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Warren’s Braylen Murray scores a run as Waterford catcher Hayden Jones fields a throw during Wednesday’s game. (Photo by Mike Morrison)

WATERFORD — Tate Jonas used his arm for the first six innings and his glove for the seventh to lead the visiting Warren Warriors to a 4-1 win Wednesday night over the Waterford Wildcats

Jonas tossed six innings of three-hit ball and then moved to shortstop where he made the final two plays of the game on defense to lead the Warriors to their eighth win in their last 10 games.

The Warrior junior started the final inning on the mound but after he walked the lead-off hitter, Warren head coach Chad Porter elected to replace him on the mound with freshman Cody Edling.

Jonas made a nice catch as he short hopped a line drive off of the bat of Cole Mullenix and stepped on second and fired to first for a double play and then on the very next pitch handled a routine ground ball for the final out of the game.

“We got another great starting pitching performance from Tate Jonas and we’ve come to expect that,” said Warren head coach Chad Porter. “Then he goes to shortstop where he hasn’t played much this year and he gets two balls hit right at him and makes both plays.”

Warren’s Cody Eding runs to first base as Waterford pitcher Avery Pottmeyer prepares to throw from his knees during Wednesday’s game. (Photo by Mike Morrison)

Waterford catcher Hayden Jones singled to lead off the game off of Jonas but was thrown out stealing.

After that Jonas was locked in on the mound as he tossed five scoreless frames taking advantage of some great defense from his Warrior teammates.

The Warriors offense went quietly over the first few innings off of Mullenix who got the start for the Wildcats before breaking through for a pair of runs in the top of the third.

Braylen Murray led the inning off by drawing a base on balls and promptly stole second.

First baseman Jace Hilverding laid down a perfect bunt and beat it out at first to give the Warriors runners on the corners with no one out.

Hilverding and Murray pulled off a double steal to plate the first run of the inning and later on Hilverding came into score on an infield ground out by third baseman Aiden Lipscomb.

Waterford had perhaps their best chance to cut into the Warren lead in the top of the fifth when second baseman Corbin Stark led off the inning with a single and moved to second on a wild pitch.

One out later Weston Hennes drilled a ball down the right field line that appeared to be bound for extra bases but Warrior right fielder Logan Wukelich made an outstanding running catch to leave the runner stranded at second base.

Porter felt like his team made all the plays it needed to behind Jonas including some difficult ones.

“We have come a long way and that is a credit to these guys,” said Porter, whose roster does not have a single senior on it. “We’ve got them to believe that the key is getting ahead and making the routine play 100 percent of the time and they did that tonight.”

The Warriors doubled their lead in the top of the sixth off of Waterford reliever Avery Pottmeyer and once again “small ball” played a role in their success.

Saban Jonas was hit by a pitch to begin the inning and Eding reached first on a Wildcat error after laying down a sacrifice bunt.

Jonas wound up at third base on the miscue and came home to score on a safety squeeze by catcher Will Carte.

Pinch hitter Corey Floyd singled and Murray plated the fourth run of the game for the Warriors on an infield ground-out.

In all, Warren laid down five successful sacrifice bunts including Hilverding’s bunt hit early in the game.

“We were able to create some things offensively and I thought the guys did a really good job executing,” said Porter. “You’ve got to be able to switch gears sometimes when things aren’t dropping.”

Waterford head coach Chris Schmitt felt like his team’s inability to manage the Warrior short game proved detrimental in the loss.

“We just needed to execute better defensively than we did,” Schmitt said. “If they are going to give us an out we have got to take it and we just didn’t do that very well today.”

The Wildcats broke up the shutout in the bottom of the sixth as Kam Johnson scored on an infield ground out by Braun Doak.

Jonas appeared to tire late in the game as he walked a pair in the sixth inning before walking the leadoff man in the seventh prompting Porter to make the change and bring Edling into the game.

Edling threw just three pitches with Jonas and the Warren defense taking care of things in the field to pull the Warriors to within one game of .500 (12-13) after they got off to a disastrous 1-7 start.

“Tate (Jonas) got a little tired there at the end and Cody (Eding) came in and did a great job,” said Porter. “For a freshman to come into a high pressure situation like that and get the job done was impressive.”

The Wildcats have been on quite a roll of their own as the loss snapped a six-game winning streak and was just their eighth on the season compared to 17 wins.

“These guys have been riding high and we’ve got some momentum heading into the tournament,” said Schmitt. “We play a tough schedule here at the end and we did that on purpose to get us ready.”

Warren will be right back at it Thursday as they travel to Meigs while the Wildcats will close out their regular season Saturday at Fort Frye.

Warren 4, Waterford 1

Waterford 000 001 0 — 1 3 1

WP: Tate Jonas 6IP, 3H, ER, 3BB, 5SO

SAVE: Cody Eding: IP

LP: Cole Mullenix: 4IP, 2H, 2ER, 3BB, SO

Avery Pottmeyer 3IP, 2R, ER, 2SO

Warren (12-13) hitting: Jace Hilverding 1-3, R, Cody Eding 1-1, R, Haiden Strong 1-3, Corey Floyd 1-1, Braylen Murray 0-2, R, RBI, 3SB, Aiden Lipscomb 0-4, RBI, Will Carte 0-1, RBI.

Waterford (17-8) hitting: Hayden Jones 1-3, Corbin Stark 1-2, Kaleb Wright 1-2, Kam Johnson 0-1, R, Braun Doak 0-3, RBI.

Next Games: Thursday, Warren at Meigs; Saturday, Waterford at Fort Frye.