STAR CITY, Ark. (3/31/26) – The Warren Lumberjacks baseball squad threw a combined no-hitter, but was in line to lose the game until a late error led to a 5-3 comeback victory in eight innings at Star City in 4A-8 conference action Tuesday evening.
By Dennen Cuthbertson
Saline River News Baseball Contributor
The game was a key early conference matchup for both teams as Warren improved to 5-4 overall on the season and, more importantly, 2-0 in conference play. The Bulldogs are now 4-5-2 overall and 0-2 in league games.
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Warren’s pitching trio of Ren Reep, Ryan Spears, and Parker O’Neal combined to no-hit the home squad, but seven walks, three hit batters, and three errors led to some baserunners for the Bulldogs and three runs. Warren totaled nine hits in the game and had a number of bad luck on hard-hit balls that eventually evened out late in the contest.
Reep reached on an error in the top of the first and came around to score on a wild pitch for the first run of the game. Jude Cathey recorded an RBI on a groundout to score Jackson Denton, who had doubled, to put two on the scoreboard for Warren. Star City cut the deficit to 2-1 with an unearned run in the bottom half. The Bulldogs tied the game in the second inning on a bases-loaded walk, but a strikeout kept the game tied.
Star City scored the go-ahead in the bottom of the third on an error with two outs to hold a 3-2 lead without a hit. Warren did not threaten again until the sixth inning when a walk and double that got lost in the sun put runners on second and third to begin the frame. However, a hard ground ball to third and a failed safety squeeze attempt with the lead runner thrown out at the plate kept Warren off the scoreboard. Aceen Jurado ripped a deep fly ball to left field with two outs, but a nice running catch by the outfielder kept Star City ahead.
Reep started the seventh-inning rally with a one-out single, but a fielder’s choice put Warren down to its last out. However, a failed pickoff attempt allowed Denton to advance to third base with Cathey at bat. Cathey hit a routine groundball to third base, but the throw sailed high to score Denton and knot the game at 3-3. O’Neal tossed a 1-2-3 bottom of the seventh to send the game to extras.
Warren’s bad luck from earlier turned into good luck with Logan Case reaching on a bloop single to right-center field with one out in the top of the eighth. Jurado grounded into a fielder’s choice for the second out, but advanced to second base after a bad throw to first base trying to turn a double play. Tucker McDiarmid wasted no time by smoking a double deep to left field to score Jurado and put Warren in front 4-3. Reep followed with a RBI single for an insurance run to push the lead to 5-3.
O’Neal induced a fly out to left field for the first out of the bottom half before a hit-by-pitch brought the tying run to the plate. However, O’Neal slammed the door shut with back-to-back strikeouts to clinch the 5-3 victory for the Orange and Black.
Reep threw the first two hitless innings, but allowed three runs (one earned) with five walks and three strikeouts and exited after a leadoff walk in the third. Spears relieved him and tossed the next three innings with no hits, four strikeouts, and two walks. O’Neal picked up the win by pitching the final three no-hit innings and struck out four with no walks.
Offensively, Denton, Reep, and Spears registered two hits apiece with Denton leading the team with two runs scored. McDiarmid, Reep, and Cathey each recorded an RBI.
The Lumberjacks are scheduled to return to action on Thursday, April 2 with another important conference matching against Crossett at home. First pitch from the Warren City Complex is set for 5 p.m.
