WARREN, Ark. – The Warren Lumberjacks bounced back in a big way with a 13-1, run-rule victory over conference foe Watson Chapel Thursday evening at the Warren Sports Complex.
The Lumberjacks (5-4, 3-2 in 4A-8) plated a run in each of the first two frames for an early 2-0 lead. Kolby Pope singled with one out in the bottom of the first and would later score on a first and third play for the Jacks first run. Bryson Harris came around to score in the next frame on a RBI groundout by Ervin Rivera.
Top photo: Ervin Rivera on the mound for the Lumberjacks. Photo by Saline River Chronicle.
By Dennen Cuthbertson
Saline River Chronicle Contributor
This Lumberjack Baseball game report is brought to you by:
The Orange and Black kept the Wildcats (1-5, 0-5 in 4A-8) off the scoreboard and exploded for six runs in the third frame. Ren Reep scored on a balk before Pope doubled home Nathan Spears to push the score to 4-0. Lassiter scored Pope on a sacrifice fly before an error scored another run for a 6-0 lead for the Jacks. Ervin Rivera delivered an RBI single for the next run before a sacrifice fly by Reep capped the six-run frame as the home team moved in front 8-0.
Lassiter led off the fourth for the Lumberjacks with a base knock and scored on a wild pitch later to push the score to 9-0. Harris drove home the next two runs with a double to left-center field and pinch-runner John Tillman scored on a RBI single by Antonio (AJ) Jordan to increase the lead to 12-0 for the Jacks. Pinch-hitter Jude Cathey drove home Alex Wardlaw for the final run to give Warren a 13-0 advantage.
Ervin Rivera, who had pitched a no-hit game through four innings, came back out for the fifth. Lassiter made a nice play on a slow roller to third base for the first out of the frame. The next hitter walked and Watson Chapel registered their first hit of the contest on a double to left-center field that was just out of the reach of Jordan’s glove. Reep took the bump in relief and induced a RBI groundout to third for the Wildcats’ lone run of the game. The freshman then struck out the final hitter looking on a 3-2 pitch to clinch the 13-1 triumph for Warren.
Lassiter went 2-for-2 at the plate with a sacrifice fly and two singles. The senior third baseman drove home a run, scored a run, and made a really smooth play in the field for the first out of the fifth inning to earn the Greg Harton Shelter Insurance Player of the Game accolade.
Ervin Rivera picked up the win for Warren on the mound with five strikeouts, one walk, one hit, and one run allowed in 4 and 1/3 innings. Warren picked up eight hits on the day with Pope recording the only other multi-hit effort in addition to Lassiter. Delfino Rivera, Harris, Ervin Rivera, and Jordan had the other hits for the Jacks. Pope, Harris, and Landon Wolfe each scored two runs, while Harris and Rivera drove in two runs apiece.
The Lumberjacks are back in action at home on Monday, April 3 against nonconference opponent White Hall. First pitch from the Warren Sports Complex is set for 4:30 p.m.
