Early runs doom Warriors
By Lenny Sementi
Head baseball coach Adam Carver’s squad was scheduled to host Champaign Central’s baseball team, but Mother Nature had other plans that forced the Warriors to take their show on the road north to square off with the Class 3A Maroons.
Central’s strong bats lived up to their billing by twice posting crooked numbers on the board en-route to a 12-0 defeat of the Warriors.
Senior Cade Kresin got the start giving nine runs on eight hits and a pair of walks while fanning two in two innings of the work. Sophomore Ben Tiezzi was next on the hill for coach Carver working two innings, giving up three runs, all earned, on six hits and a walk. Logan Tabeling threw the fifth frame in lieu of a bullpen and stayed true to form striking out three of the four batters he faced.
Four of the first six to step to the dish for Central in the top of the first singled, and the other two found their ways on thanks to a hit by pitch and an error. The next three reached safely, as well, as the Maroons ran out to a 7-0 advantage before the Warriors recorded an out. Kresin worked out of a bases loaded jam thanks to a double play and an infield fly to stop the bleeding.
The Maroons added three more in the third on six hits and a sac bunt and never looked back, pushing one more across in the fourth to make it 12-0 Central. Tabeling walked the first he faced in the fifth then settled in sitting the next three down in order on 15 pitches.
Tiezzi was the first in black and gold to find his way onto to the base paths, collecting a walk with two gone in the third. Freshman shortstop Jalen Quinn then broke up the no hitter one batter later with a double to left center pushing Tiezzi to third, but that’s where they would stay. Kresin singled to lead off the bottom half of the fourth but was doubled off one pitch later on a ground ball by Brayden VonLanken, squashing the threat. Ryan Bartley reached on an error in the fifth but was left also ending the game in five.
It was only the Warriors’ second loss of the year, both coming to Class 3A competition, while putting seven in the win column.