The top of the third inning never seemed to end for Siloam Springs' baseball team on Friday.
Greenwood sent 16 batters to the plate and scored 12 runs in the inning to turn a 3-0 deficit into a 12-3 advantage, and the Bulldogs went on to pick-up a 13-3 victory over the Panthers in five innings at James Butts Baseball Complex.
Siloam Springs had enjoyed a big bottom of the second inning and taken a 3-0 lead, and the top of the third inning began rather odd when pitcher Chance Junkermann knocked down a line drive off the bat of Greenwood leadoff batter Colton Sagely and threw to first for the first out.
It all went down hill from there. The next 12 Greenwood batters reached safely, including one period of seven straight hits, and the Panthers changed pitchers twice in that span to try and stop the bleeding.
By the time the final out of the inning was recorded, the Bulldogs were firmly in control and well on their way to a 5A/6A District 1 victory.
"You stand over there as a coach and you feel helpless," said Siloam Springs head coach Alan Hardcastle. "I can't go out there and field it. I can't go do anything for them to help get out of the inning."
Siloam Springs looked like it had stolen the momentum in the previous inning.
Junkermann led off the inning with a double and courtesy runner Jacob Rowe scored on an RBI hit by Josh Hunt. Baron Meek walked and Tanner Broyles reached on an error to load the bases. L.T. Ellis reached on a fielder's choice that scored one run, and Chandler Cook hit a sacrifice fly to make it 3-0 going to the third.
After Junkermann retired Sagely to open the third inning, he issued back-to-back walks to Cooper Van Kooten and Peyton Holt.
Connor Noland's RBI single got Greenwood on the board, and Cody Smith reached on an infield hit to load the bases. Dylan Montgomery hit a comebacker that Junkermann fielded on the right side of the mound, but he overthrew to first base, which allowed three runs to score and Greenwood pulled ahead 4-3.
Hardcastle relieved Junkermann, who had thrown a lot of pitches by that point and put in Josh Hunt. Hunt was unable to retire a batter as Ryan Daggs hit an RBI single, Jake Smith doubled in the gap and Ronnie Berg hit a two-run single. Sagely ripped an RBI double as the Bulldogs batted around and Van Kooten followed with an RBI single. Holt and Noland also singled.
Eli Hawbaker came into pitch and got the final two outs of the inning, but not before Montgomery added another RBI single to make it 12-3.
"You look at the last three to four games we've played, we haven't scored a whole lot of runs, but we've been swinging the bat really well," said Greenwood coach Trey Holloway. "We just were not getting anything in return. That inning just shows, if we stick with our process, good things will happen. I love our guys. We're tough. We're mentally tough. And we've hit balls right to people over and over again, and it paid off today because we found some holes today."
Greenwood (10-6, 3-1 5A/6A District 1) added a run in the fourth inning and Van Kooten (3-1), after a shakey second inning, threw scoreless frames in the third, fourth and fifth as Greenwood completed the run-rule victory.
"They put pressure on us and we crumbled," Hardcastle said.
The loss was the second straight for Siloam Springs (7-8, 3-3 5A/6A District 1) after losing to Russellville on Tuesday.
Siloam Springs finished with five hits, led by two hits and an RBI from Josh Hunt.
The Panthers were scheduled to play two games on Saturday in Grove, Okla. Results were not available at presstime.
Greenwood 13, Siloam Springs 3
Greenwood^00(12)^10^--^13^14^2
Siloam Springs^030^00^--^3^5^2
Van Kooten and J. Smith; Junkermann, Hunt (3), Hawbaker (3) and Pool. W - Van Kooten, 3-1. L - Junkermann, 3-2. HR -- None.
Russellville 6, Siloam Springs 1
The Cyclones grabbed an early lead and never relinquished it on their way to a 5A/6A District 1 victory over the Panthers on Tuesday.
Russellville scored a run in the bottom of the second inning to take a 1-0 lead and added on to it from there.
The Cyclones scored two more in the fifth to go up 3-0.
After the Panthers cut the lead to 3-1 with a run in the top of the sixth, Russellville responded with three more runs to set the final score.
Russellville senior pitcher Joel Barker held the Panthers to just four hits and struck out seven batters to earn the win for the Cyclones (6-4, 3-1).
"We hit balls good at times, just right at them," said Siloam Springs head coach Alan Hardcastle. "They made every play."
The Cyclones only got three hits off Panthers starter Dawson Armstrong, but Armstrong walked seven batters and only pitched 4 2/3 innings. Eli Hawbaker pitched the final 1 1/3 innings for Siloam Springs and gave up three unearned runs.
Siloam Springs committed two errors in the game.
Chance Junkermann had two of Siloam Springs' four hits, while Chandler Cook and Jacob Rowe each had one hit. Cook scored the Panthers' only run with Armstrong credited with an RBI.
Sports on 04/02/2017