GRAND JUNCTION, Col. -- After spending two games in non-stop rally mode, Wabash Valley got to play a game from in front on Tuesday at the Juco World Series.
From all indications, the Warriors enjoyed it.
They parlayed a show of offensive power with solid middle inning relief and impressive defense to defeat Blinn, Texas, 16-6, in a game shortened to six innings due to the 10-run rule.
"It did kind of feel different" being in front, said Mack Mitchell, who took care of the early 1-0 lead that Blinn had with a three-run home run to left center field in the bottom of the first inning to give the Warriors a 3-1 lead they would not relinquish.
It was one of two homers on the day, with Dalton Fiveash uncorking a two-run bomb to right in the third to make it 7-4, just after Blinn had rallied to tie things at 4-all in the top half.
From there, Wabash Valley scored three times in the fifth to make it 10-5, before finishing with six runs in the sixth.
Shortstop Luke Odden played a pivotal role in this game. Not only was he 4-for-4 at the plate with three runs batted in and two runs scored, but he also made two big plays on defense, including twisting, and reaching back for a flare into left-center field.
"I think everyone who was here last year learned a lot," said Odden, one of a handful of Warriors back for a second time in Grand Junction and a part of last year's fourth-place team. "Carrying over, coach Biddle (in his first year as head coach after serving as a long-time assistant to Hall of Famer Rob Fournier) for has done an amazing job of keeping the culture and other parts of the program. That's why we are where we are."
Odden was also at second base in the fifth when he appeared to have been picked off to end the inning. The Warriors challenged the call, and a video review resulted in a reversal. From that point, WVC scored three runs, on a two-run single by Richard Bonomolo, Jr. And an RBI hit by Nick Williams before the third out was made. What turned into a three-run call reversal put the Warriors up 10-5.
Odden added two runs to the count in the sixth with his second double. Keaton Mahan and Williams added RBIs before the walk-off ground ball from Mitchell, who reached on a throwing error to end the game on the run rule.
WVC (56-11) remains undefeated in tournament play at 3-0. They will meet the only other unbeaten left in the field, Weatherford, Texas (52-9), on Wednesday night at 8 p.m. CDT. The Coyotes are riding a 20-game winning streak.