Warriors get offensive during 2-2 week
Sports reporter
Directly after the "ping" of baseball on aluminum bat, everyone in the crowd at Warrior Stadium Friday shaded their eyes and tried to track the tiny white ball as it sailed over the fence and into the sunlight.
Junior Clayton Garnica had just hit Marion-Florence/Peabody-Burns' first home run of the season, to up the Warriors' lead to 8-2.
As MFPB went on to win 9-2 in the first game of a league doubleheader against Hoisington, one thing became apparent: These Warriors can hit.
Not that they can't pitch. In fact, Warrior Bryan Swenson is 2-1 with a 2.21 ERA on the season and picked up the 9-2 victory. But six games into the season the Warriors are hitting a gaudy .348, with four players at .400 or better.
"I'm pleased with the way our guys are hitting," coach Sean Spoonts said. "They are putting the ball in play, and a lot of them are right at people."
In the first game of their doubleheader April 5 against Nickerson, the Warriors piled up eight runs in the first four innings. Unfortunately, the pitching didn't hold up its end of the bargain, as Marion fell 15-9.
Garnica had another big game, going 3-4 with an RBI. Senior Tyson Heidebrecht had two hits and three RBIs, and Derek Benson was 3-3 with two runs knocked in.
MFPB's bats remained hot early in game two, jumping ahead 5-1 after just two innings.
The Warriors managed just one more run, but Swenson was hot on the mound, and they took the second game 6-3.
"We need to pitch well in order to be effective as a team," Spoonts said.
Swenson did just that as he went all seven innings allowing just five hits and three runs, all unearned.
He also had a good day at the plate, going 2-3 with a pair of RBIs.
On Friday the Warriors hosted their first two games of the season. Garnica and the Warriors didn't disappoint in game one as the right fielder not only homered, but doubled as well and had three RBIs.
"He has a smooth swing," Spoonts said of Garnica. "I'm very pleased with the way Clayton is hitting."
After pushing across a run in the second inning on a wild pitch and another in the third on an RBI single, the Warriors pushed the lead to 8-2 with a six-run fourth inning.
Junior Dave DeForest scored on a single after doubling in the fifth, as the Warriors claimed the seven-run victory.
It was Swenson's second win of the season, as he had another complete game, striking out six, while allowing just four hits, and two earned runs.
The second game was a bit of a letdown for the Warriors and their fans, as they fell 8-3 to the Cardinals. Pitchers Cody Weerts, Todd Woodruff, Tyson Heidebrecht, and Garnica, gave up just six hits, but allowed three unearned runs along with five earned.
Weerts led the Warriors with two hits, and DeForest had the lone RBI.
It was the second straight doubleheader they split after winning the first game.
"Consistency between the two games is what we need to work on," Spoonts said. "It's tough but everybody has to do the same thing on the field."
Overall Spoonts is pleased with his team's performance and is finding no problems with the merger between Marion and Peabody.
"Once we gel together and play smooth, solid baseball, it will be tough for teams to beat us," Spoonts said.
The Warriors are now 2-4 in the Mid-Central Activities Association league, and 2-4 overall as well.
"It's one of the toughest 3 and 4A leagues in the state of Kansas," Spoonts said of the league the Warriors are a part of for the first time.
The Warriors played host last night to Hillsboro and will travel Friday to Halstead on for their four games this week.
Junior varsity
The MFPB's junior varsity team has played just one game this season and came out on top.
The Warriors bested the Hillsboro Trojans 19-9 Thursday at Warrior Stadium.
Spoonts was pleased with both Clinton Jeffrey and Aaron Burnett's pitching performances.
Freshman Zan Fine was 4-5 with three runs scored. Freshman Calvin Jeffrey went 3-7, with two doubles, and three stolen bases, and Clay Riggs added three hits as well.
