch, Foster took off for second. Lebanon rolled the dice and tried to throw down for the final out. Foster beat the throw, while Mullican cruised home to make it 2-1.
Pryor came in to pitch the third and despite baffling two Devils batters with his array of off-speed pitches, Lebanon was able to tack on another run to make it 3-1.
Warren County blew open the game in the bottom of the inning though and helped Pryor earn his first victory of the season.
Grandey began the rally with a walk. Logan Underhill reached base on an error, then Hutchins laid down a bunt single to load the bases.
Holmes brought in Grandey with a groundout to the shortstop. Just when it looked like the rally would end after Brumley popped out to the pitcher, the Pioneers rolled with two outs.
Green scored Underhill with an RBI single to tie the game at three. Mullican put the Pioneers in the lead when his single to center field scored Hutchins.
Panter drew a walk to load the bases and the game changed on a close call at first base moments later. Hammond hit a dribbler to third, but hustled down the line.
The Lebanon third baseman grabbed the ball and threw to first, looking like he may have gotten Hammond by half a step. The field umpire ruled Hammond beat the throw, giving him an RBI infield single to make it 5-3.
Grandey ended the rally the same way he began it. A bases-loaded walk drawn by the second baseman made it 6-3.
Lebanon scored one run in the top of the fourth off McColloch, but it would be the last time the Devils threatened to score.
Brumley and Mullican shut down Lebanon in the final three innings as the Devils managed only one hit over the span.
Holmes made sure the Pioneers had plenty of run support in the sixth when he blasted a triple to make it 8-4 going into the final inning. Mullican worked the seventh to help the Pioneers wrap up their most successful regular season in over a decade.
Holmes led the offense with two hits and three RBIs. Hammond, Green, Mullican and Grandey finished with one hit and one RBI each.
The Pioneers will be back in action tomorrow as the District 6-AAA tournament begins. Warren County will start a three-game series with the Coffee County Red Raiders in Manchester at 6 p.m.
Warren County has dubbed tomorrow “Royal Blue” night as fans are encouraged to wear royal blue in support of the Pioneers. A convoy will be leaving from Warren County High School at 5 p.m.
The series will shift to Warren County Monday as the Pioneers will play host to Coffee County at 6 p.m.