Coach David Martin said before the season he thought the strength of his Warren County Middle School baseball team would be the pitching staff. Will Lupo proved Monday why his coach thought that way.
Lupo threw a complete game against Tullahoma, going seven innings and allowing four hits in the Pioneers’ 8-2 victory over the Wildcats.
Coach Martin was delighted by the opening-night win, and was especially pleased with the pitching of Lupo.
“I’m very pleased with how we played,” said Martin. “We got big hits when it counted and Will was a beast on the mound.”
Warren County got the scoring started early against Tullahoma. The Pioneers plated three runs in the first as patience at the plate paid off.
Isaac Golden led off the game with a walk and was followed by a single from A.D. Majors. Dylan Tubb loaded the bases by drawing a walk, then Lupo brought in the first run when he was issued a walk.
Colby Elkins grounded out to bring in Majors, then Tubb scored on a wild pitch to make it 3-0.
Tullahoma made it close by scoring a run in the second and one more in the third, but Lupo shut down the visitors in the final four innings.
Leading 3-2 going into the bottom of the third, Warren County doubled its lead when Elkins brought around Tubb with a single.
Golden added to the lead in the fourth when he was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded.
By the time Reed Garrison brought around two teammates with a RBI single in the fifth, the Pioneers had built a 7-2 lead entering the final two innings.
Lupo seemed to grow stronger as the game wore on.
The eighth-grade hurler didn’t allow a hit in the final three innings and he drew another bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the sixth to get the Pioneers’ final run.
Elkins and Garrison finished with two RBIs apiece to lead the Pioneers, while Tubb scored two runs.
Warren County will be back on the diamond tomorrow night when the team travels to Coffee County for a Central Tennessee Conference game.
The first pitch tomorrow night in Manchester is scheduled for 6 p.m.