Jacks top Fordyce 6-4 in home opener behind complete game from Rivera

WARREN, Ark. – The Warren Lumberjacks baseball squad defeated Fordyce 6-4 in its home opener Tuesday evening behind a complete game performance from Ervin Rivera on the mound.

Warren now stands 1-1 on the year after the bounceback win from yesterday’s season-opening loss. Ervin Rivera’s complete game was a huge lift to a pitching staff that used five arms in Monday’s contest. He struck out 12 batters and didn’t walk anyone while holding the Redbugs to four runs on seven hits.

Top photo: Ervin Rivera on the mound for Warren in the second inning of Warren’s home opener vs. Fordyce. Photo by Saline River Chronicle.

By Dennen Cuthbertson

Saline River Chronicle Contributor

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The visitors did strike first with a run in the top of the opening frame, but Warren responded with three runs in the bottom half. Nathan Spears singled after a walk to Ervin Rivera to begin the game and Delfino Rivera plated his brother with an RBI single to tie it. Then Bryson Harris burned the centerfielder with a double to the wall to plate another run before Kolby Pope drove in the final run of the frame with a run-scoring single.

The Redbugs got one back in the top of the third to make the score 3-2, but an RBI groundout from Harris pushed the Jacks’ lead back to two runs at 4-2 in the bottom of the inning. Delfino Rivera touched home plate in the fifth inning after an error to give the Lumberjacks an important insurance run to make the score 5-2.

That run proved to be key as Fordyce scored two runs on a home run in the sixth inning to claw back within 5-4 with no outs. However, Ervin Rivera showed no ill effects as he struck out the side to close out the inning. Warren added another run in the bottom of the sixth when Pope scorched a ball that the drawn-in Redbug infield couldn’t handle to push the lead to 6-4.

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Ervin Rivera would end up not needing that insurance run though as the junior hurler induced a weak line drive for the first out of the final frame and struck out the final two batters to seal the 6-4 victory for the Lumberjacks. After allowing the homer, he struck out five of the final six batters of the game and didn’t allow another runner to reach base.

Offensively, the Jacks were led by two hits apiece from Spears, Delfino Rivera, and Pope. Harris and Pope led the team with two RBIs each while Delfino Rivera scored a team-high three runs. Pope, Ervin Rivera, and Ren Reep all registered a stolen base in the game.

With his pitching performance Ervin Rivera was named the Lumberjack Player of the Game. In addition to his work on the bump, he walked, scored a run, stole a base, and had a sacrifice bunt to help out the Lumberjack offense.

Warren is scheduled to travel to Rison Thursday for another non conference matchup. First pitch is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.