MIDDLEBURY – It was ugly the first time around, and not much changed in the matchup between Wawasee and Northridge on the baseball diamond the second time. Northridge used nine hits and eight walks to its advantage in subduing Wawasee 14-2 Wednesday evening.

Northridge, which run-ruled Wawasee in the first round of the Northern Lakes Conference round robin, built a comfortable lead before scoring big in the fourth. Taking a 5-1 lead into the fourth inning, Northridge plated nine runs. The Raiders in the game only had one extra base hit, but had everyone in on the act, with eight of the nine starters reaching base at least once.

Northridge starting pitcher Andy Ross was solid after a shaky start, retiring the final 10 batters he faced to earn the victory. Wawasee broke through in the first inning when Drew Anderson doubled to lead off the game and later scored on a Harrison Shortill RBI single. Anderson drove in the Warriors’ second run in the fifth.

Drew Wright took the loss for Wawasee, working three innings, giving up five earned runs.

Northridge won a close JV game, 2-1. Rylan Kuhn doubled for Wawasee while Blaine Greer, Jairus Boyer and Jamie Slabaugh all singled in defeat.

Wawasee falls to 7-10 overall and 2-8 in the NLC while Northridge improves to 16-3 and 9-1. The win moves Ridge into first place by their lonesome as Warsaw upset NorthWood, 1-0, to hand the Panthers its second loss of the conference season.

Wawasee will play its third NLC game in a row Thursday at Elkhart Memorial. The Warriors are in the midst of eight games in nine days.