Usually in games where two teams combine for eight hits, there aren’t many runs scored. This wasn’t the case Tuesday however, as costly errors doomed the Warren County Middle School baseball team.
Merek McColloch and Tristan Reish combined to throw a five-hitter, but the Pioneers were topped by Tullahoma Middle School 10-0.
Errors and other defensive mishaps plagued the Pioneers from the very beginning. In the first inning, Warren County saw Tullahoma get two runners aboard, but McColloch got a ground ball to seemingly end the inning.
The ball trickled through the infield however, leading to the home team getting an extra at-bat. It proved to be costly, as the next pitch sailed over the fence for a three-run home run.
It was just one of those nights for the Pioneers defense, as coach David Martin saw his team commit a number of errors. Following the game, coach Martin talked about how the defense had to improve before the Pioneers record could do the same.
“We didn’t make the plays behind our pitchers. Merek and Tristan threw well,” said Martin. “We’re just a play or two away from being right there at the end of games.”
The Pioneers weren’t able to hide their defensive liabilities by scoring. Warren County was held to three hits, as Tullahoma put pressure on the Pioneers to score by amassing a large lead.
Jordan Tidwell, who has stepped up big at the plate since being moved to the clean-up position, had two of the Pioneers’ three hits. Wesley Parkhurst had the other, but Warren County couldn’t come up with the hits needed to put runs on the board.
Coach Martin saw his team connect with a number of sharply hit balls, but unfortunately they were usually right at a Tullahoma fielder.
“We hit the ball hard a number of times, but it was always right at somebody,” said Martin. “We had chances with runners in scoring position, but couldn’t come up with the big hit to bring them around.”
Tullahoma closed the door on the Pioneers in the bottom of the sixth. When the 10th runner came across the plate, the game was called and Warren County had to endure the long ride home.
It was the Pioneers’ fourth-consecutive loss to begin the season. Coach Martin and his team will take the weekend off to regroup before coming back with three Central Tennessee Conference games next week.
Warren County will travel to Franklin North Middle School on Monday, with action beginning at 5 p.m. The Pioneers will also hit the road Wednesday when they head to Coffee County for a 4:30 p.m. contest.
Warren County will be back at home Thursday, March 31 for a game against Franklin South Middle School. The first pitch at Warren County Middle School baseball field is scheduled to be thrown at 5 p.m.