WARRIORS PICK SIX FOR FIFTH STRAIGHT WIN
Schoolhouse Rock (and De La Soul) taught boys and girls of my generation that "3 Is The Magic Number". Every spring in Warrenton, you have to double that number to get the real abracadabra.
The sixth inning was "magic time" once again for the Warriors baseball team Friday, Warrenton scored six runs in the bottom of the sixth to knock off Seaside 11-7, improving the top-ranked Warriors non-league record to a perfect 5-0.
Countless times over the years, the Warriors have trailed late in games only to rally in the sixth inning and pull out the win. Friday, Seaside had a 6-0 lead in the third inning and held a 7-5 advantage going into Warrenton's final at bat.
With one out and the bases loaded, Buddy Davis and Eric Gantenbein drew back-to-back full count walks from Seaside reliever Mitch De Gandi to tie the score. Cleanup batter Bubba Massey also worked the count full before stroking a looping line drive down the right field line for a 2-run double, scoring Davis and Dan Wolfe with the go-ahead runs.
"I was really proud of how we just kept banging away at things," said Warrenton head coach Lennie Wolfe. "We had four runs in [the third] inning and then managed to pick up another run. We just kind of pecked away at things. It would have been pretty easy, really, to get mentally out of this game. The kids stayed in it really well."
The Gulls plated runs in each of the first four innings against Davis, who allowed eight hits and seven runs, five earned over five innings. However, the diminutive right-hander only walked one batter, while relievers Michael Moore and Gantenbein each pitched perfect innings in the sixth and seventh. By contrast, the Gulls allowed six free passes and a hit batter, all but one of which led to Warrior runs.
Moore picked up the win, striking out one batter in his inning of relief. The junior lefty, a former Babe Ruth All-Star contributing to Warrenton's varsity spring team for the first time, also had a big day at the plate, opening the Warriors' first scoring volley in the third inning with a leadoff single after fouling off three pitches. Moore drew a nine-pitch walk in the fourth inning, then singled and scored in the game-clinching sixth inning rally.
"I like the fact that he came in and had a nice presence on the mound," said Wolfe. "Certainly going from a righthander to a lefthander and back to a righthander is kind of nice. It's a luxury that I'm glad I do have after all."
Kevin Moore led off the sixth with a base on balls, followed by Mike Moore's base hit. The Warriors loaded the bases with nobody out when Beau Torres reached safely on a sacrifice bunt when De Gandi's throw pulled first baseman Ben Christianson off the bag. After Wolfe grounded into a force out at home, Davis took a close 3-2 pitch from De Gandi just low and inside to score Mike Moore. De Gandi battled Gantenbein for nine pitches before succumbing with another walk to score Torres. Massey worked the count full for the third consecutive time before serving the ball the opposite way to give the Warriors a 9-7 lead. Sal Oros took over on the hill for De Gandi and struck out Billy Sturgell for the second out, but not before Gantenbein stole home on a signature Warrenton double steal. Massey took his lead halfway to third base to draw a throw and Gantenbein sprinted home from third, scoring easily when sophomore shortstop Jeremy Carow's throw home was wild. Brandon Slaughter followed with a base hit to score Massey with the final run of the game.
"Some timely hitting and some timely running," said Wolfe. "Probably not the kind of pitching they would have hoped for at that point. A few too many walks. That kind of dug into their success."
Massey, a senior catcher, went 2-for-4 with three runs batted in. Davis scored three runs and drew two bases loaded walks. Wolfe went 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored and Gantenbein added a sacrifice fly to his game tying, bases loaded walk for two RBI's. The senior, four-year starter also slammed the door with a perfect seventh inning on the mound with one strikeout.
De Gandi, a starting shortstop and Seaside's number three hitter, went 2-for-4 on the day with an RBI triple and two runs scored. Christianson, the Gulls' cleanup hitter, went 2-for-4 with a pair of runs batted in and Will Beatty, batting ninth in the order, hit a two-run homer in the second inning. Alec Carlson started on the mound, allowing five hits and four runs, all earned, in a four-inning stint with two strikeouts and three bases on balls. The senior righthander also doubled and scored in Seaside's three run third inning, finishing 2-for-4 at the plate with a pair of runs.
"We didn't hit Carlson very well last summer," said Wolfe. "It was nice to see the kids swinging the sticks better today."
"Last summer, over half my team struck out more than fifty percent of the time. Now they are putting the ball in play and even when we're not getting some hits we're moving runners. It makes a difference. It's nice to be able to move runners without always having to bunt."
The Gulls jump into Cowapa League play on Tuesday with a home game against the Astoria Fishermen, who have won four straight games after losing their first three of the season. Astoria went unbeaten in three games at the Les Schwab Baseball Classic in John Day, with wins over Burns, Molalla and La Salle. No details were reported.
Warrenton has one more scheduled non-league encounter at Nestucca Tuesday, before beginning Lewis & Clark League play the following Tuesday at Vernonia. The Warriors will try to reschedule postponed games against Astoria and Knappa this week to pad out their schedule.
SEASIDE 1-2-3-1-0-0-0 7-8-2
WARRENTON 0-0-4-0-1-6-X 11-9-3
WP-M. Moore (ip, 0h, 0r, k)
LP-De Gandi (1.3 ip, 3h, 7r, 4er, k, 3bb, hp, wp)
E-Christianson, De Gandi, Sturgell, Slaughter, K. Moore. LOB-Seaside 5, Warrenton 5. 2B-Carlson, Massey. 3B-De Gandi. HR-Beatty. SB-Carlson, Gantenbein, Massey. S-Torres. SF-Gantenbein. DP-Seaside.
The sixth inning was "magic time" once again for the Warriors baseball team Friday, Warrenton scored six runs in the bottom of the sixth to knock off Seaside 11-7, improving the top-ranked Warriors non-league record to a perfect 5-0.
Countless times over the years, the Warriors have trailed late in games only to rally in the sixth inning and pull out the win. Friday, Seaside had a 6-0 lead in the third inning and held a 7-5 advantage going into Warrenton's final at bat.
With one out and the bases loaded, Buddy Davis and Eric Gantenbein drew back-to-back full count walks from Seaside reliever Mitch De Gandi to tie the score. Cleanup batter Bubba Massey also worked the count full before stroking a looping line drive down the right field line for a 2-run double, scoring Davis and Dan Wolfe with the go-ahead runs.
"I was really proud of how we just kept banging away at things," said Warrenton head coach Lennie Wolfe. "We had four runs in [the third] inning and then managed to pick up another run. We just kind of pecked away at things. It would have been pretty easy, really, to get mentally out of this game. The kids stayed in it really well."
The Gulls plated runs in each of the first four innings against Davis, who allowed eight hits and seven runs, five earned over five innings. However, the diminutive right-hander only walked one batter, while relievers Michael Moore and Gantenbein each pitched perfect innings in the sixth and seventh. By contrast, the Gulls allowed six free passes and a hit batter, all but one of which led to Warrior runs.
Moore picked up the win, striking out one batter in his inning of relief. The junior lefty, a former Babe Ruth All-Star contributing to Warrenton's varsity spring team for the first time, also had a big day at the plate, opening the Warriors' first scoring volley in the third inning with a leadoff single after fouling off three pitches. Moore drew a nine-pitch walk in the fourth inning, then singled and scored in the game-clinching sixth inning rally.
"I like the fact that he came in and had a nice presence on the mound," said Wolfe. "Certainly going from a righthander to a lefthander and back to a righthander is kind of nice. It's a luxury that I'm glad I do have after all."
Kevin Moore led off the sixth with a base on balls, followed by Mike Moore's base hit. The Warriors loaded the bases with nobody out when Beau Torres reached safely on a sacrifice bunt when De Gandi's throw pulled first baseman Ben Christianson off the bag. After Wolfe grounded into a force out at home, Davis took a close 3-2 pitch from De Gandi just low and inside to score Mike Moore. De Gandi battled Gantenbein for nine pitches before succumbing with another walk to score Torres. Massey worked the count full for the third consecutive time before serving the ball the opposite way to give the Warriors a 9-7 lead. Sal Oros took over on the hill for De Gandi and struck out Billy Sturgell for the second out, but not before Gantenbein stole home on a signature Warrenton double steal. Massey took his lead halfway to third base to draw a throw and Gantenbein sprinted home from third, scoring easily when sophomore shortstop Jeremy Carow's throw home was wild. Brandon Slaughter followed with a base hit to score Massey with the final run of the game.
"Some timely hitting and some timely running," said Wolfe. "Probably not the kind of pitching they would have hoped for at that point. A few too many walks. That kind of dug into their success."
Massey, a senior catcher, went 2-for-4 with three runs batted in. Davis scored three runs and drew two bases loaded walks. Wolfe went 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored and Gantenbein added a sacrifice fly to his game tying, bases loaded walk for two RBI's. The senior, four-year starter also slammed the door with a perfect seventh inning on the mound with one strikeout.
De Gandi, a starting shortstop and Seaside's number three hitter, went 2-for-4 on the day with an RBI triple and two runs scored. Christianson, the Gulls' cleanup hitter, went 2-for-4 with a pair of runs batted in and Will Beatty, batting ninth in the order, hit a two-run homer in the second inning. Alec Carlson started on the mound, allowing five hits and four runs, all earned, in a four-inning stint with two strikeouts and three bases on balls. The senior righthander also doubled and scored in Seaside's three run third inning, finishing 2-for-4 at the plate with a pair of runs.
"We didn't hit Carlson very well last summer," said Wolfe. "It was nice to see the kids swinging the sticks better today."
"Last summer, over half my team struck out more than fifty percent of the time. Now they are putting the ball in play and even when we're not getting some hits we're moving runners. It makes a difference. It's nice to be able to move runners without always having to bunt."
The Gulls jump into Cowapa League play on Tuesday with a home game against the Astoria Fishermen, who have won four straight games after losing their first three of the season. Astoria went unbeaten in three games at the Les Schwab Baseball Classic in John Day, with wins over Burns, Molalla and La Salle. No details were reported.
Warrenton has one more scheduled non-league encounter at Nestucca Tuesday, before beginning Lewis & Clark League play the following Tuesday at Vernonia. The Warriors will try to reschedule postponed games against Astoria and Knappa this week to pad out their schedule.
SEASIDE 1-2-3-1-0-0-0 7-8-2
WARRENTON 0-0-4-0-1-6-X 11-9-3
WP-M. Moore (ip, 0h, 0r, k)
LP-De Gandi (1.3 ip, 3h, 7r, 4er, k, 3bb, hp, wp)
E-Christianson, De Gandi, Sturgell, Slaughter, K. Moore. LOB-Seaside 5, Warrenton 5. 2B-Carlson, Massey. 3B-De Gandi. HR-Beatty. SB-Carlson, Gantenbein, Massey. S-Torres. SF-Gantenbein. DP-Seaside.
posted by Matt Richert at 10:22 AM
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