NASHVILLE, Ark. – Junior pitcher Kolby Pope put on a masterclass Thursday night with a complete-game victory to lift the Warren baseball team to a 2-0 triumph against De Queen in the opening round of the 4A South Regional Tournament being held at Wilson Park in Nashville, Ark. The win clinches a spot in the 4A State Tournament next week.
Dennen Cuthbertson
Saline River Chronicle Sports Contributor
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The Jacks, the 4A-8 second seed, are now 15-6 overall on the season and will play Monticello Friday afternoon in the semifinal round of the tournament. De Queen, the third seed from the 4A-7, finishes its season with a mark of 13-7.
Runs were hard to come by for both teams, but Warren was able to get a run in each of the second and third innings, which was more than enough for Pope’s pitching performance. Pope allowed just three hits with three strikeouts and one walk in the complete-game shutout.
The Lumberjacks threat in the bottom of the second started with Jackson Denton getting hit by a pitch and AJ Jordan following with an infield single with one out. A double steal put the runners at second and third with two outs after a strikeout. Tucker McDiarmid walked to load the bases and Pope was able to help himself out with a pitch that clanked off his helmet to drive in a run. However, Warren left them loaded to take a 1-0 edge.
The Jacks looked to go quietly in the bottom of the third, but an infield hit by Ren Reep and stolen base put him in scoring position with two outs. Denton then swatted a single to left field to plate Reep for a 2-0 advantage.
The Leopards threatened in the top of the second with a single and error to begin the frame, but a lineout to Jordan in center, strikeout, and groundout to the shortstop Reep kept the game scoreless at the time. De Queen led off the fourth inning with a double, but the runner never advanced as Pope recorded three straight outs.
The top of the fifth inning started ominously for Warren as an error led off the frame. The next batter also reached on an error and the lead runner made the turn for third base as the ball trickled into center field. This turned out to be a huge mistake as Jordan hurled a strike to Ervin Rivera to cut the runner down for the first out. A fielder’s choice and flyout to Nathan Spears in left field ended the inning.
Pope sat De Queen down in order in the top of the sixth and induced two groundouts to begin the final inning. His only walk of the day came on the next batter, but a fly out to Spears in left ended the game to clinch the 2-0 win for Warren.
Denton led the Warren offense with two of the team’s five hits, drove in a run, scored a run, and stole a base. Reep, Jordan, and Rivera had the squad’s other hits, while Reep and Jordan each tallied a stolen base.
The Lumberjacks will make a return trip to Nashville to take on Monticello at 2:30 p.m. Friday afternoon. The Billies upset the top seed and host Scrappers by a score of 2-1. The 4A-8’s top seed Crossett secured a 10-1 victory over Arkadelphia in the first game, while Magnolia earned the 4A-7’s only win by a score of 13-3 over Stuttgart.
