Beginning league play with two straight losses after a 7-6 loss to St. Charles wasn’t what Warrenton Legion Post 122 Head Coach Scott Butler had in mind. 

And going into a long stretch of games in June doesn’t give the team much time to right the ship.

Warrenton committed five fielding errors in the loss, but with 11 hits on the night, Butler hopes the team will string together a strong game in all facets.

“It’s one of those things where you want to be able to put things together in all facets of the game, but we just haven’t been able to do that as of yet in any of our three games,” Butler said. 

Warrenton started the game with a run when Alex Vogt brought in Tyler Brittain with a single. Vogt led the charge offensively with three hits on the evening.

But St. Charles didn’t waste much time getting on the scoreboard, tying the game at one in the bottom of the second inning and taking the lead in the bottom of the third. 

Warrenton trailed 5-4 in the top of the seventh inning when James Dotson ripped a double to dead center and later scored off an RBI single by Vogt to tie the game at five.

Dotson went 4-for-5 on the evening and drove in two runs. Vogt also had a pair of RBIs in the game.

But miscues in the field took hold for Warrenton in the bottom of the seventh.  Errors on a pair of fly balls put a two base runners on for St. Charles. Bryson Cannon’s triple to left cleared the bases and put St. Charles up for good.

Butler said Warrenton’s mental approach to the game is most concerning at this point in the season.

“At this point, honestly it’s probably more mental than anything,” Butler said. “They can make the plays. We’ve seen them make the plays a thousand times. Seems like maybe they are losing focus and lose concentration at times.”

Warrenton threatened in the top of the eighth inning when a single by Ko Yawata scored Zach Machelette, who drew a lead-off walk. But Cannon got two consecutive strike-outs to end the threat.

Yawata had a pair of hits in the game for Warrenton. 

Brittain and Troy Muse also had hits in the game.

On the mound, Chris Garrett took the loss for Warrenton. In two innings, he allowed three runs off of two hits and struck out one. Garrett, Michael Holmes, Chris Vogt and Brittain all saw action on the mound in the game. 

Butler said he’s getting a clearer picture of where players stand in terms of playing time and solidifying a lineup.

“With the week ahead, it’s just one of those things where we will make some minor adjustments and some coaching decisions we have to make.”