CAMDEN — By PATRIC FLANNIGAN
Sports editor
The Arkansas Pulpwood 17U team played hard but fell in defeat to the Texarkana Jr. Razorbacks in a doubleheader; 5-2 and 6-5.
In the first game, Niles Smith pitched all seven innings. Conner Herrington went 1-2 with two walks and a run. Smith was 1-3 with a walk. Hunter Morgan, Gannon Bearden, Landen McMahan and Tripp O’Hara all went 1-3 from behind the plate with Bearden scoring a run.
APW struck first after Herrington’s leadoff walk. Smith was walked and then Morgan hit an RBI single.
The Razorbacks scored three runs in the third inning to take the lead. In the fifth inning, Pulpwood climbed to within a run when Blake Bohannon was walked to bring Bearden across the plate. The Razorbacks responded with two runs in the bottom of the fifth to hold on to the lead for the win.
In the second game, Brandon Harris, Cade Lindsey and McMahan all pitched.
Herrington was 2-3 with a double and a run. Bohannon was 2-3 with a double a run and three RBI’s. Cole Pennington and Harris added a hit each and an RBI.
Herrington hit a lead off double to start the game that was followed by Bohannon’s double to bring Herrignton home. Pennington then hit a single to bring in Bohannon.
Pulpwood held tight to the lead until the Razorbacks tied the game at two in the bottom of the fourth. In the fifth, Devin Baker was walked before taking second on a passed ball. Harris came in to hit an RBI single. Lindsey was advanced to first after being hit at the plat and Herrington followed with a bunt. Bohannon hit tallied another RBI with a single to give APW a 5-2 lead.
“We didn’t execute at the plate Tuesday night at all,” APW Coach John Dawson III said. “We left 10 people on base in game 1 and another 3 in game 2. I think the boys were still worn out from the heat last weekend. We did look pretty good with our pitching and defense, but just couldn’t overcome a lethargic approach at the plate. We’ll get back at it on Friday with this group and see if we can get back on track.”