For the Daily Journal
Following a wild affair Tuesday that saw head coach Scott Sherry ejected, the Whiteland Warriors went into Wednesday’s baseball rematch against Greenwood looking to keep their composure.
Their man on the mound was an exemplar in that department.
Led by a complete game from starting pitcher Riley McMahon, Whiteland (5-3, 3-3 Mid-State) avenged a close loss on Tuesday by routing Greenwood 14-3 in five-and-a-half innings.
McMahon and Whiteland started the game on shaky ground. The junior had trouble locating his breaking ball and gave up an early run. The gusty conditions may have been a factor, although his coaches said afterward the ability to control a game starts in the bullpen during warmups.
A high-powered second inning provided McMahon the cushion he needed. The Warriors scored six runs in the frame, highlighted by a bases-loaded double by Luke Helton. Senior Nicholas Carrizales followed with a home run over the right field fence, undoubtedly aided by strong opposite-field winds.
Greenwood (2-5, 2-4) tried to make things interesting during the top of the fourth. A walk to start the inning provided an RBI opportunity for Jake Houpt. The junior outfielder delivered, driving the ball to the outfield and scoring two runs in the process.
But the defensive half of the frame made the inning a painful one overall for the Woodmen. Whiteland began to pile on Greenwood reliever Cameron Crick, the middle of the order continuing to pull toward the opposite field.
To go with his pitching, McMahon made a stellar play in the top of the fifth, picking off Whiteland’s Jordan Martin at first base following a leadoff single. He retired the final two Greenwood batters to cap off a roller coaster two days for his Warriors squad.
Whiteland’s Braden Reed contributed two stolen bases early on to go along with an RBI sacrifice in the bottom of the fourth.
