Hoover, Ala. – Wabash Valley rallied for four runs in the top of the fifth inning, then the bullpen made sure it was enough for a 4-2 victory over Wallace State on Sunday in Hoover, Alabama.
The win completed a 3-0 opening weekend for the No. 1 ranked Warriors. And it brought coach Ron Fournier closer to a milestone, with win No. 997 in his 25-year stay at Wabash Valley.
Wallace State (2-3), fresh off a 6-4 win over Frontier (0-1) on Saturday, jumped out to a 1-0 lead against Warrior starter Jason Bollman. That was the only run the Lions would get off the 6-foot-2 sophomore righthander, however.
Bollman went 3 2/3rds innings, allowed three hits, and struck out six batters without issuing a walk.
The Warriors offense finally struck gold in the fifth inning with four runs.
Freylin Minyety and Savier Pinales singled on each side of a strikeout, then moved up a base on a wild pitch one out later.
After an intentional walk to Hylan Hall loaded the bases, it was Jonathan Nieves who lined a pitch up the middle for a two-run RBI, putting the Warriors ahead, 2-1.
After a call to the Wallace State bullpen, Curtis Washington, Jr., who hit three home runs on Opening Day for WVC in a doubleheader sweep of Bryant & Stratton, added to his RBI total with a base hit scoring Hall with the third run of the frame.
Nieves made it 4-1 when he scored on a bases-loaded walk to Ryan McCoy.
Wallace State scored one run in the bottom of the seventh, on a fielder's choice ground out, to account for the final score of 4-2.
However, the Warrior bullpen received its' first test of the young season in the bottom of the fifth. And it came through with flying colors.
Fournier called for sophomore righthander Jose Cabrera, Jr. to enter with no outs and two men on. Cabrera got the first batter he faced to strike out swinging, then covered first on a ground ball to the right side for the second out.
A grounder to second was then gobbled up by Payton Pennington, and the Wallace State threat had been neutralized.
Cabrera went on to pitch two more innings, and though the Lions dinged him for one run in the seventh, he was a study in consistency. Of the 34 pitches Cabrera delivered, 26 went for strikes.
Keegan Batka finished on the hill, throwing two scoreless innings.
Pinales and Nieves each had two hits for the Warriors, winners of 13 straight games dating to last season. Both teams finished the day with seven hits.
Right fielder Cooper Prince led the way at the plate for the Lions, with three hits in five trips to the plate.
Bollman picked up the win for WVC (3-0).
The Warriors are scheduled to play Region 4 opponent Triton (0-0) in Millington, Tenn. on Friday, and Sunday.