ERIE - Kaitlin Ishman opened Wednesday's road contest with Mercyhurst Prep by smacking a solo home run.
She was only getting started.
Ishman later added a second home run, a bases loaded triple and an RBI single, finishing 3-for-4 with six RBI in an 11-0 victory over the Lady Lakers in Erie.
"Kat has probably been one of our most consistent hitters all season," said Warren coach Mark Bupp. "It was certainly nice to see her break through today. Kennedy Walter also had a fantastic day with three RBI and I thought Val Latimer really stepped up for a player in just her second ever varsity game."
Bupp also praised the continued senior leadership of Rachel Hasselman and the sterling defensive effort of shortstop Jaimie Eaton.
After Ishman's leadoff homer made it 1-0 Warren after an inning, the Dragons (7-0) went to work on adding to the lead in the second. Erica Blair and Sam Bevevino led off with singles and moved up a base on Latimer's fielder's choice. Walter then drove in her first run with a suicide squeeze and Ishman cracked an RBI single to make it 3-0.
Mercyhurst Prep put together it's biggest threat in the bottom of the third, but a 6-4-3 double play from Eaton to Ishman to Hasselman quelled the rally.
In the fourth, Warren stretched the lead to 5-0 and, again, Ishman was in the middle of things. After an RBI groundout from Walter made it 4-0, Ishman hit her second solo homer of the afternoon to make it 5-0.
The Dragons put things away in the fifth and final inning, tacking on six runs to their tally. Alexa Bupp and Hasselman started the inning with singles and courtesy runner Meghan Loutzenhiser scored on an RBI single by Kristin Hultquist.
Hasselman later scored on an error and Walter delivered her third RBI of the game with an RBI single that brought home Hultquist. Before the inning was over, Warren loaded the bases and Ishman promptly cleared them with a three-run double, driving in runs four through six in the game.
Bupp and Loutzenhiser combined on a two-hit shutout. Bupp was the winner, striking out six and Loutzenhiser struck out a pair in relief.
Warren tries to make it 8-for-8 Thursday when it again travels to Erie - this time to play Strong Vincent.
WARREN (11): ab-r-h-rbi: Ishman, 2b, 4-2-3-6, Eaton, ss, 3-0-0-0, Bupp, p, 4-0-1-0, Hasselman, 1b, 3-1-2-0, Hultquist, rf, 3-1-1-1, Blair, lf, 2-1-1-0, Bevevino, 3b, 3-2-2-0, Latimer, dp, 3-2-1-0, Walter, cf, 2-1-1-3, Williams, c, 0-0-0-0, Loutzenhiser, p-cr, 0-1-0-0, Mineweaser, lf, 0-0-0-0, Totals: 27-11-12-10
MERCYHURST (0): ab-r-h-rbi: Skarupski, c, 3-0-0-0, Plott, rf, 1-0-0-0, Czerwinski, cf, 2-0-0-0, Bitters, p, 1-0-0-0, Fitz-Maurice, 2b, 2-0-0-0, Rutkowski, lf, 2-0-0-0, Wojnarowski, ss, 2-0-1-0, Barbale, 3b, 1-0-0-0, Zaniroski, 3b, 1-0-0-0, Totals: 15-0-2-0
Warren 120 26 - 11 12
Mercyhurst Prep 000 00 - 0 2
3b-Ishman (W), Hasselman (W), Latimer (W). HR-Ishman (W) 2. WP-Bupp. LP-Bitters.