Gravette rallied from a 7-2 deficit to knock off Siloam Springs in both teams' season-opener on Feb. 25 in Gravette.
On Friday in Siloam Springs, the Lions showed the same kind of fight, turning a 5-1 deficit into a 6-5 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh inning.
This time, however, Siloam Springs would not be denied.
The Panthers scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh to notch a 7-6 nonconference victory at James Butts Baseball Complex.
"We'll take the win," said Siloam Springs coach Alan Hardcastle. "Great team effort."
Down 5-4 going into the top of the seventh, Gravette's Brodie Parsons smacked a two-run double to give the Lions a 6-5 lead.
A.J. Serrano led off the bottom of the seventh with a base hit up the middle for Siloam Springs, and pinch runner Elijah Coffey stole second base. Taylor Pool reached on a base hit to put two runners on.
Colin Evers reached safely on a high infield chopper to score the tying run.
Gravette pitcher Hunter Cole struck out freshman J.P. Wills for the first out, but junior Tanner Broyles hit a ground ball to shortstop with the infield drawn in. The Lions tried to throw home to get Pool, who took off from third base, but the throw was wild and Pool scored the winning run.
"A.J. gets on and Elijah comes in and steals second base," Hardcastle said. "We get a base hit and here we go. Tanner Broyles with some clutching hitting there at the end with a walk off.
"We get guys on base. We've got a lot of team speed. When we get on, we need to take advantage of it from stealing and putting the ball in play. We put pressure on them, just like we did there at the end."
Gravette took advantage of a leadoff walk and an error to open the first inning to take a 1-0 lead.
Mason Dagley walked and with two outs Parsons reached on a Reed Willbanks error at shortstop to keep the inning alive. The Lions executed a double steal to score their first run.
Siloam Springs tied in the bottom of the second. Tanner Broyles singled with two outs and stole second base. Dakota Herrel followed with a single, and Broyles scored when Willbanks reached on an error.
The Panthers scored four in the bottom of the fourth to take a 5-1 lead.
Pool and Evers opened the inning with base hits and Broyles drove in a run with a single. Willbanks ripped a two-run single for a 4-1 lead and Gavin Henson singled up the middle to score another run.
Gravette answered with three runs in the top of the fifth to get back within 5-4.
Thomas Tryon, the Lions' starting pitcher, was hit in the head with a pitch to lead off the inning and Caleb Wallace, Dagley and Keegan Bulza hit three straight singles to score two runs to chase Pool, Siloam Springs' starting pitcher.
Cole hit a sacrifice fly off Evers to pull the Lions within a run.
"This team's shown a lot of fight all year," said Lions coach Bryan Bearden. "We never lay down, especially when we're on the road. We know we've got a good team over there in Siloam Springs. They just kept fighting. Real proud of my guys."
Cole pitched a scoreless fifth and sixth innings for the Lions in relief of Tryon, who gave up nine hits and five runs. Cole was saddled with the loss after giving up the two runs in the seventh.
Evers was the winning pitcher for Siloam Springs. He worked the Panthers out of a jam in the fifth and pitched a scoreless sixth before the Lions scored two in the seventh to take the lead.
Pool had his best outing of the season for Siloam Springs through the first four innings with six strikeouts.
"I was excited," Hardcastle said. "I know we hit one and we walked two, and I know we made a couple of errors. But that just goes to show you when you throw strikes good things happen. It keeps us in the ballgame."
Gravette returned to 1-4A Conference action on Monday versus Prairie Grove, while Siloam Springs was scheduled to play Tuesday at Little Rock Christian. Results were not available at presstime.
Siloam Springs 7, Gravette 6
Gravette^100^030^2^--^6^8^3
Siloam Springs^010^400^2^--^7
Tryon, Cole (5) and Edgmon; Pool, Evers (5) and Wills. W - Evers. L - Cole. Sv - None. HRs - None.
Sports on 04/17/2019