GERMANTOWN, Tenn. -- The Siloam Springs baseball team pulled within one run of Houston (Tenn.) in the top of the fifth inning, but the Mustangs answered with eight runs in the fifth and sixth innings combined to take a 13-4 victory in a rain-soaked opening day of the 2018 Best of the West Tournament.
It was the only game of the day for the Panthers (2-7), who were scheduled to play two games on Monday -- against Bolton, Tenn., and Houston -- at USA Baseball Stadium in Millington, Tenn.
Instead, rain moved the game to Houston High in Germantown, Tenn., where both teams played in wet field conditions.
Houston scored two runs in the bottom of the second and one in the third to take a 3-0 lead after three innings.
Siloam Springs got a run back in the fourth when Baron Meek singled, moved to second on a wild pitch and to third after a walk to Tanner Broyles and Chance Hilburn was hit by a pitch. Colin Evers' single drove in Meek to make it 3-1.
Houston scored two more runs in the fourth to go up 5-1, but the Panthers came back with three runs in the fifth to cut the Mustangs' lead to 5-4.
Taylor Pool was hit by a pitch to start the rally and Isaac Price walked. Both Pool and Price moved up a base with a double steal, and Meek was walked to load the bases.
Broyles laced a two-run single to score Pool and Price, and Meek later scored on an RBI groundout by Hilburn to make it 5-4.
The Panthers couldn't hold off the Mustangs after that. Houston scored two more runs in the fifth and chased Panthers starter Jacob Rowe, who took the loss, allowing six earned runs on seven hits and six walks in 4 1/3 innings.
The Mustangs scored six more runs on Tanner Broyles, who gave up four hits and walked two in one inning. Price got the final two outs of the sixth inning, where the Mustangs scored six runs.
"They are a very good team," said Siloam Springs head coach Alan Hardcastle. "The field was very wet and they started hitting our pitching. We missed some balls and walked a few."
The Panthers were scheduled to play Briarcrest, Tenn., on Tuesday afternoon. Results were not available at presstime.
Siloam Springs was originally going to play a single game on Wednesday against Wynne, however the weather has changed the schedule.
The Panthers will now play White Hall (Ark.) today at noon, followed by the game against Wynne.
Sports on 03/21/2018