Baseball can’t hold lead in elimination game at Texarkana

TEXARKANA — Arkansas High kept its composure and will now play in the 6A state playoffs.

The Razorbacks defeated Siloam Springs at home, 9-5, on Thursday in a 6A-West Conference Tournament elimination game. Siloam Springs’ season ends at 11-17 overall.

“Arkansas High has a rich tradition of making the playoffs. Our backs were against the wall and we came out and responded well,” Arkansas High head baseball coach Layne Berry said.

Hog sophomore shortstop Jadas Ross snagged a sharp line drive, that began a 6-4-3 double play in the third inning to get Arkansas High out of a jam, after giving up three runs and falling behind Siloam Springs 5-2.

Ross finished 2 for 4 at the dish for the Hogs.

Arkansas High junior outfielder Gage Gore made a diving snag from a Chandler Cook rocket to right field. Gore’s catch prevented extra bases for the Panthers.

Gore finished the night going 3 for 4 at the dish for the Hogs, adding three stolen bases and two RBI.

“Gore was down after his strikeout in the first inning but we stayed with him and kept him lifted,” Berry said. “He finally came through and had a big night for us.”

Drake Browning and Dylan Adcock, each went 3 for 4 at the plate for the

Razorbacks.

Browning added two RBI and two stolen bases. Adcock received the win on the hill for the Hogs and also chipped in three RBI and two stolen bases.

“Adcock gave us everything he’s got. He’s our leader. He stepped on the mound and also got it

done at the plate for us,” Berry said.

Adcock gave up six hits and struck out nine Siloam Springs batters in 6 1-3 innings worth of work.

“It was a great team win for us. We had great team effort and we must continue playing cohesively throughout the remainder of the playoffs,” Berry said.

Siloam Springs scored single runs in the first and second innings and Texarkana scored two in the bottom of the first as the game was tied going into the third.

Cook opened the game with a single and stole second base and moved to third base on a fly out by Taylor Pool. Cook scored on a ground out by Junkermann as Siloam Springs led 1-0.

Texarkana took a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the inning off starter Chance Junkermann, but the Panthers tied the game up with a run in the second.

Josh Hunt reached on an error and Eli Hawbaker singled as Hunt advanced to third. Hunt later scored on a wild pitch.

The Panthers got their bats working in the third inning. Taylor Pool started the rally after being hit by a pitch. Junkermann doubled and courtesy runner Nolan Wallis advanced to third. Dawson Armstrong doubled, scoring Wallis and Hunt singled to score courtesy runner Tristan Moose. Armstrong scored to make it 5-2 when Hawbaker hit into a double play.

Texarkana got two runs back in the fourth inning and took a 6-5 lead in the fifth with two more runs. The Razorbacks scored three in the sixth to set the final score.

Texarkana 9, Siloam Springs 5

Siloam Springs 113 000 0 — 5 6 2 Texarkana 200 223 X — 9 14 2 Junkermann, Hawbaker (5), Cook (6) and Pool. Adcock, Mobley (6) and Williams. W - Adcock. L Junkermann.