MIDDLEBURY — Warsaw senior Michael Nunez used his pitching arm, defense and bat Friday to help the Tigers earn a 2-1 Northern Lakes Conference high school baseball victory Friday, May 11 at Northridge.

Right-hander Nunez (7 innings, 1 run, 3 hits, 0 walks, 3 strikeouts) retired the the Raiders 10 times on grounders, pop-ups or line drives in the infield and five on flies to the outfield and cool and windy Raider Field.

“Michael Nunez threw the best ball game he’s thrown for us his whole career,” said Warsaw coach Mike Hepler, who saw Nunez set down the last six batters in a row. “He was changing speeds and locating well.

When he did get behind (in the count), he battled tough and stayed the course and got them to hit the ball. We made some plays behind him — not all of them — but we made some.

“I give a lot of credit to him for his intensity and preparation. He’s got a good spirit.”

The Tigers scored one two-out run in the sixth to take a 2-1 lead.

Senior Brendan Perry reached base on a one-out infield single, moved to second base on a walk and scored on a double to deep left by Nunez.

On the play, Northridge junior left fielder Logan Pratt relayed the ball to junior shortstop Ben Becker who threw to senior catcher Mason Troyer to cut down sophomore Noah Burgh (who had reached by walk) at the plate for the third out.

“I’m just real excited for our kids,” said Hepler, whose squad moved to 5-12 overall and 3-9 in the NLC. It’s a good win for us. This is the time when we want to be playing our best baseball and we’re right there.

“We’re playing a lot better than our record indicates. We can see the improvement. We’re getting there.”

Warsaw senior right fielder Matt Francis robbed senior Cody Bible of a base hit with a sliding catch to open a scoreless Northridge sixth.

The Raiders pushed across one run in the fifth to knot the score at 1-all.

Senior Aidan Driver reached base on an error, moved to second base on junior Reece Lueking’s sacrifice and third on a double to short center.

Pratt’s bloop single to center drove in Driver.

The rally ended with a Warsaw double play as senior shortstop Jared Hawley snagged a line drive off the bat of sophomore Cam Knapp and fired to third baseman Burgh to double off the runner.

Northridge (10-8, 6-6) stranded runners at the corner a scoreless third.

Sophomore Davis Enfield lashed a one-out single to left, moved to second base on a Pratt sacrifice as Pratt was also safe on an error.

Enfield went to third on a Knepp fielder’s choice.

A come-backer — pitcher Nunez to 6-foot-6 junior first baseman Avery Remocaldo — ended the threat.

The Tigers scored the game’s first run in the third.

A two-out single by Hawley plated Francis, who drilled a one-out single to right, moved to second base on an error and stole third base.

Warsaw left runners at first and second as Knepp struck out three batters in the inning.

The Raiders turned a double play — pitcher Knepp to shortstop Becker to sophomore first baseman Nick Logan — to end a scoreless Warsaw second.

Right-hander Knepp (7 innings, 2 runs, hits, 1 walk, 6 strikeouts) went the distance on the mound for the home team.

“We hit the ball right at people,” said Northridge coach Andrew Brabender. “We only struck out three times and put the ball in play a lot. It’s the second time we saw (Nunez). We saw him over at their place and hit him hard, too. They had some seeing-eye singles. Only one or two baseballs today were squared up. It was two well-pitched games.”

Brabender noted that of his Raiders’ eight losses, three of come in extra innings and three by one run.

“That’s kind of the story of our season right there,” said Brabender.

“We’ve got to find a way.”

Fort Wayne Carroll is slated to play a doubleheader at Warsaw Saturday, May 12. Northridge visits Elkhart Memorial Monday, May 14.

SHOWCASES

SHOWCASE	STATE	DATE	LOCATION
Improve My Profile with HS Game Video	IN	06/03	Indiana
2018 Summer Trials	IN	06/05	Grand Park - Westfield, IN
2018 Top Prospect Games	IN	06/12	Purdue University - West Lafayette, IN
Future Prospects Showcase & Educational Camp	IN	06/26	Grand Park - Westfield, IN
Mid-Summer Open, Fort Wayne	IN	07/10	Carroll High School - Fort Wayne, IN
PBR ProCase - Midwest	IN	07/10	Silver Cross Field - Joliet, IL
Mid-Summer Open, Region	IN	07/17	Hobart High School
2018 Underclass Games (Invite Only)	IN	07/24	Indiana University - Bloomington, IN
Prospect Games at Notre Dame	IN	07/24	University of Notre Dame - Notre Dame, IN
2018 PBR Future Games (Indiana Invite Only)	IN	08/01	Grand Park - Westfield, IN
PBR Junior Future Games (Invite Only)	NATIONAL	08/02	Grand Park - Westfield, IN
GPA Games	IN	08/12	Lee Pfund Stadium - Carol Stream, IL