STUTTGART, Ark. – Maddox Lassiter went 5-for-5 at the plate and the Warren baseball team battled back to within one run late in the game, but couldn’t get over the hump in a 13-9 loss to Stuttgart, who clinched the 4A-8 Conference Championship with the win Wednesday evening at Charlie Crawford Field in Stuttgart.
Warren falls to 6-8 on the season and 3-6 in 4A-8 Conference play. The Lumberjacks will likely need to win the three remaining conference games to have a chance of advancing to regionals. Meanwhile, Stuttgart ran its record to 13-3 and 9-1 in conference contests. The Ricebirds clinched the 4A-8 Conference Championship and will be the number one seed in the 4A South Regional.
By Dennen Cuthbertson
Saline River Chronicle Contributor
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Lassiter was the highlight for the Orange and Black as the senior was named the Greg Harton Shelter Insurance Player of the Game. He collected five hits in all five at bats with three doubles, a triple, three RBIs, and three runs scored. He narrowly missed hitting for the cycle as his last double went off the wall.
The Jacks scored a run in the top of the first when Lassiter, who hit a two-out double, scored on a base hit by Bryson Harris. However, the lead was short-lived as the first four batters reached for Stuttgart to put them in front 3-1. The home team scored two more runs in the next frame, but Warren got one back after Lassiter led off the top of the third with a triple and scored to make the score 5-2 in favor of the Ricebirds.
Kolby Pope sat Stuttgart down in order in the bottom of the third and Warren chipped away in the top of the fourth on an RBI single from sophomore Nathan Spears. However, the Ricebirds immediately got that run back with a solo homer to lead off the bottom of the frame to make it 6-3.
The Jacks wouldn’t lay down quietly as a Lassiter double and Harris single put runners on the corners to begin the fifth inning. After a strikeout, Ervin Rivera drove a deep fly ball to center field that could have been extra bases, but it was run down by Stuttgart’s centerfielder for a sacrifice fly to score Lassiter. Freshman Ren Reep swatted a single up-the-middle to score Harris and move Warren to within 6-5.
Stuttgart got one of the runs back to make the score 7-5 in the bottom of the fifth, but Warren was able to load the bases with two outs in the top of the sixth. However, a punch out ended the threat. The wheels fell off a bit for the Lumberjacks in the bottom of the sixth as Stuttgart scored six times to take a 13-5 advantage.
Warren didn’t go down quietly though as the first three batters of the final frame reached base. Two strikeouts later they were still there with two outs, but Pope walked to drive in one run. Lassiter stepped up to the plate and smoked a double that hit the fence to narrowly miss a grand slam. The hit did clear the bases and move Warren to within 13-9, but a strikeout ended the game as Stuttgart was able to escape with the victory.
Six different Lumberjacks recorded hits in the game, but only Lassiter and Harris had multiple-hit efforts. Pope went 4 and 2/3 innings on the mound, while Lassiter and Reep also threw in the game.
The Lumberjacks will look to bounce back in a home matchup against Hamburg Monday, April 24. First pitch from the Warren Sports Complex is set for 5 p.m.