Daily Newsletters
Account
Washington Evening Journal
111 North Marion Avenue
Washington, IA 52353
319-653-2191
Thirteen and counting for Van Buren County
Warriors shutout West Burlington for 13th win in a row
WEST BURLINGTON — Van Buren County has been one of the hottest baseball teams in the Union area as of late.
With an 8-0 victory over West Burlington on Tuesday night, the Warriors win streak moves to 13 straight and gives them a 14-1 record through 15 games this season.
Early on against the Falcons, the Warriors struggled to get the bats going.
Through seven innings, they tallied just eight hits, but in the end it was good enough.
“Today we just came out and played well as a team,” senior second-baseman Taylor Sprouse said. “We didn’t hit the best, but it was enough to get the job done.”
Senior Sam Warth got the Warriors going in the second inning with an RBI single to make it 1-0.
An RBI groundout by Sprouse an inning later pushed the Warrior lead to 2-0.
“I was just trying to pick up the spin at the plate,” Sprouse said. “I saw a curve ball first pitch and I just stayed back on it. If I see a strike first pitch, I’m going to swing at it.”
Van Buren County continued shutdown any hope that West Burlington could make a comeback with some solid defense and a great showing from Lucas Fett on the hill.
The junior threw a complete game, giving up just three hits along with 10 strikeouts.
In the final three innings, the Warriors continued to tighten their grip on the lead with some help from the Falcons.
In the top half of the fifth frame, Sprouse got the bat to the ball and a 4-0 lead followed.
A wild throw and past ball trying to catch the runner at home went past the Falcon catcher and scored a pair, while Sprouse made it all the way to second.
After not scoring a run in the sixth, the Warriors put together their highest scoring inning of the night in the seventh.
Fett, Jackson Manning and Dylan Richardson all scored on past balls, while a sacrifice fly by Warth scored Sprouse.
Anthony Duncan, Sprouse, Wyatt Mertens, T.J. Jirak, Richardson, Izaak Loeffler, Fett and Warth all had hits in the victory.
After a matchup with Highland on Wednesday, the Warriors will take on Central Lee on Thursday.
“It’s next guy mentality for us,” Sprouse said. “We just gotta keep playing good defense and put runs on the board.”
