Siloam Springs got a little payback against Pea Ridge on Tuesday, March 7.
The Panthers, who were defeated 2-1 on a walkoff hit at Pea Ridge on March 1, overcame an early two-run deficit to knock off the Blackhawks 4-3 at James Butts Baseball Complex.
Pea Ridge scored two runs in the top of the second inning to take a 2-0 lead, but Siloam Springs answered with two runs in the second and scored single runs in the third and sixth to lead 4-2 going into the seventh.
Pea Ridge threatened and chased reliever Spencer Stephenson from the game after Stephenson had worked four scoreless innings.
But Andrew Elkins struck out two batters to earn the save and give the Panthers their second win of the season.
Andrew Pilcher, who struck out 11 Blackhawks in the first meeting at Pea Ridge, started the game and pitched two innings with five strikeouts and three walks.
Stephenson came on in the third inning worked out of a big jam before pitching three more scoreless innings. In total he worked 4 1/3 inings and struck out eight batters and only allowed three hits.
"Spencer came in with runners on and struck out two to leave them" said Siloam Springs coach J Keith. "Went a total of 4.1 innings with eight strikeouts and one walk, giving us an opportunity to win the game. Pitched through a tough situation in the third then cruised for the next three, giving the ball to Elkisn to pick up his first career save."
Pea Ridge took a 2-0 lead in the second. Carter Rockhold walked to get the rally started and he advanced to second and third on passeed balls and wild pitches. A single by A.J. Boyd gave the Blackhawks a 1-0 lead. Boyd would later score on a double by Luke Vandermolen for a 2-0 lead.
Back-to-back errors led to Siloam Springs scoring its first run in the bottom of the second as Josiah Thompson reached on an error and scored on another error off the bat of Blake Beckett.
Beckett scored on a passed ball to tie the game 2-2.
Siloam Springs went ahead 3-2 in the third when Nick Driscoll walked and moved to second on a single by Ryder Winfrey.
Driscoll scored on a single from Nolan Wills for a 3-2 lead.
The score remained 3-2 until the sixth when Jonathan Hyde drew a two-out walk. He advanced to third on a wild pitch and later scored on an error off the bat of Landon Fain.
The Blackhawks had a threat going in the top of the seventh and two out and one out, but Elkins retired the final two batters.
Prairie Grove 9, Siloam Springs 1
Ryder Orr had four hits and drove in a pair of runs to lead Prairie Grove to a win at home against Siloam Springs on Friday, March 10.
The game was originally scheduled to be at Siloam Springs but was moved to Prairie Grove due to field conditions at Siloam Springs.
The Tigers (5-1) pulled away with four runs in the fifth and three more in the sixth, thanks to an 11-hit attack. Tate Benoit had a two-run single to highlight Prairie Grove's four-run fifth, while Orr had an RBI double in the sixth to go with his RBI single in the first.
Spencer Allen had two hits and two RBIs for the Tigers. Connor Hubbs pitched a three-hitter and struck out 10 for the win.
Andrew Pilcher had a hit and an RBI for Siloam Springs, while Landon Fain had a hit and Jackson Still scored a run.
Pilcher took the loss, working 3.1 innings with seven strikeouts while Stephenson and Elkins also pitched.
Up next
Siloam Springs was scheduled to host Mountain Home in a 5A-West Conference doubleheader on Tuesday. Results were not available at presstime.
Graham Thomas/Herald-Leader Siloam Springs senior pitcher Spencer Stephenson throws a pitch in the third inning of the Panthers' game against Pea Ridge on Tuesday at James Butts Baseball Complex. Stephenson picked up the win in relief as Siloam Springs defeated Pea Ridge 4-3.