Mother nature did not cooperate with the Siloam Springs baseball program's Panther Classic last week.
Heavy rain and thunderstorms canceled all but one game in the eight-team tournament in Siloam Springs and Gentry, which was scheduled for March 23-25.
The only game that was able to be played was Siloam Springs against Heber Springs on Thursday morning. The game, which was played in light to sometimes heavy rain, ended in a 6-6 tie in five innings after a 1 hour and 50 minute time limit.
Brookland and Gentry, which were unable to play at Gentry's field in the same time slot Thursday morning, were at the ballpark to play afterward, but the game was called off before it started because of weather.
By mid-afternoon Thursday, heavy rain was falling, and that continued Thursday night and all day Friday. Field conditions were too wet to play any games on Saturday.
Other teams scheduled to be in the tournament were Rayville-Peculiar (Mo.), Westville, Okla., Harrisburg and Star City.
"Unfortunately, the weather stopped us from getting to see a potential state tournament game in Brookland and Star City and some elite level pitching from Ray-Pec and Gentry," said Siloam Springs coach J Keith.
In the one game that was played, Siloam Springs fell behind 2-0 in the first inning to Heber Springs, but rallied to take a 4-2 lead with four in the bottom of the first.
Nolan Wills hit a two-run triple, while Nick Driscoll had an RBI groundout and Jack O'Brien an RBI single.
Heber Springs tied the game with two runs in the third, but Siloam Springs retook a 5-4 lead in the bottom of the third after Braxton Majors doubled and scored on another RBI single from O'Brien, one of several freshman in the starting lineup.
"It was fun starting four freshmen and watching them compete with a senior heavy team," Keith said.
Heber Springs scored two more in the fourth to go up 6-5, but the Panthers tied it in the fourth with a run. Jonathan Hyde reached on a walk and scored on an RBI triple by Andrew Pilcher with one out.
The Panthers were unable to get Pilcher in though as Wills struck out and Driscoll flew out to right field.
Neither team scored in the fifth.
The Panthers had an opportunity to get the winning run in when Majors doubled but he was thrown at third base on the next play, which was a ground ball to shortstop.
Keith argued the out call at third base and was thrown out of the game, which ended just minutes later.
Siloam Springs was scheduled to return to action Tuesday against Alma in a 5A-West Conference doubleheader. Results were not available at presstime.
The Panthers are scheduled to play Gravette on Thursday.
Graham Thomas/Herald-Leader Siloam Springs sophomore Jackson Still slides into home, but he was called out on the play on March 23 against Heber Springs.