By Trey Hunter
Sports Editor
The Warriors picked up their first win of the season and Mark Framel’s first as the team’s skipper Monday.
Okarche scored eight runs in the first two innings and 10 in the third en route to a 18-0 win over Dover. The Warriors scattered nine hits against three pitchers while three of the team’s own hurlers combined to give up just three hits with six strikeouts over four innings.
Jayton Crider picked up the win after pitching the first two innings, giving up three hits with three strikeouts on just 27 pitches. Bryce Reese and Carson Baustert allowed no hits with three strikeouts in relief.
The Warriors got going early, scoring five runs in the top of the first inning. Dalton Schwarz, Carson Jacobs and Nick Baustert reached via free passes before a two-RBI single from Preston Hawk to give Okarche it’s first lead of the game and ultimately all the team would need. Senior Tucker Neuenschwander followed by reaching on a walk before Bryce Reece drove in a run with a groundout for a 3-0 advantage. One batter later, Crider helped his own cause with a two-RBI double to extend the lead to 5-0.
Okarche scored three more runs in the top of the second inning on four walks and a pair of RBI-singles by Hawk and Neuenschwander.
The Warriors tacked on 10 runs in the top of the third inning on four walks, five singles and an error.
Hawk and Neuenschwander led the team with two hits apiece. Neuenschwander went 2-for-2 with three RBIs and a walk while Hawk went 2-for-2 with two RBIs. Schwarz, Crider and Carson Baustert all finished with one hit.
Crider drove in two runs while Evan Endres, Jackson Reherman, Koby Mingus, Jarret Highfill, Reece and Carson Baustert all drove in one run.
“We played pretty good,” Framel said. “We stressed hunting fastballs and hitting well in positive counts. Also we’re looking at having quality at-bats, seeing pitches and having an approach with two strikes. We’re hitting the ball pretty well even back to scrimmages, so it’s not as aspect I’m too worried about right now.”
The Warriors now turn their sights to Arapaho Thursday, March 14, 2019 at 4:30 p.m. before hitting spring break. Okarche returns from the break on March 21-23 at the 2019 Pioneer Tournament.
