12th-inning blast lifts Jackrabbits

LONOKE 8, PULASKI ACADEMY 7

HARRISON — Guy Halbert’s home run in the top of the 12th inning put Lonoke in its first state baseball championship game since 1969.

Halbert hit the first pitch of the inning over the left field fence to give Lonoke an 8-7 lead. Then Blake Gooden’s pitching, that included squeezing the last out on a popup, sealed Lonoke’s semifinal victory over Pulaski Academy at Community First Sports Complex on Saturday afternoon.

“I was thinking, ‘I’ve got to win it.’ I knew it was gone when it left the bat,” Halbert said. “It’s amazing.”

The 3-hour, 19-minute game featured four ties and four lead changes. The last score was the ultimate highlight for Lonoke Coach Darrick Lowery.

“I can’t believe it. That was a heck of a shot,” Lowery said. “These guys never quit. They have been playing together for years, and they won’t give up.”

Lonoke came from behind to beat Gentry 10-9 in its tournament opener Thursday before it ousted top-seeded Dumas 7-2 on Friday. But Lowery pointed to pitching as Lonoke’s saving grace.

“Our pitching kept us in there, and we found a way to win,” Lowery said. “It’s been a heck of a ride.”

Lowery touted the pitching of Gooden, who relieved Zach Risner in the ninth inning. Gooden allowed one hit in the final three innings.

“We just stuck with what worked,” Lowery said.

Lonoke took a 2-0 lead in the first inning when Gooden doubled in Garrett Spears, then scored when Lane Moore reached on an error.

PA took advantage of three Lonoke errors to score Nick Shields, Chris Hays and courtesy runner Hunter Paddie for a 3-2 lead in the bottom of the first.

Gooden was hit by a pitch in the third inning and scored on a wild pitch to tie the game. But Blake Wiggins singled, stole second and third, and scored on a sacrifice to put Pulaski Academy up 4-3.

Lane Moore singled and scored in the fifth for Lonoke to tie the game, but Chris Hays and Hunter Freeman doubled to highlight a three-run fifth inning to give Pulaski Academy a 7-4 lead.

Lonoke manufactured two runs in the sixth when Gooden singled in Spears and scored on another wild pitch.

With Lonoke trailing 76 in the seventh, Madison James led off with a single. Nick Graves, James’ courtesy runner, scored on a single to center by Halbert to tie the game again. SHILOH CHRISTIAN 7, PRAIRIE GROVE 2

HARRISON — Jared Chenier’s basesclearing double keyed a five-run seventh inning as Shiloh Christian defeated Prairie Grove.

Chenier’s hit came after Ryne Mcdonald’s single to right with Zach Stanley on base ahead of him. Jacob May drew an intentional walk and Ben Olsen delivered a run-scoring single.

“The bottom of our lineup really stepped up,” Shiloh Christian Coach Jimmy Harris said. “We got a huge walk, then our pinch hitter Ryne Mcdonald hit a clutch single. Then my freshman Ben Olsen put us ahead 3-2, and his only job is to get on so we can get Chenier up. And when Jared hit it, we sort of just steamrolled.”

It marks Shiloh Christian’s fourth consecutive appearance in a state championship game. The Saints have won the past two titles.

Shiloh Christian started with two runs in the first inning when Chenier and Drew Tyler both singled and scored.

Prairie Grove answered with a run by Wes Bartholomew to make it 2-1. In the second, Prairie Grove tied it when Landon West singled and scored on a hit by Dillion Cates.

From there, both pitchers shut down the batters until the top of the seventh.

“It’s exciting,” Harris said. “Our pitching was on today, and that gave us a chance.”

J.T. Rhoades allowed one earned run on four hits in the victory.