Riding the Storm out
Warriors continue outscoring opponents at a torrid pace
Baseball is a game of numbers. And right now no team is putting up numbers like the Brainerd Warriors.
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In eight of their first 13 games, the Warriors have outscored opponents 94-18, including Tuesday's 11-4 pasting of the Sauk Rapids Storm in a Central Lakes Conference game at Don Adamson Field.
The numbers don't just stop at runs. Brainerd, which is ranked second in Class 3A, also hit six doubles and two home runs against three Storm pitchers.
Brainerd Warriors third baseman Mike Germain tagged a Sauk Rapids-Rice Storm runner out in a controversial play as Storm coach Brent Pakkala watched Tuesday at Adamson Field.
"The extra base hits take you out of the double play situation," Warriors coach Lowell Scearcy said, "and with a shortstop like (Tommy) Wippler, they can turn a double play at anytime. Any extra base hits you get are just a bonus."
Brainerd outfielder Zach Heidmann's numbers continued to grow as well. He hit his team-leading fifth and sixth doubles of the season, finishing the game with three hits and two runs scored. Heidmann's four RBI upped his season total to 11.
Heidmann's hitting sparked Brainerd to three-run innings in the second, third and sixth. Catcher Kyle Holbrook and infielder Mike Germain hit back-to-back home runs in the fourth inning. Holbrook's homer gave him a team-high six round-trippers on the season.
"There are games where Kyle and Mike have been hitting the ball well and there are games where they're not," Scearcy said. "There's games where the guys at the bottom of the order are hitting the ball well.
Brainerd Warriors third baseman Mike Germain tagged a Sauk Rapids-Rice Storm runner out in a controversial play as Storm coach Brent Pakkala watched Tuesday at Adamson Field.
"Zach Heidmann has been hitting the ball really well lately and we're moving him up the order. I think we're in pretty good shape with the first five or six guys in the order. Knock on wood they'll keep hitting."
Germain led off the second inning with a walk and then scored on a Heidmann double. Matt Siegel drove in Heidmann with a fielder's choice and then scored on a Tony Hennen single to round out the inning.
Heidmann continued swinging a hot bat in the third when his single to center field plated Carl Sneep. Grant Eller and Devin Roberts followed with consecutive singles to score runs as Brainerd built a comfortable 6-1 lead.
Winning pitcher Jake Johnson allowed the Storm to get back into the game when he hit the leadoff hitter and walked three consecutive batters to give up a run. Sauk Rapids' Drew Elness then delivered a two-run single to cut the score to 6-4.
But Brainerd's big boppers Holbrook and Germain struck in the bottom half of the fourth to give the Warriors an 8-4 lead.
"Me and Mike have been hitting the ball but we've been hitting it right to people lately," Holbrook said. "It's nice to get back on the bases instead of going back to the dugout every time."
Brainerd Warriors third baseman Mike Germain tagged a Sauk Rapids-Rice Storm runner out in a controversial play as Storm coach Brent Pakkala watched Tuesday at Adamson Field.
In the sixth Adian Kummet was hit by a pitch and Holbrook doubled. Heidmann then took a 2-2 pitch and hit it over the right fielder's head to score two.
The Warriors upped their record to 12-1 overall and 9-1 in the CLC with the Brainerd Invitational on deck this Friday and Saturday. Scearcy points out that getting out to an early lead is just one key to the Warriors' success.
"It's always big when you're up over a couple of runs on an opponent," said Scearcy. "You take bunting and stealing away from the other team and they have to go ahead and hit the ball. If we don't walk people then we're in pretty good shape."
Sauk Rapids 001 300 0 -- 4 9 0
Warriors 11, Sauk Rapids 4
The key: Brainerd hit eight extra base hits, including two doubles from Zach Heidmann and solo home runs from Kyle Holbrook and Mike Germain.
Conference: Brd 9-1, SR 3-8
Overall: Brd. 12-1, SR 6-9
Next: Brainerd Invitational 5 p.m. Friday.
Brainerd 033 203 x -- 11 14 0
SR -- Tyler Fries, Spencer Braun (4), Dex Holthaus (5) and Braun, Drew Elness. Brd -- Jake Johnson, Zach Heidmann (5), Mike Germain (6) and Kyle Holbrook. WP -- Johnson. LP -- Fries.
2B -- Brd-Heidmann 2, Tony Hennen, Carl Sneep, Grant Eller, Kyle Holbrook; SR-Tommy Wippler. HR -- Brd-Holbrook, Mike Germain; SR-Wippler. RBI -- Brd-Heidmann 4, Eller, Devin Roberts, Matt Siegel, Hennen, Holbrook, Germain; SR-Wippler 2, Elness 2. Sac -- Brd-Siegel. LOB -- Brd 6, SR 10. DP -- SR 1.
TROY GUNDERSON can be reached at troy.gunderson@brainerddispatch.com or 855-5865.