Rare play sets tone for Warrior losses
Sports reporter
It was one of those plays you hear about, but rarely see.
However, everyone at the Marion-Florence Peabody-Burns — Haven baseball game did.
With the Warriors trailing Haven 2-1 in the top of the fifth inning Friday, junior Clayton Garnica led off with a double off the right-center field fence. Derek Benson reached on a bunt, and an error allowed Garnica to reach third.
Cody Weerts then sent a perfect bunt down the first base line that looked to be a base hit and a run for Marion. Instead the pitcher snagged the ball, and flipped it home to nail Garnica at the plate.
Benson then found himself caught between second and third in a rundown where he was eventually tagged out. While this was happening, Weerts decided second was too far and by the time he retreated back to first, the Haven third baseman fired over and nailed Weerts for a triple play.
"I've never seen anything like it," Warrior baseball coach Sean Spoonts said. "I don't think it will happen again."
It probably never will, but the Wildcats are sure glad it happened when it did. Haven took the momentum to the plate in the bottom of the fifth and scored two runs with two outs off starter Bryan Swenson.
By the time the sixth inning was over, Haven led 9-1 thanks to a three-run home run.
The Warriors added a run when Garnica singled to start the seventh, and later scored on an error, to make the final score 9-2.
"We have the ability to beat any team we play," Spoonts said. "We just have to limit the mistakes."
In the second game the Warriors fell behind 3-1 after the first inning. Trailing by four in the seventh, the Warriors pushed across three runs but fell just short, 10-9.
Spoonts was happy with the fact his team walked only three batters in the doubleheader, but still felt it made too many mistakes in the field and on the base paths. He was however pleased with the offense and pitching.
"We had a couple of kids hit the ball well," Spoonts said. "Our pitchers did a good job overall."
Garnica was 4-8 over the two game span, and Weerts and catcher Ryan Gaines added three hits each.
It was the first game for the combined Marion and Peabody team, and Spoonts said as the season goes on they will gel together.
"We're one team," he said. "We just need to play together and got to know each other better. If we play them in the middle of the season I think it's a different outcome."
The Warriors traveled Tuesday to Nickerson for a doubleheader and will host their first games of the year at 4:30 p.m. Friday.
