Siloam Springs Post 29 posted a strong first inning, but RBI Baseball Academy, based in Bentonville, rallied to tie in the sixth inning, ending the game in a 5-5 stalemate Wednesday night.
Though Wednesday's game was played in Siloam Springs at James Butts Baseball Complex, RBI was designated the home team, and Siloam Springs went to bat first. Batting in the three spot, Baron Meek crushed a home run with two outs that bounced off the walking trail behind the field's fence.
Siloam Springs Post 29
2017 schedule
Date^Opponent^Time/Results
May 30^at Lincoln^ppd
June 2^vs. Batesville*^W, 13-7
June 3^vs. Tri-County*^L, 15-2
June 6^at Rogers^L, 15-5
June 7^Springdale^T, 2-2
June 7^RBI Baseball Academy^W, 13-10
June 10^vs. Lavaca Roughnecks#^L, 8-5
June 10^vs. RBI Baseball Academy#^L, 15-3
June 11^vs. NWA Rays#^W, 12-4
June 11^vs. Lavaca Roughnecks#^W, 15-1
June 11^vs. RBI Baseball Academy#^L, 5-2
June 13^at Prairie Grove^W, 5-1
June 13^at Prairie Grove^W, 5-2
June 14^Springdale^W, 7-4
June 15^at Lincoln^W, 15-0
June 15^at Lincoln^W, 12-1
June 17^at Russellville^L, 7-2
June 17^at Russellville^L, 12-5
June 20^at Rogers^L, 8-6
June 21^RBI Baseball Academy^T, 5-5
June 24^at Ozark^5:30/7 p.m.
June 27^at Prairie Grove^5:30/7 p.m.
June 28^RBI Baseball Academy^6 p.m.
July 1^at Clarksville^10:30 a.m./1 p.m.
* Tournament played in Harrison
# Arkansas Shootout Championship played in Springdale
Defensively, Siloam Springs starting pitcher Tanner Broyles threw three perfect innings to start the game, keeping RBI's batters from reaching the outfield until the third inning. Meek took over pitching duties after the third inning, but not before Siloam Springs added a second run on a hit that Chance Junkermann looped into the outfield behind the shortstop, sending Isaac Price in to score.
"The first part of the game, I thought we did a few things really well," said Siloam Springs coach Alan Broyles. "And then on defense, we did have a lot of balls hit right at us, but we caught them, and that doesn't always happen."
Siloam Springs' fielding was also on display, with three diving or sliding catches in the outfield for fly-outs.
"We have a joke on the team that it's not against the rules to catch the ball in the air," Broyles said.
RBI Baseball struck back in the fourth inning however, scoring their first two batters. Josh Pederson reached on the team's first hit of the evening, a fly ball that barely evaded Siloam Springs' diving right fielder. Levi Bennett then hit another single to right field, and Hunter Mayes sent Pederson home with a sacrifice fly. Bennett would score on the next at-bat on a past ball from Meek.
The game now tied, Meek struck out Sawyer Price and the inning ended with a sliding play from Siloam Springs' center fielder. Meek would keep RBI off the board in the fourth inning, and Siloam Springs retook the lead with three runs in the fifth.
The scoring started with a hit from Price and an RBI triple from Broyles. Broyles then scored on a double from Meek, who in turn scored on a double from Trey Gettys. RBI Baseball changed pitchers with two outs after hitting a batter, and Wesley Painter closed out the inning with a strikeout.
Siloam Springs' effort to add to their 5-2 lead was cut short, as they fell victim to a one-out double-play. With one last chance to tie, RBI's inning got off to a rough start, as David Marts was thrown out at second after Siloam Springs' Junkermann was overthrown at first, sending Marts toward an extra base.
Pederson and Bennett each reached on singles, and Hunter Mayes was hit by a pitch from Siloam Springs' closer Gettys to load up the bases. Sawyer Price hit a single to send one run home, and Brody Parsons tied the game with a single as the throw to first came up just short and both Bennett and Mayes scored. Gettys saved the tie with the next at-bat, striking out Todd Glidner Jr. with a full count to end the game.
Siloam Springs was scheduled to play at Ozark on June 24, but results were not available at presstime. The team will return to action at Prairie Grove on Tuesday, June 27, and at home with a double header against Springdale and RBI Academy the next day.
Sports on 06/25/2017