Waterford outslugs Warren for 10-7 win

Waterford reliever Kaleb Wright, left, celebrates with starting pitcher Corbin Stark after the final out of the Wildcats’ 10-7 win over Warren Saturday in Vincent. (Photo by Jordan Holland)

VINCENT — Things are starting to click for Waterford at the plate, but nobody on the team is swinging a hotter bat than right fielder Braun Doak.

In a matchup with Warren Saturday, Doak went 4 for 4 and smacked a three-run home run in the second inning to break things open. The Wildcats ended up holding on for a 10-7 victory to improve to 8-5 this season.

“Right now we’re swinging a hot bat,” said Waterford head coach Chris Schmitt. “We’ve got a couple guys really swinging the bat well. We were aggressive early.”

The Wildcats put up a four-spot in the opening frame against Warren starter Braylen Murray, but got some help from a pair of errors by the Warriors.

Hayden Jones led off the game with a walk and came all the way around to score when Colten Jones’ single to left field was booted. Zavier Heiss and Wade Brooker added RBI singles in the frame.

Warren’s Haiden Strong gets a lead off second base during Saturday’s game against Waterford in Vincent. (Photo by Jordan Holland)

The Warriors (6-3) got one back in their half of the first when Jacob Sealey drew a two-out walk, went to second on a balk and took third and scored on consecutive wild pitches.

Murray should have gotten out of the second unscathed, but a pair of Warren errors allowed two base-runners and brought Doak to the plate. Doak got down 0-2 in the count but got a pitch to hit and crushed it over the left field fence to make it 7-1.

“I know I had two strikes,” Doak said. “I was just thinking, ‘I need to put this ball in play for my guys.’ Off the bat, I thought it was hitting off the fence. When my coach threw his hands up in the air I was pretty excited.”

Doak, who also doubled, drove in four runs and scored three times, said it was his first ever home run.

“Braun is swinging a very good bat,” Schmitt said. “He was a triple away from the cycle. He sparks us. He’s one of our energy guys. He’s a captain and he showed why today.”

Saben Jonas’ RBI single to right in the third made it 7-2, but Waterford answered with a three-spot in the top of the fourth. Doak and Brooker both drove in runs with Brooker, who ended up at third base thanks to an error, scored on a wild pitch to make it 10-2.

Warren committed six errors in the game.

Corbin Stark gutted his way through five innings on the mound to earn the win. He worked around three errors to maintain the Waterford lead, walking three and striking out five.

“Corbin’s a warrior out there,” Schmitt said. “He doesn’t let anything affect him. He goes out and does his job. He throws hard. Anytime he’s on the mound, we have confidence. He’s beat Warren and he’s beat Fort Frye. When we need a big game, we know we can go to him and he’s going to bear down and get it. I’m super proud of his effort. He never gave up.”

The Warriors put up three runs in the fourth. Haiden Strong got things started with a double. Later, with runners on the corners and one out, Tate Jonas hit a grounder to third that had a chance to be an inning-ending double play, but the throw to second was low and bounced into right field, allowing Strong to score. Murray followed with an RBI single, and Jonas later scored when Sealey’s bouncer to second was booted, making it 10-5.

Warren added two more in the fifth. Jonas’ RBI double cut it to 10-6. Later in the inning, Al Winters, who got on base via a single, scored Warren’s seventh run on a wild pitch.

Though the defense behind Stark was shaky, the right-hander got some help when Murray’s line drive to right field was snagged by a diving Doak to end the fifth. The catch saved a run and prevented Warren from getting within two.

“I think we got a bit complacent when it was 10-2 and they made a good run, but guys came out and beared down and got it,” Schmitt said. “(Warren’s) right down the road. We see these guys three times a year with a scrimmage. It’s a big school and it’s a big win for us.”

Stark walked the first batter in the sixth, prompting Schmitt to go to the bullpen. Kaleb Wright entered in relief and retired the next three batters.

Wright quickly got the first two batters out in the seventh, but a pair of walks brought Murray to the plate representing the tying run. Murray barreled a ball to the gap in right-center, but Doak tracked it down for the final out.

“Kaleb’s been sick for a few days this week,” Schmitt said. “He did his job. It wasn’t pretty, but he did his job.”

Wright walked two and fanned two in two innings of work to earn the save.

Murray, who took the loss, pitched three innings with two walks and three punchouts. Saben Jonas pitched the final four innings for Warren, walking two while recording seven strikeouts.

Saben Jonas and Winters recorded two hits apiece for Warren while Sealey, Strong and Tate Jonas all doubled.

Doak tallied game-high four hits while Brooker added two.

“I think we’re in a good state right now,” Doak said. “The bench is starting to get some noise for us going. Our arms out there are throwing strikes when we need them to. We’re looking a lot better than I thought we would at this point.

“I think we’re going to ride this one out and hopefully it takes us places we didn’t even think we could go. We’re just planning to get a good seed in the tournament. Once we get there we’re going to try to win as many ball games as we can.”

Contact Jordan Holland at [email protected].