WARREN, Ark. – The Warren high school baseball team started the 2024 season off with a benefit scrimmage game against Rison on Tuesday, Feb. 20 at the Warren Sports Complex with Ervin Rivera scoring on a walk-off wild pitch to give the Jacks an 8-7 win.
Top photo: Ervin Rivera at the plate for the Lumberjacks Tuesday evening vs. Rison.
By Dennen Cuthbertson
Saline River Chronicle Sports Contributor
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Rison scored two runs in the top of the seventh inning with the help of three errors to knot the score at 7-7. Rivera led off with a triple in the bottom of the inning to the centerfield wall and scored on the next pitch when a ball in the dirt got away from the Wildcats’ backstop to give Warren a 1-0 victory.
The Lumberjacks used four pitchers in the game with starter Kolby Pope allowing one run on two hits with seven strikeouts against two walks. Ren Reep tossed a pair of scoreless innings while Nathan Spears and Rivera combined to get the last six outs with Rivera earning the win.
Rivera also led the Orange and Black at the plate with two hits and three runs scored. Freshmen Jackson Denton and Tucker McDiarmid had the only other hits for Warren, both being RBI singles. McDiarmid also scored twice, while Spears registered two RBIs.
The Wildcats took an early advantage with two hits in the top of the first to go ahead 1-0, but Warren would respond with Denton’s RBI single in the second frame. The Jacks appeared to take control of the game in the fifth inning when five runs crossed the plate to make the score 6-1. Layton Wolfe, McDiarmid, and Spears all drove home a run in the inning.
Rison wouldn’t go down without a fight though as they scored four runs in the top of the sixth to come within 6-5. Spears drove in an insurance run in the bottom of the frame on a groundout to push Warren’s edge to 7-5 to set up the seventh inning action.
The Lumberjacks officially begin the 2024 campaign next Monday, Feb. 26 with a nonconference matchup against McGehee at home. First pitch from the Warren Sports Complex is set for 4:30 p.m.
The above stats and story were recorded by Saline River Chronicle. Any re-publication on a commercial news site or in print is prohibited unless credit is given to Saline River Chronicle.
