Prairie Grove Battles Lincoln In Regional Tournament

FARMINGTON — The Prairie Grove Tigers ( 21- 4) easily handled the Lincoln Wolves ( 15- 6) in their 4A North Regional semifinal skirmish held last Tuesday at Farmington.

The Tigers scored four runs in the first, second and fourth innings, while relying on a pair of strong pitching performances to handily dispatch the Wolves 12-1 in a five inning “mercy-rule” shortened contest.

“Our c lub pl ayed outstanding today,” said Tigers ’ coach Mitch Cameron. “We played hard, took advantage of mistakes and took the extra base when we could.”

Prairie Grove starting pitcher Ty Tice ( 9-2) combined with teammate Jon Halbert to limit the Wolves to just one run on one hit over the five inning contest.

“We got exceptional pitching today,” Cameron said.

Tice’s final line was one run, on one hit, with three strikeouts and one base-onballs. Halbert was equally impressive, closing out the final two innings by giving up zero runs on zero hits, with four strikeouts, one base- on- balls and one hit batter.

Drew Harris ( 4-2) was tagged with the loss on the mound for the Wolves.

While Tice and Halbert were cruising on the hill, their teammates were also doing work at the dish. Spencer Kilgore and Nick Sugg each had an RBI single in the opening frame and Tice had an RBI to account for three of the Tigers’ four runs in the stanza, stacking Prairie Grove to a 4-0 lead.

In the second frame, Tice plated a pair of runs with a single to center field, then advanced to second base on the throw home.

Halbert followed with a single to left field that allowed Tice to score from second base.

Halbert eventually scored on a Kilgore sacrifice fly, swelling the advantage to 8-0.

In the top of the third inning, Lincoln was able to push a run across the plate when Harris singled home Tyler Cummings, who had earlier reached on a baseon- balls, then moved to second base on a steal and coasted to third base on a passed ball.

Four Tiger runners crossed the plate in the fourth inning, making the score 12- 1, then Halbert closed out the contest with three consecutive strikeouts in the top of the fifth inning, finishing off the victory for Prairie Grove.

“They’re good,” said Wolves’ coach Brad Harris of the Tigers. “We didn’t play well and they did. You have to give it to them because they showed up and we didn’t.”

Kilgore was the catalyst for the Tigers’ offense, going 2 for 2, with two RBIs and two runs scored. Halbert, Sugg and Weston Bartholomew joined Kilgore with two hits apiece, while Tice and Keelon Henderson each contributed with a hit apiece.

Harris collected the only hit and RBI for Lincoln in the contest.

BEN MADRID ENTERPRISE-LEADER Lincoln junior catcher Dalton Simmons blocks the plate while Prairie Grove’s Creighton Ledbetter slides in. The Tigers defeated the Wolves, 12-1, in the semifinal of the 4A North Regional on May 7 at Farmington.