Warren’s Bo Jonas slides in safely with what would prove to be the winning run in Monday night’s 3-2 win over Marietta. The throw was late to Tiger catcher Bryson Chidester. (Photo by Mike Morrison)

Freshman Braylen Murray’s sacrifice fly plated fellow frosh Al Winters with what would prove to be the winning run and senior Jacob Sealey tossed a complete game two-hitter to lead the Warren Warriors to a 3-2 win over the Marietta Tigers in a Twin States League game Monday night at Legion Field.

Sealey fanned eight and walked just one while escaping a two-out threat in the final inning as Warren improved to 2-1 on the young season.

The Warren right hander was perfect through three innings before giving up a pair of runs in the fourth but gathered himself and held Marietta scoreless over the final three innings to preserve the win.

“We want to win every game we play and Marietta is a very much improved baseball team,” said Warren head coach Chad Porter. “It was one of those games that could have gone either way with any pitch but you always like coming out on top for sure.”

The game had all the makings of a pitcher’s dual before it even got underway with Sealey facing Tiger ace Cooper Laumann and it lived up to that billing over the first two innings of baseball.

Marietta’s Will Tornes slides in safely as the ball eludes Warren catcher Brandon Cline Monday evening at Legion Field. Tornes scored on an two-run single by Seth Goeller but Warren downed the Tigers 3-2. (Photo by Mike Morrison)

Laumann retired the first six batters he faced, fanning four of them before allowing a lead off double to freshman Bo Jonas in the top of the third inning.

With one out, Jonas took off for third base and the throw from Tiger catcher Will Tornes was off target and rolled down the left field line allowing Jonas to cross the plate with the game’s first run.

Sealey was breezing along himself as he retired the first nine hitters he faced before hitting Tiger lead-off hitter Drew Warden with a pitch to begin the bottom of the fourth.

Tornes came to the plate next and was also hit by a pitch while attempting to bunt. Which put Tiger runners on first and second.

The two pulled off a double-steal to get into scoring position and Tiger third-baseman Seth Goeller came through in the clutch by grounding a single up the middle to plate both runs and give Marietta a 2-1 lead.

Marietta’s Cooper Laumann takes a hack in high school baseball action Monday evening at Legion Field. The Tigers fell to the Warren Warriors 3-2. (Photo by Mike Morrison)

“He’s done that for us time and time again and he is just a really quality hitter,” said first-year Tiger head coach Kail Hill of Goeller. “He’s come up in some big spots for us and came through and he did again tonight.”

Laumann allowed a fourth inning double to Brandon Cline but escaped without allowing a run but the left hander wouldn’t be so lucky in the following inning.

Jonas led off the top of the fifth inning with his second double of the game and moved to third on a sac bunt by Winters.

Laumann got a bit of a break when Jacob Stauffer’s liner was caught by Goeller at third for the second out of the inning but an infield single by Murray brought Jonas in with the tying run.

Hill elected to replace Laumann on the bump and brought in senior Drew Warden to pitch in the sixth and he escaped a bit of a jam by fanning a pair of Warren hitters to end the inning.

After Goeller’s hit, Sealey settled in once again and retired 10 straight hitters at one point – matching his early game success.

“I was able to get ahead in the count and had good command of my fastball,” said Sealey. “It’s always fun to play them and no better feeling than being able to beat Marietta in Marietta.”

Warden fanned Jonas to begin the pivotal seventh inning but walked Winters to put the go-ahead run on base.

Winters stole second and moved up 90 feet when Stauffer lined a hit to left field.

That brought Murray to the plate with a chance to knock in the go-ahead run and after getting into a two-strike hole the Warrior center-fielder managed to lift a fly ball to left field deep enough to score Winters with the go-ahead run.

Marietta pitcher Cooper Laumann fires the ball to first base after fielding a sacrifice bunt off the bat of Warren’s Al Winters Monday evening at Legion Field. Warren downed the Tigers 3-2. (Photo by Mike Morrison)

Porter was quite pleased with the poise shown by his freshman center fielder in such a crucial part of the ballgame.

“He (Murray) got down 0-and-2 and he really battled back,” said Porter of Murray. “He kind of took a deep breath and stayed in the moment and did a great job getting that runner in.”

Sealey took the mound once again to begin the seventh inning and retired Goeller and Bryson Chidester to begin the inning leaving himself one out away from victory.

MHS sophomore Torrin Baker kept things alive with an opposite-field double to left.

Jeremiah Loughry drew what would turn out to be the only base on balls issued in the game by Sealey.

Warren head coach Chad Porter argues with the home plate umpire Monday afternoon at Legion Field. The Warriors downed the Marietta Tigers 3-2. (Photo by Mike Morrison)

That brought senior Carson Strahler to the dish with a chance to deliver a game-tying hit but Sealey got him to ground out routinely to first base to end the game.

Porter knows what he gets every time he sends Sealey to the mound and that was the case once again Monday evening.

“Coming in from basketball like Jacob did, you always wonder when his stuff is going to click,”said Porter of Sealey. “I thought his stuff was as sharp as it’s been and he did a really good job.”

Hill was obviously disappointed with the loss but not in the effort put forth by his very young team.

“We are an extremely resilient group and we fight really hard – we just made a few too many mistakes in a game that could have gone either way,” said Hill. “I like how we fought and will be excited to go after them again next week.”

The win improved Warren’s record to 2-1 while Marietta fell to 2-2.

Sealey picked up the win while Warden was saddled with the loss in relief.

Capturing a TSL league win on the road versus their arch rival was a big win for Porter and his young team.

“When you get ahead of hitters and you catch the baseball you always give yourself a chance,” said Porter, whose team committed no errors. “We’ve got a really young team and this is a great win for us.”