CONWAY - The El Dorado Drillers left the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh inning and fell short to Russellville 10-9 in an elimination game of the Arkansas American Legion Junior State Tournament Saturday at Hendrix College. The Drillers ended their season with a 9-15-1 record.
“Our guys fought hard. They kept fighting until the end,” said Drillers coach Greg Harrison. “I’m proud of the way they kept fighting. They don’t have anything to be ashamed of. They played hard and fought all the way to the end.”
Russellville scored three runs in the top of the seventh to grab a 10-7 lead.
In the bottom of the seventh, Jack Smith and Tyler Martin both singled. With one out, Jacob Eubanks laced a two-run double. With two outs, Cody Lee was hit by a pitch and Tyler Johnson walked to load the bases before the Pirates recorded the final out via strikeout.
El Dorado had 14 hits in the game. Charles Hoof was 3-for-4 with four RBI and two runs scored. Martin was 3-for-4 with two RBI. Smith, Landen Rainwater and Baylor Brumley had two hits apiece. Brumley stole two bases and scored twice. Smith scored two runs and drove in one. Eubanks had a double and two RBI and Westdan Owens had a hit.
Rainwater started on the mound, surrendering eight hits, three runs, including two unearned, with a walk and a strikeout in four innings. Chase Webb pitched two innings, allowing four runs, included three earned, on five hits with three strikeouts. Eubanks pitched the seventh, surrendering two hits. Only one of the three runs he surrendered was earned.
The Pirates drew first blood with three runs in the first. The Drillers got two runs back in the bottom of the inning. Rainwater singled, stole second and scored on Hoof’s single. Martin drove in a run with a two-out single.
El Dorado tied the game with a run in the third. Brumley walked, stole second and scored on Hoof’s base hit.
Russellville scored a run in the fifth but the Drillers took a 7-4 lead with four runs in the bottom of the inning. Johnson walked and Brumley doubled. Both scored on Hoof’s two-run single. Smith plated Hoof with a single. Martin drove in a run with a hit.
El Dorado’s Oilers will host Texarkana Monday at 6 p.m. in Norphlet.