Warrior mentality: Watkins jumps on Utica early, wins 5th in a row
UTICA ― The rain kept falling, the mud splattering, but Watkins Memorial's baseball team continued its surge on a soggy Wednesday at Post 92 field.
The visiting Warriors parlayed bases-loaded hit by pitches and walks, plus timely hits into a 10-0 lead after just two innings. They rolled to their fifth consecutive victory by a 13-2 count against Utica in a Licking County League crossover game.
"We just came out, put the bat on the ball early and got it done," said junior first baseman Brayden Windnagel. "We're just looking for balls to hit and put them in the gap somewhere. We're starting to come together as a team and starting to heat up."
Windnagel knocked in four runs in his first two at-bats on a pair of two-out hits. Meanwhile, leadoff hitter Chase Massie set the table, drawing three walks and scoring all three times.
"I just wait to see pitches, see what they're throwing and tell our hitters what to do," he said. "A walk is not a bad idea, and it gets their pitch count up. With some tough games coming up, we wanted to come in here and take care of business. We've been able to get hits and get runs in, and not leave people on base."
The Warriors (6-2, 3-0), who went 2-2 during their early trip to Nashville, seized on early wildness by Utica starter Chase Bennett.
After Massie led off the game by drawing a walk, Trent Johnson doubled to right center and Cole Massie was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Winning pitcher Brad Vincent was also plunked, forcing in a run, then Windnagel laced a two-run single to right. A fourth run scored on an infield error.
Watkins Memorial's lead grew to 10-0 in the second when walks to Aydan Guthrie, Massie and Johnson again loaded the bases. Noah Ciotti drew an RBI walk, and with two out, Windnagel hit a two-run double into the left center gap, A.J. Langwasser scurried for an RBI infield hit and Andrew Botts followed with a two-run single to right.
"They did what they were supposed to do, took advantage of walks and got key hits," Coach Donnie Schone said. "We have a good group of kids. They're relaxed, but a few of them are pressing a little bit. They know they can compete."
Vincent, a junior righthander, ran into a bit of trouble in the third when freshman Gaige Spray reached on an infield hit, Gavin Chinn walked and the first run scored on a dropped infield popup. Gavin Tussey stroked an RBI single to right, making it 10-2, and Roman Gamble walked to load the bases. But Vincent struck out Aidyn Burgess and got Jarrett Hill to roll out to first.
"Vincent pitched very little for us last year, but he's going to play an important role on our staff," Schone said. "The biggest thing, he just wants it."
Vincent allowed two hits, fanned five and walked three in four innings to get the win, and Watkins secured its mercy-rule win in the fifth when Tyler Vincent doubled, Chase Massie walked and Angel Meija singled. One run scored on a wild pitch, Cole Massie had a sacrifice fly and Ciotti an RBI groundout for a 13-2 cushion.
It was a welcome sight for the Warriors, seeing hard-throwing righthander Braiden Bates come on in the fifth after he was injured in Nashville. He struck out the side, although Utica (3-4, 1-2) loaded the bases with two out on Tussey's infield hit, Gamble's single and a walk to Burgess.
"Bates is slowly working his way back," Schone said. "He hurt his shoulder, but luckily it's on his glove side."
Watkins always seems to have a slew of seniors, and this year is no different.
"We have nine of them, and often we have double digits," Schone said. "Not all of them start and we lost a lot from last year, but some younger kids have stepped up. We've been very fortunate to have good coaches at the younger levels, and there's a lot of interest in baseball at Watkins."
Meanwhile, first-year Utica head coach Tyler Keith knows better days are ahead for veteran Utica, which has 10 seniors with eight of them starters. Keith, a former multi-sport athlete at Dover, came aboard as a jayvee and freshman coach on Michael Sandman's staff.
"The boys played really hard last night (a 6-5 loss to once-beaten Lakewood), got in late, then had to come out and play a great Watkins team today," he said. "Their pitching was phenomenal. We walked a lot of batters and they took advantage. They really got our pitch count up with both pitchers."
With several three or four-year starters, Utica still figures to contend in a loaded Cardinal Division.
"Roman (Gamble) is a leader. You can hear him talking to the team, getting them pumped up," Keith said. "We're deep in pitchers, four or five guys we are confident with when they take the ball, with Burgess and Gamble probably our aces. If we show up and play, we can compete with anyone."
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This article originally appeared on Newark Advocate: Warrior mentality: Watkins jumps on Utica early, wins fifth in a row
