With two on and one out in the fifth inning of a scoreless tie in Tuesday’s game between South Warren and Warren East, South Warren’s Abbey Mills was meeting with head coach Kelly Reynolds and assistant coach Katherine Downing prior to her at-bat.

Reynolds was initially going to have Mills bunt, but changed her mind after Downing suggested she swing away.

The decision worked as Mills delivered the biggest hit of the game – a three-run homer that just cleared the fence – propelling South Warren to a 4-0 victory and a season sweep of the Lady Raiders.

“Coach Reynolds told me, ‘You do you. I know you can do it,’ ” Mills said. “I got a 1-2 count and I knew I had to put the ball in play somehow and I just did what I had to do. I think that was the big change in the game. It got all of the players pumped and ready to go.

“I struggle with confidence in batting, so knowing the coaches believed in me means a lot.”

Tuesday’s rematch was a stark contrast to the first meeting April 12, a 13-12 eight-inning slugfest won by the Spartans. Taylor Enlow was touched up for 10 earned runs in that game, but was able to escape danger all night Tuesday. The right-hander scattered eight hits and struck out five with no walks.

“Coach Reynolds (had me) working in and outside the plate,” Enlow said. “I just wanted to hit my spots and get through the batters. I believed in my defense and they really came through for me.”

Warren East (13-2 overall, 5-2 District 14) had runners at second and third with less than two outs twice in the first three innings, but was unable to push across a run. The Lady Raiders finished 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position.

“I thought we had some opportunities,” WEHS coach Philip McKinney said. “I was a little disappointed in our at-bats early in the game – not getting down a sacrifice when we need to and not getting a base hit. I thought our at-bats later were a little bit better, but still overall I was not real happy with our at-bats.”

Warren East eighth-grader Emma Markham, pitching with junior Katie Gardner still out with a thumb injury, nearly matched Enlow.

Markham didn’t allow a hit until a Madison Stumbo single in the fourth. She allowed a leadoff single to Alexis Helderman and walked Lauren Martin one batter later to set the stage for Mills – who connected for the three-run homer one pitch after nearly being retired on a foul pop-up against the backstop that was just off the glove of catcher Ashton Akins.

That ended a streak of 30 scoreless innings for Markham spanning varsity, junior varsity and freshman appearances.

Enlow allowed two base runners total over the final three innings and South Warren (11-3, 5-0) added an unearned run courtesy of an RBI double by Jessica Bush.

“To pitch a shutout against East is huge,” Reynolds said. “They are a solid team. Emma Markham (pitched well). She kept our hitters in check, but Taylor did a fabulous job tonight.”

Markham allowed four runs – three earned – and four hits with eight strikeouts and five walks.

“I told her tonight we had a chance to get the No. 1 seed in the district and Katie Gardner has not thrown one inning of district play this year,” McKinney said. “That’s because of (Markham). She should be very proud of that.”

Hailey Hymer led the Lady Raiders with two hits.

South Warren can lock up the No. 1 seed with a win at Greenwood at 5 p.m. Wednesday.

“It’s a great feeling,” Mills said. “It’s always great to be the one seed. We are just doing what we can. We are working hard.”

Warren East will host Bowling Green at 5:30 p.m. Thursday.

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WP: Enlow LP: Markham{&end}