Washington County Enterprise-Leader
Blackhawks Edge PG In 10 Inning Thriller
PRAIRIE GROVE LASTS 10 INNINGS DESPITE 17 STRIKEOUTS
PEA RIDGE — Every season the 4A-1 Conference slate showcases a baseball classic and Prairie Grove gave Pea Ridge all it could handle before finally succumbing 7-5 in 10 innings Tuesday, March 29.
The Blackhawks appeared to have wrapped things up, going into the seventh inning leading 5-1, but the Tigers found a way to score runs despite producing only two hits and then held Pea Ridge scoreless in the bottom of the seventh to force extra innings.
“It was an awesome game. We kind of got out early, then Prairie Grove just scrapped and clawed their way back into it,” said Pea Ridge assistant coach Blake Rudolph, who guided the Blackhawks to the win in the absence of head coach Matt Easterling.
Strong Blackhawk Pitching
Pea Ridge rode the pitching performances of Northeastern State University (Tahlequah, Okla.) commit Logan Stewart (4 IP, 1 hit, 8 K’s, 1 run), Matt Dixon (3 IP, 1 hit, 6 K’s, 4 runs), a University of the Ozarks at Clarksville commit, and Landen Long (3 IP, 0 hits, 3 K’s, 0 runs). Long got the win.
In extra innings it seemed to Rudolph both teams got guys on and then nothing happened after that.
“We just kind of kept going back and forth in a pitcher’s battle in the eighth and ninth. Then finally in the 10th, Matt Dixon and Carter Rockhold broke through and ended it for us,” Rudolph said.
In the bottom of the 10th Dixon led off with a single. Then Rockhold connected with a Tiger pitch and hit a walkoff home run to left field.
There were plenty of fireworks leading up to the final at-bat.
Prairie Grove coach Mitch Cameron marvelled at his team’s resilience despite enduring 17 strikeouts against Pea Ridge pitching.
“We had 17 strikeouts on the night and still went 10 innings. That tells me we competed and found a way to get back in the game,” Cameron said.
The seeming exercise in futility had Cameron talking to himself.
“It’s the top of the seventh and we’re down 5-1 and I said, ‘Man, we got to come up with a rabbit out of our hat.’ We had struck out 12 times to that point. ‘We got to make a change here, something’s got to be different,’” Cameron said.
Seventh Inning Tiger Heroics
Sophomore Connor Hubbs and junior Ryder Orr both drew walks to put the first two men on for Prairie Grove. Bryce Ledgerwood hit a pop up to second base for one out. Next Ty Estepp drove in a run by singling into right field, reducing the Blackhawk lead to 5-2.
Luke Bannon struck out, leaving Pea Ridge one out away from victory, but with two runners in scoring position Prairie Grove’s hopes remained alive. Trevor May executed a swinging bunt to the Pea Ridge third baseman but he overthrew first base, allowing May to reach on an error while two runs scored for Prairie Grove which pulled the Tigers within 5-4.
Gutsy base running by May on the play took him all the way to third, positioning the tying run 90 feet away.
Blackhawk miscues continued to leave the door open. Prairie Grove’s Jaxon Beare struck out but a passed ball occurred. May scored and Beare ran to first base. Pea Ridge was finally able to get out of the inning by inducing a groundout but the damage had been done. Prairie Grove evened the score at five runs apiece and the game continued.
Dramatic Extra Inning
Cameron praised the play of Orr, who started on the mound for the Tigers but wasn’t involved in the decision.
“Ryder Orr did a great job on the mound. He did what he does. He went eight innings and he only threw 95 pitches so that’s pretty darn good which tells me he was efficient. He threw 76 strikes out of 95 pitches; we just couldn’t hit it. We just couldn’t give him any support,” Cameron said.
Cameron also hailed Beare in the reliever’s role although he was charged with the loss with the Blackhawks scoring a pair of runs in the bottom of the 10th.
“Jaxon gave us three great innings. He got out of a bases loaded jam. He’s throwing it well and has got a lot of confidence in his pitches,” Cameron said.
Pea Ridge had runners on first and second with no outs in the eighth but Beare got Dixon to pop up to shortstop and Rockhold out on a fly ball to center field. Prairie Grove intentionally walked John Roses, a NorthArk commit, to load the bases. The gamble paid off when Nate Delossantos grounded out to shortstop.
Pea Ridge At Plate
Pea Ridge scored three runs in the second. Senior Nathaniel Bennett, another University of Ozarks commit, singled to lead off the inning, then stole second base. Logan Long walked and Jonathan Lyons hit a single to load the bases. Senior Ryan Long, a Lyon College commit, grounded out to the first baseman to score the first run.
Logan Stewart ground out to shortstop, scoring another run, and Dixon added an RBI single.
The Blackhawks scored twice in the fourth inning. Stewart led off with a single, then stole second base. Dixon’s sacrifice fly moved him to third and Roses singled to plate Stewart.
Stewart was 2-of-5 with a homer that scored the Blackhawks’ fifth run. He had two RBIs and two runs scored.
“Stewart, he had a huge home run to left field,” Rudolph said.
Rockhold went 3- for- 5 with the walkoff home run, two RBIs and a double while Lyons went 4-for-5 with a double.
Home Field Advantage
Cameron noted bright spots in the loss for Prairie Grove, crediting the Tigers for keeping on competing and never quitting while Pea Ridge racked up 16 hits. Prairie Grove had one error in the game.
“They hit the ball but they left a lot of runners on base because we played really great defense and for us to go 10 innings that was impressive because we were able to bounce back,” Cameron said.
Rudolph said playing at home helped win a tight game in a familiar environment, making the Blackhawks feel a little more comfortable. He complimented the Blackhawks for focusing on that next pitch and moving on, leaving their mistakes in the past.
“I’m just proud of our team and Prairie Grove is a really tough team, really, really well coached and they’re going to have a chance to win quite a few games down the stretch and so I’m kind of excited to monitor them and just happy we were able to come out with the win because both teams were really, really good that night,” Rudolph said.