Carter Woody throws a pitch during Wawasee’s game with Wabash last spring. The Warriors lost to the Apaches on a walk-off Wednesday. (File photo by James Costello)

WABASH 6, WAWASEE 5
Wawasee baseball took one on the chin at Wabash Wednesday evening, falling in walk-off fashion after leading most of the night in both teams’ season-opener.

Robert Irgang’s double into left plated Jared Holley, and Kallen Kelsheimer scored the game-winner on an infield error off a Joe Leland grounder to lift the Apaches past their guests.

The Warriors jumped on top in the second with four runs off two hits, three walks and two hit batsmen. Parker Young led off the inning with a double into right, Levi Brown followed with a single to left to score him, Ethan Garza was hit by a pitch, Tony Garcia and Jacob Carson drew back-to-back, one-out walks to bring the top of the order around, and Gabe Moore was hit by another pitch to walk in Wawasee’s third run. Kameron Salazar coaxed a two-out walk on a full count to score Garcia and give the visitors a 4-0 advantage.

The Warriors tacked on one more run in the top of the fourth — when Moore drew a walk and was singled in by Young — but Wabash scratched out a run in each of the fourth and fifth innings, then scored another two runs off a trio of singles and a wild pitch in the sixth, setting the stage for the late-inning heroics.

Leland got the win on the hill going three innings taking over for Holley in the fifth. He gave up just one hit with one strikeout and no walks over three scoreless innings. Josh Slabaugh took the tough-luck pitching loss surrendering four hits with one walk versus two strikeouts for two runs relieving starter Carter Woody in the seventh. Woody surrendered four earned runs off six hits with three walks but struck out eight in five innings of work in the start for Wawasee.

Garza and Brown were both 2-for-3 at the plate with a run scored, and Brown also recorded an RBI.

Kelsheimer finished 3-for-4 with a run scored an an RBI in the win for Wabash (1-0). The Apaches host Mississinewa April 4.

Wawasee (0-1) will play at Manchester Thursday at 5 p.m.

MISHAWAKA 7, NORTHWOOD 3

The Panthers were on the road for the third night in a row as they traveled to Mishawaka Wednesday.

Matt Dutkowski took the loss for NorthWood in his first appearance of the season, allowing six hits and two runs over four innings, while striking out four and walking none. Jason Cripe would come in the fifth, and defensive errors led to five unearned runs during his frame. Kyler Hauptli would come in and strike out three for his inning of work.

Jaden Miller went 2-for-3 at the plate and scored a run to lead NorthWood offensively. Dutkowski, Hauptli and Sergio Lira Ayala each registered a hit as well.

NorthWood (1-2) will host West Noble in its home-opener on April 8.

NORTHWOOD JV 10, MISHAWAKA JV 8

NorthWood’s junior varsity used a five-run seventh to steal a victory from Mishawaka on Wednesday.

The JV Panthers collected 16 hits to Mishawaka’s eight, and Jacob Raasch, Isaiah Yoder, Beau Stankovich and Wriley Symons all managed multiple hits for NorthWood. Raash was 3-for-5 to set the standard for his team.

Symons got the pitching win allowing just two hits during two scoreless innings, striking out three and walking none.