A day after a 6-4 loss to Coffee County Central in Manchester, Warren County baseball was back home in McMinnville with a chance to get one in the win column over the Red Raiders. This time around, it was the Pioneers who came out on top in an 8-7, come-from-behind thriller over their District 9-4A rivals Tuesday evening.
“I told my guys when we got home (Monday night), they played their tails off and that’s all you can ever ask for,” Warren County coach Phillip King said. “I just felt like we could go toe-to-toe with these guys. We got down early, they punched us in the mouth, but we came right back in and scratched. My guys have got a lot of fight in them, that’s the thing.”
Trailing 3-0 out of the gate, Warren County got on the board in the bottom of the first inning when courtesy runner Daylen Holguin reached home plate on a Coffee County passed ball.
Another Red Raider passed ball helped the Pioneers cut the lead to one run in the bottom of the second, this time courtesy of Hayven Jones running in from third.
Coffee County was able to maintain some space with a run in the top of the third inning, but Warren County answered shortly after. With two outs on the board in the bottom of the inning, Jones doubled on a line drive to right field to bring in Woogs Bryan from second base. Evan Snapp followed on the next at-bat with a fly ball to right for a double of his own, sending Jones home for the equalizer at 4-4.
The tight district battle continued as the fourth inning got under way, starting with a run for the Red Raiders to retake control. Once again, the Pioneers were able to respond with the tying run in the bottom of the inning thanks to a Jerren Harris ground out to bring in Ryder Gilispie from third.
Still tied at 5 apiece heading into the sixth inning, Coffee County broke the scoring drought with a pair of runs to take a 7-5 lead.
Warren County wasted no time answering in the bottom of the inning. With no outs and runners on first and second, Harris came to the plate and singled on a bunt. On the same play, Gilispie was able to score on an error to cut the deficit to one run.
After advancing to third via a passed ball not long after, Bryan came home for the tying run on a grounder from Snapp, who reached first base via another Red Raider error. Up next to the plate was Adrian Harris, who brought Jerren Harris in from third for the go-ahead run on a sacrifice fly.
With the Pioneers clinging to an 8-7 lead in the top of the seventh, Gilispie came onto the mound in relief, striking out two and surrendering a double across his first three batters. After Coffee County loaded the bases on a pair of walks, Warren County was able to preserve the victory with a fielder’s choice from shortstop Corban Felton to second baseman Tyler Adams.
“Bases loaded, that’s definitely the most stressful situation you can possibly bring upon yourself as a pitcher, but I think the main thing was just knowing you’re big enough for the moment,” Gilispie said of the seventh inning. “It was just a matter of confidence in that situation.”
The Pioneers finished the game with seven hits, led by Gilispie with two. Bryan, Jones, Snapp, Jerren Harris and Adrian Harris each added one hit. Snapp collected two of the team’s five RBI, with one each for Jones, Jerren Harris and Adrian Harris as well.
Snapp took the win on the mound with 11 strikeouts, six hits, five runs and four walks. Keaton Rowe came on in the sixth inning, adding one strikeout, one hit, two runs and a walk on the way to the save. Gilispie wrapped it up with two Ks, one hit and two walks.
“It all starts with our coaches and working hard preseason and working up to now. Just us working as a team with our teammates and coaches. The community really pulls us all together too. Our fans, they help us out so much,” Snapp said of the win. “We’ve gotta start winning more games, get back on the horse and keep working from there.”
Warren County’s home stand continues against Cumberland County at 6 p.m. on Thursday evening in McMinnville.
