MONTICELLO, Ark. (4/7/26) – The Warren Lumberjacks baseball team dropped a 6-4 decision Tuesday evening to Monticello at Billie Field despite outhitting the home team by a count of 8-5.
By Dennen Cuthbertson
Saline River News Baseball Contributor
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The Jacks fell to 2-2 in 4A-8 Conference action and 5-6 overall. Monticello improves to 4-0 in conference games and 11-4 overall. While Warren did outhit the Billies, the team walked six, hit a batter, allowed three stolen bases, two wild pitches, and two passed balls to help Monticello end up on the winning side of the scoreboard. Additionally, every inning Warren scored to cut into the lead they couldn’t keep the Billies off the scoreboard in the ensuing frame.
After a scoreless first inning, Warren threatened in the top of the second when Ty Hembree singled and Logan Case followed with a one-out walk. Aceen Jurado laced a line drive right into the third baseman’s glove and Tucker McDiarmid flew out to left field to keep the game scoreless. Monticello was able to take the lead in the bottom half after a leadoff walk advanced to second on a groundout and scored on a single through the left side.
The Orange and Black quickly struck back when Parker O’Neal scored Jackson Denton on a two-out single in the top of the third. The tie was short-lived after Monticello loaded the bases in the bottom half on an infield single, a walk, and a bunt single and scored on a passed ball to take a 2-1 edge. Warren was able to get an out at the plate for the first of the inning, but a fielder’s choice scored another run to push the home team’s lead to 3-1 before the inning came to a close.
Jurado opened the top of the fourth with a single and stole second to get in scoring position. McDiarmid singled and an error allowed Jurado to score to get Warren within 3-2. Ren Reep and Denton both hit the ball hard in the ensuing at-bats, but Monticello’s center fielder made both plays before a popout ended the frame.
The Jacks couldn’t keep the momentum as a walk and hit-by-pitch put the first two runners on base in the bottom of the fourth. The Billies extended the lead to 4-2 after a first-and-third play plated a run. Reep was able to get the next two outs, but an infield hit scored another run to push the score to 5-2 in favor of the home team.
Warren mounted a rally in the sixth inning when an error and walk put the first two runners on base. McDiarmid drove home a run with a groundout to push the score to 5-3 and Reep singled home another to get the Jacks within one at 5-4 with one out. After a walk, O’Neal hit a hard groundball through the left side, but the runner at second couldn’t score so the bases were loaded with two outs. The next batter hit a popup to shortstop to get Monticello out of the jam.
Another leadoff walk came around to score for Monticello in the bottom of the sixth for a 6-4 advantage. Warren put a runner on with a two-out walk in the top of the seventh, but a popout to shortstop ended the game and clinched the win for the Billies.
Reep tossed the first four innings and allowed five runs on four hits, though only one left the infield. He struck out two, but walked five. Ryan Spears tossed the last two frames and allowed one run on one hit.
Offensively, O’Neal and Hembree recorded two hits for the Jacks to lead the team. McDiarmid, Reep, and O’Neal each had an RBI while Jurado scored two runs.
Warren returns to action Friday, April 10 with another important conference matchup at Hamburg. First pitch is set for 5 p.m.
