Warriors end tough week with home victory
Sports reporter
After losing two games April 11 to rival Hillsboro, Marion-Florence/ Peabody-Burns baseball team tried to get back on track against Halstead.
It didn't happen in game one as the Dragons scored five runs in the third inning, and ran away with the game, 11-2.
"We didn't hit the ball," head coach Shaun Craft said of the first game.
The Warrior managed just six hits, while Preston Williams and Todd Woodruff each knocked in a run during the loss.
Clinton Jeffrey took the loss on the mound for the Warriors. After pitching two scoreless innings, the Dragons finally got to Jeffrey.
Game two was a different story, at least defensively.
MFPB managed only five hits, but pitcher Clayton Garnica allowed just four hits, and one unearned run in a complete-game victory.
"That was a big confidence booster for him," Craft said. "It's a great way to go into the break."
Garnica also helped himself at the plate as well, hitting a go-ahead triple in the bottom of the fifth inning that broke a 1-1 tie. Woodruff knocked in Garnica with a single for an insurance run, and the Warriors picked up their second victory of the season, 3-1.
"Our defense played great," Craft said of game two.
The first-year coach switched it up a little by putting third baseman Dave DeForest in center field, and brought in outfielder Calvin Jeffrey to play shortstop. Regular shortstop Woodruff played third one game and caught the other.
"It was just something I wanted to try out," Craft said.
It proved to be a good move as DeForest made a run-saving diving catch in center field in game two.
"Dave had never played outfield, but I knew he could step up and do the job," Craft said.
The victory improved the Warriors' record to 2-6, and stopped a six-game losing streak.
Hillsboro
On a windy day at Hillsboro April 11 the Warriors were defeated by their cross-county rivals, 11-1 and 12-7.
The Trojans hit three home runs in game one, as Aaron Burnett shouldered the loss for MFPB.
"We just came out flat," Craft said of the first game. "They jumped on us early and we couldn't come back."
The second game looked like it might mirror the first game as the Trojans jumped ahead 10-1. But the Warriors fought back and scored six of the final eight runs to make the final score respectable.
"We forced them to make some errors and got those runners in," Craft said. "The main thing was we left too many guys on base."
The Warriors played Tuesday at Sacred Heart and are off Friday. They will resume action Tuesday at Hoisington for a makeup game.
