6/9 state baseball: Warren’s pitching forte: Keep Red Raiders close
By TODD SOMMERFELDT | La Crosse Tribune
The Central High School baseball team is always going to be in a game pitched by Lucas Warren.
That’s one reason to believe the Red Raiders’ season will survive this morning’s WIAA Division 1 state quarterfinal game against Beaver Dam at Fox Cities Stadium in Grand Chute, Wis.
Central (14-9) has no problem admitting that not many people thought it would still be playing at this point. A sectional that included both Logan and Middleton was supposed to end its season.
But Warren, a junior left-hander with a heck of curveball, isn’t going to get run off the field by many teams.
“It’s a relief to know that we’ll be in the game,” Central left fielder John Munson said. “I can say that for all of our pitchers, but Warren’s done a great job all year.
“We know we can win when he pitches.”
Central has done just that in Warren’s two postseason starts, ending Logan’s season at 17-4 with an eight-inning victory in the sectional semifinals.
Warren (7-2), part of Central’s starting rotation for three seasons, has struck out 18 batters in 14 postseason innings. He has struck out 71 in 58 2/3 innings this season.
“I’ve pitched against a lot of good teams this year, and the games have been close,” Warren said. “Losing the first Logan game helped me a lot because it showed me that I can pitch with (University of Minnesota recruit) Austin (Lubinsky).”
Warren’s only mistake of that game came on a fifth-inning pitch to Tony Mueller, who hit it over the fence for a solo home run and 1-0 Logan victory. It was one of three hits Warren surrendered that night.
He won’t overpower you at the plate, but the movement on his pitches and the ability to spot his fastball when he has to always seems to keep his opponents guessing.
“When I first saw him pitch, he wasn’t really popping the mitt,” first-year Central coach Kent Van Egtern said. “I thought, ‘Well, let’s see what he has for a changeup and off-speed.’
“He’s really developed that throughout the season. I think he throws his changeup as good as his curve, if not better sometimes, now.”
