GRAVETTE, Ark. – The Warren baseball team scored a couple of early runs and that was all Kolby Pope needed as the Lumberjacks defeated Morrilton by a score of 3-1 in the first round of the 4A State Tournament Thursday afternoon in Gravette.
Warren, the fourth seed from the 4A South Region, runs its record to 16-8 overall, while Morrilton, the second seed from the 4A North Region and 4A-4 Conference Champions, finishes the season with a 26-5 mark. The Jacks advance to face the 4A East Region Champion and reigning 4A State Champion Lonoke Jackrabbits in the next round. This is Warren’s first win in the baseball state tournament since 2006.
Dennen Cuthbertson
Saline River Chronicle Sports Contributor
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The Orange and Black started the game with a bang as Pope doubled to lead off the game and advanced to third on a Ren Reep base hit. Pope scored on an infield single by Nathan Spears to put Warren on the scoreboard. However, the team’s bid for more runs came to a halt on a double play and fielder’s choice to end the frame. Pope retired the Devil Dogs in order in the bottom half to keep it 1-0.
Reep roped a one-out double to left-center field in the third frame but was still on second with two outs. Freshman Jackson Denton came through with a clutch base hit to score Reep and put Warren in front 2-0. The Jacks added another run in the fifth inning when Pope, who hit a one-out two-bagger, came around to score on a strikeout and errant throw to first base after the ball got away from the catcher.
Morrilton put together a threat in the bottom half of inning five when the first two batters reached on an error and single, the first hit of the game for the Devil Dogs. A sacrifice bunt advanced the runners up one base and a groundout to shortstop brought home the first run to bring the score to 3-1. Pope induced a soft lineout to shortstop to leave the runner at third stranded.
Warren couldn’t add any insurance runs as the game went to the bottom of the seventh. A hit batter led off the frame, but a great catch in left field by Tristan Weaver gave the Jacks the first out. The next hitter singled to put the tying run on base for the Devil Dogs. Pope didn’t lose his composure at all as he struck out the next hitter and a soft fly ball to Weaver ended the game and sealed the 3-1 victory.
Pope allowed three hits over seven innings with no walks and five strikeouts. The junior right-hander faced the minimum over the first four innings and didn’t allow a hit until the fifth. Additionally, he was critical to the offensive effort with two doubles and two runs scored. Reep also recorded a hit for Warren and scored a run, while Denton and Spears picked up the other two base knocks and each drove in a run.
Warren faces Lonoke tomorrow afternoon at 3 p.m. in Gravette in the second round of the 4A State Tournament. The Jackrabbits are led by former Warren head baseball coach Bryan Eagle.
