Owen fighting for position in WHC

BLACK MOUNTAIN – Tuesday was a small, but significant step for the Owen baseball team.

And as far as longtime coach Anthony Lee is concerned, it was long overdue.

The Warhorses went to extra innings to scrape past visiting Madison, 3-2.

Ben McMahan was 2-for-3 with a double and winning pitcher Shawn Clemmer was also 2-4 at the plate.

Clemmer led off the bottom of the eighth inning with a single and stole second base before a sacrifice by Brady Parker moved him over to third. Clemmer then came home to score the winning run on a wild pitch. Parker was 1-3 with an RBI for Owen (7-7, 6-3).

Clemmer threw two scoreless innings of relief. He surrendered two hits and one walk.

Tuesday's win was the first for Owen since April 11.

“We’re just trying to fight for every ballgame and see what happens in the postseason,” Lee said.

“It’s been an odd year. We had people in scoring position or had other chances to win and just haven’t done it. We’ve lost some games in real close situations. Maybe our luck has turned.”

Owen is now tied with Madison (9-6, 6-3) for second place in the Western Highlands Conference standings behind Hendersonville (17-0, 10-0).

Sam Drummond (.429) is a junior and the only Warhorses player batting .300 or better, but Clemmer (.292) is close, followed by Parker (.289), Cade Fox (.272), Shawn Chapman (.270), Aaron Dreadfulwater (.258) and McMahan (.250).

Clemmer is a Reynolds transfer who plays shortstop when he’s not pitching.

“(Tuesday) was a pretty big home game. We needed that one to try and get in the playoffs,” Clemmer said.

“I feel like we have a good team. A good hitting team that is confident And games like the one against Madison can only make us more confident.”

Parker agreed.

“It was an important win for this team,” he said.

“Right now we’re taking baby steps towards the things we want to accomplish before the season is over.”

Owen still has three tough WHC games left starting with Friday’s rematch at Hendersonville. The Bearcats beat the Warhorses, 8-0, when they met March 28 in the Swannanoa Valley.

Lee has been Owen’s baseball coach for 15 seasons and said he’s never seen so much parity in the WHC.

“Anybody can beat anybody on any given night,” Lee said.

“We’re just fighting to be a part of it.”