Canes, Razorbacks roll into semifinals

LITTLE ROCK—The Little Rock Express ‘A’ team led 4-0 going to the bottom of the first inning, but they would not score again as the Terminal East Texas Canes rallied, 12-4, to reach the semifinals of the University of Arkansas-Little Rock Baseball Classic.

The Canes play the Little Rock Rockets or Sylvan Hills Bears at 11:15 a.m., that winner advancing to the championship game at 1:30 p.m.

Cale Ridling drove in four runs with a triple and single to lead the Canes (20-2) at the plate. Dillon Drabble and winning pitcher Justin Swecker had two singles each.

Swecker pitched the first three innings of the five-inning game, with Cody Huff and Hunter Owens finishing up.

RAZORBACKS IN SEMIFINALS

BELLVILLE, Ill.–After scoring two wins late Friday the Red River Credit Union Razorbacks took two more Saturday in beating Ballwin, Mo., 12-6, and Morgantown, W.V., 9-7. Texarkana beat Matoon, Ill., in their opener Friday, 13-4, following up with a 4-3 win over the host Bellville team.

The Razorbacks (25-7) will play the winner of Bryant, Ark., and New Jersey in the semis at 11 a.m.

Jackson Murphy and Kyle Duncan smashed first-inning home runs as the Razorbacks slipped past the West Virgnia squad. Murphy finished the game 3-4 with four RBI. Nathan Stubber also had two hits for the winners. Jake Alexander was the winning pitcher.

In Saturday’s first game Blake Bearden got the win on the mound, and Blake Hall reached base safety five times with three singles and two walks. Duncan had a double and single, while Alexander contributed a double and two singles, while scoring three runs.

Trey Jeans and George Eubanks combined on a two-hitter in the tournament opener. Hall had two hits and scored twice, with Duncan driving hom a run with a single. Jeans got the win.

Stubber went the distance against Bellville with Murphy leading the Hogs at the plate with a double and single. Duncan had two singles and Alexander added a triple.