Early deficit too much for Lions in regional

GREENLAND — Jessieville won games on Friday and Saturday after weather delayed the 3A-1 Regional tournament in Greenland on Thursday, but the Lions were unable to fight back from an early scoring outburst by the host team in the final on Saturday night.

The Pirates (25-4) plated only one run in the first, but added six more in the second frame off of sophomore Aaron Ford en route to an 11-4 victory. Seniors Dalton McClard, Noah Eskew and Logan Perkins combined for 14 innings for the Lions (14-9) in their two wins to open the tournament.

Senior Oliver Nasilai entered for Ford to get the final out of the second inning. Greenland added another run in the third inning

and scored with no outs in the fourth before senior Adam Saveall entered to pitch the final four innings of the game.

Nasilai started a two-out rally for Jessieville in the bottom of the fourth inning with a double to center field and advanced to third base on a wild pitch by Greenland starter Will Overton before junior Chase Pederson earned a walk. A double by Ford to left field plated Nasilai and Pederson to make the score 9-2.

Greenland added two runs in the top of the sixth inning by two runners who reached base on a walk and a hit-by-pitch. A double by Hunter Cartwright gave the Pirates an 11-2 lead.

Jessieville loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the sixth. Saveall and Nasilai began the inning with walks as Overton exited the game. Pederson then singled off reliever Luke Osborn.

Saveall scored on a fielder’s choice with Ford picking up the RBI. Nasilai was able to score on an infield error in the next at-bat to set the final score.

The Lions still had the bases loaded, but a force out at home and a groundout ended their scoring chances. Jessieville left seven total runners on base.

Jessieville finished with five hits, but worked for seven walks. The Lions only struck out twice in the game, but the sixth-inning error was the only fielding mishap of the game for the Tigers.

The loss made Jessieville the No. 2 seed for the region heading into this week’s Class 3A state tournament hosted by Smackover, which will co-host games on Thursday and Friday with Norphlet.

The Lions are scheduled to face Corning (18-9), the No. 3 seed from the 3A-3 Region, at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday. The quarterfinals and semifinals are scheduled to be held Friday and Saturday.

Jessieville entered the regional tournament as the top seed from the 3A-4 district tournament. A walk-off single by McClard capped off a four-run seven inning as the Lions survived, 4-3, in the first round against Mansfield (11-11).

Perkins allowed just one hit in the first 3-plus innings, but he also issued three walks. The Tigers scored the opening run in the second inning and added another in the fourth before McClard entered the game. He worked out of the fourth inning without allowing another run until Mansfield added a third in the top of the seventh.

Jessieville only had two hits off Mansfield starter Lucas Quenga before the seventh inning. Saveall was hit by a pitch, Nasilai singled and Pederson hit a single to start off the bottom half of the final inning.

A fielder’s choice off senior Mayson Bradshaw to Quenga forced Pederson out at second base, but a subsequent walk to Ford loaded the bases and ended Quenga’s day on the mound. Hunter Wilsey entered for Mansfield and forced Eskew into a groundout, but Nasilai scored to make the score 3-2.

McClard ended the game two pitches later with a single to left field to score Bradshaw and Ford.

The Lions won their second game, 5-1, more comfortably against Charleston (15-10) in the semifinals. They had 10 hits in the game and never trailed.

Saveall reached base to start the bottom of the fourth inning when he was hit by a pitch. He scored on a double by Nasilai for the first run of the game.

Pederson singled to move advance Nasilai, who was able to score on a sacrifice flyout by Ford. Back-to-back singles by Eskew and senior Bryan Morgan scored Pederson to put Jessieville ahead, 3-0.

Charleston’s only run in the sixth inning scored on a wild pitch by Eskew. He allowed only the one run on eight hits with four strikeouts and no walks in seven full innings.

A two-out double by Perkins in the bottom half of the inning scored a pair of insurance runs for Jessieville. Eskew forced a flyout to start the seventh and allowed a single to the next batter, but the Lions executed a double play to end the game.