Bowling Green has dominated Warren East thanks in part to big innings. None has been bigger to this point than the second inning of Game 2 when the pitching wheels fell off for the Raiders and the Purples cruised on through.

Bowling Green scored nine runs in the second, and Jackson Haga added a two-run home run in the third of a 13-1 win for the Purples on Tuesday. Four Warren East pitchers tried to slow down the Purples (18-9 overall, 6-2 District 14), but combined to allow 12 hits, issue three walks and four hit batsmen while giving up all 13 runs in the first three innings.

The Purples have won five straight District 14 games and clinched the Warren East series by outscoring the Raiders 24-3 in two games. A pair of five-run innings propelled the Purples to a nine-run victory to open the series Monday, then came the nine-run burst to run-rule the Raiders in Game 2.

“We talk about focusing on trying to attack and get ahead of a team in the first couple of innings,” BGHS coach Nathan Isenberg said. “I thought we did that tonight and made the most of pitchers’ mistakes.”

Joe Howard led Bowling Green with three hits and Eli Burwash reached base on a hit-by-pitch for his first three at-bats. Maddox Burr and Carson Kelley also had multiple hits.

Bowling Green mounted a 2-0 lead in the first inning to set up the field day in the second.

Burr, Kelley and Scotty Brown led off with singles to load the bases and a passed ball scored the third run. Brady Dragoo was pulled after one inning and relieved by Bo Yoakem. He lasted just three batters as a hit-by-pitch, single and walk scored three more runs for a 6-0 Purples lead.

Drake Young entered and got the first out, but gave up three straight hits on two-run shots by Morton and Burr and an error allowed Burr to score to make it 11-0.

That capped a nine-run inning for the Purples.

“We want to attack and be aggressive,” Isenberg said. “We’ve done that pretty much all year. At times it gets frustrating because then you come out an inning or two later and toss up a zero.”

Haga belted a two-run homer over center field to add insult to injury for the 13-0 lead in the third to cap Bowling Green’s scoring.

“When we get started, we just had to keep it rolling and not let up and let silly things stop us,” Burwash said. “Even though we’re not facing overpowering pitching, we have to do what we can and capitalize.”

Geoffrey Ross took a no-hitter into the third inning when Austin Comer sent a single into center field. The Raiders avoided the shutout with Sheldon Martin scoring on a passed ball.

Warren East (9-17, 4-7) has lost five straight dating back to a three-game weekend in Louisville that featured one-run losses to South Oldham and Lafayette. Seven losses for the Raiders have come by either one or two runs.

“I know I keep saying it every time I talk, but we’re going to get better,” WEHS coach Wes Sanford said. “It’s early enough that we still have plenty of time to get better. I’m seeing positive things. I know we only had three hits, but I think we’re getting better offensively.

“It’s tough when you get a huge deficit put on you in the first two innings. There’s some things happening that as a whole we’ve got to come together and figure this thing out.”

BGHS 292 00 – 13 12 0

WEHS 000 10 – 1 3 2

WP: Haga. LP: Dragoo.

South Warren 12, Warren Central 2 (5 innings)

Continuous tinkering of the lineup has helped South Warren build a strong resume in District 14. Another adjustment Tuesday assisted the Spartans in clinching the series against Warren Central.

Sam Gage’s three-run homer in the first inning set the table for another quick night in a 12-2 victory over the Dragons at Warren East High School.

Gage, who was hitless in two at-bats in the leadoff spot during Monday’s 14-1 win at Warren Central, hit from the three-spot Tuesday while AJ Isable and Trent Rice were solid in front of him.

Rice hit 4-for-4 and Isable added two singles as the Spartans (20-6 overall, 7-1 District 14) totaled 13 hits.

“We keep moving it and we’re still tinkering with it a bit,” SWHS coach Chris Gage said about his lineup. “We started slow last night so we’re still tinkering a bit thinking maybe if we move someone here we open up a hole there. That’s what we did tonight. It jump-started us in the first inning with the first three guys scoring pretty quickly.”

Warren Central (5-15, 0-8) held a brief lead with Jerry Adams’ RBI double in the first inning. Rice and Isable singled in the bottom of the inning to set up Rice’s three-run bomb over the right-field fence. South Warren added another run off an error and built a 7-1 lead after two innings.

Max Morris skipped a two-run double into left in the fourth inning to stretch the lead to 9-2. South Warren closed the door in the fifth with three runs on four hits off reliever Daelin Rigsby.

Noah Cranor earned the win for South Warren with four strikeouts across four innings of work.

The Spartans boast the best record in the district ahead of Wednesday’s third game of the series moved up from Thursday due to potential rain. South Warren can secure the No. 1 seed in the district tournament next week if it wins the series against Greenwood.

“Still a lot to go with Greenwood next week and Warren Central (Wednesday),” Gage said. “(Monday’s) game was 2-1 in the fifth inning, so we have to take care of business tomorrow and Greenwood is sitting there as good as anybody. Still a lot of regular season to go, but thus far our kids have done a good job.”

WCHS 101 00 – 2 5 1

SWHS 430 23 – 12 13 1

WP: Cranor. LP: Martinez.{&end}