GREENBRIER -- Before the 2019 baseball season started, Siloam Springs head coach Alan Hardcastle said the Panthers' goal in 5A-West Conference games was to sweep at home and split on the road.
So far, so good for Siloam Springs.
The Panthers rallied to defeat Greenbrier 8-7 in game one of a 5A-West Conference doubleheader on Tuesday and earned a road split in a battle of Panthers. Greenbrier won game two 8-0.
"What a gritty performance by the team," Hardcastle said. "Our guys were fired up yesterday from the moment we left Siloam Springs. I told the team going into (Tuesday) that we needed to split and they responded in a big way."
Siloam Springs scored three runs in the top of the first inning of game one to take an early 3-0 lead.
Reed Willbanks doubled and Elijah Coffey walked to set up A.J. Serrano's RBI double for a 1-0 lead.
Coffey scored on a sacrifice fly from Taylor Pool, and Serrano came around to score on a Greenbrier error for a 3-0 lead.
"Willbanks, Coffey, and Serrano set the tone early in the first," Hardcastle said. "We had some of our best at bats of the year."
Greenbrier got two runs back in the second, but Siloam Springs answered with three more runs in the third to go up 6-2.
Coffey walked and Isaac Price singled. Serrano then drove in one run and Pool made it 5-0 with another sacrifice fly. Serrano came around to score for a 6-2 lead.
Greenbrier responded with a run in the third and three more in the fourth to chase starting pitcher Landon Ellis in the fourth. Willbanks got two outs in the inning but he was relieved by Tanner Broyles, who finished the game on the mound.
Greenbrier took a 7-6 lead with a run in the fifth, but Siloam Springs scored two runs in the sixth to take the 8-7 lead.
After Broyles singled to open the inning, Willbanks reached on a fielder's choice and Coffey walked for the fourth time. Price and Serrano hit back to back singles to give Siloam Springs the lead.
"It was a great comeback on our part," Hardcastle said. "We had some kids have some tremendous at-bats."
Broyles then pitched scoreless innings in the sixth and seventh to finish out the victory. Broyles finished with 3 1/3 innings pitched, allowing four hits, one run, two walks with one strikeout.
"On a day that Ellis struggled on the mound, we had Broyles come up big in relief," Hardcastle said.
Serrano finished with three hits, two runs and four RBIs, while Colin Evers had three hits. Price had two hits and a run scored, while Coffey had four walks and three runs scored. Willbanks also scored two runs and Pool had two RBIs on a pair of sacrifice flys.
The Panthers were held to just four hits in game two as Willbanks, Price, Serrano and Pool each had one hit.
Greenbrier took a 4-0 lead in the fifth inning after scoring a single run in the second, two in the third and one in the fifth. Greenbrier added four in the sixth to put the game away.
Sophomore Gavin Henson suffered his first conference loss while Broyles and Willbanks also pitched in game two.
Andrew Johnson got the win for Greenbrier with 6 1/3 innings pitched and 10 strikeouts.
"Johnson for Greenbrier had a great outing," Hardcastle said. "He struck out 10 and made it difficult to get anything going."
With the split, Siloam Springs improved to 7-10 overall and 5-1 in league play, tied for first place in the league with Vilonia, which split with Greenwood on Tuesday.
Siloam Springs hosts Greenwood at 4:30 p.m. this Tuesday at James Butts Baseball Complex for a league doubleheader.
Greenwood is 10-7 overall and 2-4 in league play. The Bulldogs split against Vilonia and Little Rock Christian and were swept by Russellville.
Pack the Park
The Siloam Springs baseball program is hosting "Pack the Park" on Tuesday, April 9, for its 5A-West Conference baseball doubleheader against Greenwood at James Butts Baseball Complex. First pitch is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Fans are encouraged to wear their Panther gear to be entered to win one of two sets of Razorback Suite tickets. The drawing will be held Tuesday night at the game and fans must be present to win. There also will be prizes for best costume, best sign and best school spirit. The first 100 fans will receive a free bag of sunflower seeds. First pitch is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.
Sports on 04/07/2019