Panthers head to Lead-Off Tournament

Photo courtesy of the Saline Courier Siloam Springs senior left-hander Raiff Beever has a 3.50 ERA in six innings of work so far for the Siloam Springs baseball team. The Panthers are scheduled to play Thursday through Saturday in the 26th annual Willard (Mo.) Lead-Off Tournament.
Photo courtesy of the Saline Courier Siloam Springs senior left-hander Raiff Beever has a 3.50 ERA in six innings of work so far for the Siloam Springs baseball team. The Panthers are scheduled to play Thursday through Saturday in the 26th annual Willard (Mo.) Lead-Off Tournament.

Having only played four games in the first three weeks of the season, the Siloam Springs baseball team will look to get in four games this week alone.

The Panthers will play in the 26th annual Willard (Mo.) Lead-Off Tournament, which will be played Thursday through Saturday.

The tournament features nine teams. Games will be played at Tom Greenwade Memorial Field in Willard along with games at Glendale High School in Springfield, Mo., and Rogersville High School in Rogersville (Mo.).

Siloam Springs is participating in the event along with Mountain Home and Missouri teams Willard, Glendale, Lebanon, Marquette, Lee's Summit West, Jefferson City and Rogersville.

"With all the teams there, it's going to be a tough tournament," said first-year Siloam Springs baseball coach Alan Hardcastle. "There's no easy win there. You're going to have to earn it.

"I thought this was a great opportunity to face good opponents and stay closer to home."

The Panthers are scheduled to open the tournament against Lebanon at 5 p.m. Thursday at Willard. They'll play Mountain Home at 10:30 a.m. Friday and then play Marquette at 12:45 p.m. at Willard. The outcome of those three games will determine their opponent on Saturday at either Willard or Rogersville.

In the Mountain Home game, Hardcastle will be going up against a Bombers team that he helped coach last season.

"They've got a good team," Hardcastle said of the Bombers. "It's going to be a tough game for us, but it's one I'm excited about."

The Panthers (0-4) are still in search of their first win after dropping a 7A/6A-Central Conference doubleheader against defending 7A state champion Bryant last Friday 5-0, 15-0.

"Bryant, being defending 7A state champions, they're pretty loaded," Hardcastle said. "You walk a few, give up a few errors, it can get out of hand. That's what happened."

Siloam Springs' other two losses came against Harrison (11-1) and Rogers (9-2) on March 11.

Siloam Springs has also had several games postponed and canceled because of weather.

Siloam Springs has struggled at the plate in its first four games, scoring only three runs and going 7 for 77 (.091) at the plate. Dodge Pruitt and Zac Bolstad have both of those hits for the Panthers.

On the mound, senior left-hander Raiff Beever (0-2) has given up three earned runs in six innings pitched for a 3.50 ERA. Bolstad has a 2.80 ERA in five innings of work.

Willard (Mo.) Lead-Off Tournament

Thursday- Saturday

at Willard, Glendale, Rogersville

Thursday's games

at Willard, Mo.

Willard, Mo. vs. Glendale, Mo., 2:45 p.m.

Siloam Springs vs. Lebanon, Mo., 5 p.m.

Marquette, Mo. vs. Mountain Home, 7:15 p.m.

Friday's games

at Willard, Mo.

Siloam Springs vs. Mountain Home, 10:30 a.m.

Siloam Springs vs. Marquette, Mo., 12:45 p.m.

Willard, Mo. vs. Lee's Summit (Mo.) West, 3 p.m.

Marquette, Mo. vs. Lebanon, Mo., 5:15 p.m.

Lebanon, Mo. vs. Mountain Home, 7:30 p.m.

at Glendale (Springfield, Mo.)

Glendale, Mo. vs. Jefferson City, Mo., 5 p.m.

Jefferson City, Mo. vs. Lee's Summit (Mo.) West, 7:15 p.m.

Saturday's games

at Willard, Mo.

Willard, Mo. vs. Jefferson City, Mo., 9 a.m.

Glendale, Mo. vs. Lee's Summit (Mo.) West, 11 a.m.

TBA vs. TBA, 1 p.m.

TBA vs. TBA, 3 p.m.

Championship, 5 p.m.

at Rogersville, Mo.

TBA vs. Rogersville, 3 p.m.

TBA vs. Rogersville, 5 p.m.

Sports on 03/25/2015