Warriors lose eighth in a row
Sports reporter
Playing against one of the best 3A teams in the state and a rejuvenated up-and-coming club, the Marion-Florence/Peabody-Burns Warriors lost all four games this past week, dropping them to 2-12.
It began May 2 with a match-up against 2004 3A state champ Lyons on the road.
It ended ugly for the Warriors as they managed just one hit from Calvin Jeffrey, and five errors, in a 15-0 loss.
Lyons pounded out 14 hits and 15 runs in the shortened five-inning game.
Game two got off to a better start for the Warriors when David DeForest singled home Cody Weerts in the first inning. Lyons countered with a run in the first, three in third, and five more in the fifth, to win 9-1.
The Warriors cut their errors down to two, and recorded four hits, including a double from Weerts.
The two losses gave the Warriors a 2-10 record before heading into their second doubleheader of the year Thursday against Hillsboro.
The Trojans, who had won six games total the past two years, came into the match-up with an 8-6 record.
HHS broke open a tie-game in the second with a run, and added five more in the third to lead 6-0.
MFPB would scored two in the fifth, to cut the lead to four, but the Trojans pounded out nine runs in the sixth inning, putting the game away. They eventually won 15-3.
Five Warriors recorded one hit each, while Derek Benson, Aaron Burnett, and Todd Woodruff all scored one run each.
The Warriors did all their scoring in one inning during game two, and it seemed to be enough to win.
Trailing 2-0 in the bottom of the fourth, second baseman Clinton Jeffrey singled to right. Brother to Clinton, and shortstop Calvin added a single, and Burnett knocked in Clinton with a single.
After Clayton Garnica grounded out, Weerts smashed a single to right, scoring two runs, and gave the Warriors a 3-2 lead. Woodruff then walked, and after a wild pitch, Benson singled home Woodruff. The final run came on a DeForest double that scored Benson. When all was said and done the Warriors had a 5-3 lead after four innings.
The score remained the same until the top of the final inning when the Trojans were down to their final three outs. Chad Hughbanks led off with a walk, and Adam Scheele followed with a pop out to the catcher. Consecutive singles from Justin Moore and Troy Frick cut the led to 5-4, before Travis Riesen stepped to the plate. He continued his hit streak with a two-run single of his own to give the Trojans a 6-5 lead. Lucas Hamm and Alex Nuss were retired to end the inning, but the damage had been done.
The 0-4 week was the eighth loss in a row for the Warriors. They played their final games Tuesday at Smoky Valley, and will play next week in a regional tournament at Chapman.
