GRAVETTE, Ark. – The Warren baseball team received a valiant pitching performance from senior Ervin Rivera but could only muster two hits as the Lumberjacks’ 4A State Tournament run ended with a 3-0 loss to Lonoke Friday afternoon in Gravette.
Dennen Cuthbertson
Saline River Chronicle Sports Contributor
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The Jacks end the season with a 16-9 record, while Lonoke improves to 27-5 and advances to the semifinals of the 4A State Tournament. The Jackrabbits are the defending 4A State Champions and have been highly ranked all season among all teams in Arkansas, not just in the 4A classification.
Warren’s best scoring chance came early in the game when Jackson Denton led off with a single and was bunted to second by Rivera. However, two strikeouts ended the threat and kept the game scoreless.
The Jackrabbits found little success offensively as well, but a one-out hit, ruled a double, in the third inning put a runner in scoring position. A groundout to second base moved the runner to third and a two-out single plated the first run of the game. Lonoke would score two more runs in the frame to move in front 3-0. The only other baserunner Rivera would allow would be a walk in the fifth inning.
The Orange and Black tallied another hit by Denton in the fourth with two outs, but he was left stranded. Kolby Pope recorded the only other hit for Warren, a one-out single, in the sixth inning, but two strikeouts ended the frame. Warren would go down in order in the top of the seventh to lose by the final score of 3-0.
Rivera allowed just three hits and one earned run with four strikeouts against two walks. Offensively, Denton led the team with two hits and Pope had one.
Lonoke’s pitcher Jaxon Ingle, committed to UCA, tossed a complete game for the Jackrabbits to pitch them into the semifinals where they will face the winner of Pulaski Robinson and Monticello.
Warren’s 2024 season comes to a close, but the Lumberjacks figure to be strong next year as everyone on the team returns with the exception of Rivera, the lone senior on the squad.
