Bombers sweep Panthers in 5A-West opener

Siloam Springs to host Panther Classic this week

Graham Thomas/Herald-Leader
Siloam Springs catcher Landon Fain fields a ball in the infield as third baseman Andrew Pilcher and pitcher Ryder Winfrey close in on the play during a doubleheader against Mountain Home on March 14 at James Butts Baseball Complex. The Bombers swept the Panthers 12-1 and 5-3.
Graham Thomas/Herald-Leader Siloam Springs catcher Landon Fain fields a ball in the infield as third baseman Andrew Pilcher and pitcher Ryder Winfrey close in on the play during a doubleheader against Mountain Home on March 14 at James Butts Baseball Complex. The Bombers swept the Panthers 12-1 and 5-3.

Siloam Springs plated a run in the bottom of the sixth inning to tie the nightcap against Mountain Home 1-1, but the Bombers scored four runs in the top of the seventh inning to re-take the lead and ultimately complete a 5A-West Conference doubleheader sweep with a 5-3 victory at James Butts Baseball Complex.

The Panthers were unable to help starting pitcher Andrew Pilcher's no-hit bid, which he took into the top of the seventh inning.

Ian Ellison singled to break up the no hitter and chased Pilcher from the game after the UALR signee hit his pitch count with 10 strikeouts.

Spencer Stephenson replaced Pilcher on the mound and Jett Hannaford bunted Ellison to second base with one out.

Dillon Drewry then singled to right field and advanced to second base on a throwing error, while Ellison remained at third base.

The Panthers (2-5, 0-2) opted to intentionally walk Lincoln Sherry to load the bases with one out and set up a force place.

Jacob Czanstkowski was then hit by a pitch to drive in a run and give the Bombers a 2-1 lead.

Drewry scored on a passed ball for a 3-1 lead, and the Bombers went up 4-1 when a Masen Walker hit a ground ball to second base. The Panthers threw the ball home but the throw was late and Sherry scored.

Ryder McClain hit a base hit to left field to make it 5-1.

Andrew Elkins relieved Stephenson and walked the next batter before striking out the next two batters to get out the inning.

The Panthers started their own rally in the bottom of the seventh.

Jackson Still reached on an error and Mason Edwards singled to get two men on with nobody out. Both runners moved up on Elkins' ground out.

A hard hit ground ball by Jacob Davis led to a Mountain Home error, scoring two runs to cut it to 5-3.

An error and a hit batter led to Siloam Springs loading the bases with one out, but the Bombers' pitcher Ellison was able to retire Pilcher on a pop out and Nolan Wills on a ground out to end the game.

In the sixth inning, the Panthers trailed 1-0 with two outs when Ryder Winfrey and Pilcher reached on back to back singles and Winfrey scored on a Bombers passed ball.

Winfrey finished with two hits in the game.

Pilcher took the loss with two earned runs, one hit, 10 strikeouts, four walks and three hit batsmen. The Bombers scored their first run in the first inning without a base hit.

"Andrew Pilcher continued to get better on the mound going six innings with one hit and 10 strikeouts, giving us a chance to win," said Siloam Springs coach J Keith. "Freshman Mason Edwards had a big pinch hit single to give us two base runners when fellow freshman Jacob Davis hit a hard ground ball that the second baseman couldn't handle scoring two."

In game one, Mountain Home's Jacob Czanstkowski pitched a five-inning complete game with five strikeouts and one hit allowed, while also notching an RBI at the plate.

Reece Ducker went 2 for 3 with two RBIs, while Lincoln Sherry had two hits and an RBI and Cody Lance two RBIs.

Mountain Home (5-0, 2-0 5A-West) led 3-1 after three innings and scored two in the fourth and seven in the fifth for the run-rule.

Winfrey took the loss for Siloam Springs, allowing nine runs (six earned) with seven strikeouts in 4 1/3 innings.

Winfrey also had the team's only RBI, while Wills had the Panthers' lone base hit.

Panther Classic

Siloam Springs is set to return to the diamond on Thursday when the team hosts the Panther Classic at James Butts Baseball Complex.

The eight-team tournament features Siloam Springs, along with Gentry and several teams from around the state including Harrisburg and Brookland from northeast Arkansas, Heber Springs from central Arkansas and Star City from southeast Arkansas. Westville, Oklahoma and Raymore-Peculiar, Mo. round out the field.

Raymore-Peculiar, which is out of the south Kansas City area, features several college prospects, including junior left handed pitcher Johnny Carver, who has committed to the University of Arkansas. Raymore-Peculiar will play at Gentry at 1 p.m. Thursday, while Siloam Springs will host Heber Springs at 1 p.m. Thursday at James Butts Baseball Complex, followed by Harrisburg versus Westville, Okla., at 3:30 p.m., and Brookland versus Star City at 6 p.m.

The tournament will continue on Friday and conclude Saturday.

"We look forward to hosting seven teams this coming week," Keith said. "Right down the road Gentry and Westville, Oklahoma will be joining us, as well as Brookland and Harrisburg from east Arkansas and Star City from southeast Arkansas. Then Ray-Pec rolls in with four Division I arms and a loaded lineup out of south Kansas City."

"We have a potential 4A state tournament match up in Star City and Brookland. Some really good baseball to be played on Siloam. Couldn't do it without our amazing sponsors Big Whiskey."

Panther Classic

Thursday-Saturday

James Butts Baseball Complex

Thursday's games

Game 1: Ray Pec, Mo. vs. Gentry, 1 p.m.*

Game 2: Brookland vs. Star City, 6 p.m.

Game 3: Siloam Springs vs. Heber Springs, 1 p.m.

Game 4: Harrisburg vs. Westville, Okla., 3:30 p.m.

Friday's games

Game 5: Loser Game 1 vs. Loser Game 2, 3 p.m.

Game 6: Loser Game 3 vs. Loser Game 4, 10 a.m.

Game 7: Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 12:30 p.m.

Game 8: Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4, 5:30 p.m.

Saturday's games

Seventh place: Loser Game 5 vs. Loser Game 6, TBA

Consolation Finals: Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6, TBA

Third place: Loser Game 7 vs. Loser Game 8, TBA

Championship: Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8, TBA

* Game to be played at Gentry High School

  photo  Graham Thomas/Herald-Leader Siloam Springs first baseman Josiah Thompson fields a throw at first as Mountain Home's Masen Walker slides back into the base during a doubleheader on March 14.