The Warsaw Tigers will square off against the Northridge Raiders at 5:30 p.m. on Friday. The two teams each escaped (but just barely!) with wins against their previous opponents.
While Warsaw's victory against NorthWood wasn't quite the blowout it was the last time the pair played, they still came out on top. The Tigers narrowly escaped with a win as the team sidled past the Panthers 4-3. The Tigers haven't had any issues with the Panthers recently, as the game was their third consecutive victory against them.
Brock Bowser
| 05/14/25 vs NorthWood | 1 |
| 05/10/25 vs Elkhart | 1 |
| 05/07/25 vs Wawasee | 0 |
| 05/03/25 vs Valparaiso | 2 |
Brock Bowser looked comfortable as he tossed 2.1 innings while giving up no earned runs or hits. He has been nothing but reliable on the mound: he hasn't given up more than two walks in four consecutive appearances.
On the hitting side, Warsaw let Grady Nelson and Kellan Bailey run wild. Nelson went 1-for-3 with one home run and two RBI, while Bailey went a perfect 2-for-2 with two runs and one double. That home run was Nelson's first of the season.
Meanwhile, it may have taken eight innings to finish the job, but Northridge ultimately got the result they hoped for on Wednesday. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 5-4 win over Wawasee. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest victory the Raiders have posted against the Warriors since May 11, 2022.
The team relied heavily on Brody Wood, who went 1-for-3 with three stolen bases, one run, and one RBI. He is becoming a predictor of Northridge's success: when he posts at least two stolen bases the team is undefeated (and 7-8 when he doesn't). Another player making a difference was Preston Ryan, who got on base in two of his four plate appearances with one stolen base and one run.
Northridge hit smart and finished the game with only two strikeouts. They easily outclassed their opponents in that department as Wawasee struck out 11 times.
Northridge pushed their record up to 12-8 with the win, which was their fifth straight at home. They've had to fight for that success though, as they only beat their opponents by an average of 1.4 runs across that stretch. As for Warsaw, their victory bumped their record up to 14-7.
The batters for both teams will have to hit smart on Friday as both have some strikeout artists on the roster. Warsaw has been retiring batters left and right this season, having averaged 7.4 strikeouts per game. However, it's not like Northridge struggles in that department as they've been averaging an even more impressive 6.6 strikeouts. Considering how easily both teams rack up Ks, the hitters on both teams better bring their A-game into this one.
Warsaw couldn't quite finish off Northridge when the teams last played two weeks ago and fell 4-2. Will the Tigers have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more baseball content.
