CONWAY, Ark.-After faltering early, the Red River Credit Union/TABA Texarkana Razorbacks rallied against Little Rock on the second day of the American Legion Arkansas state baseball tournament.
The Vipers took a 5-0 lead in the second inning, but the Hogs scored six unanswered-the final three on Matt Goodheart's home run-Saturday at Hendrix College to remain undefeated in the 16-team, two-weekend tournament.
Texarkana (30-8) advance to today's winner's bracket semifinal against either Fort Smith or Conway at 4 p.m. at the University of Central
Arkansas.
Hunter Lewis, who had only given up three earned runs on the summer, surrendered all five runs to Little Rock, but finished by working 6 2-3 innings, scattering nine hits, striking out five and walking one for the win.
Justin Swecker retired seven batters in a row for the save, hitting one which was erased by a double play.
"The guys showed a lot of resiliency; I'm proud of them," Razorback head coach Dane Peavy said. "I don't like close ones, but we did had we had to do to win. Little Rock's a solid club. I expect them to still be here next weekend.
"I've got to credit Hunter because he could've shut it down after the second inning. He battled, and it was tough. He did a heckuva job."
The Razorbacks finally got on the scoreboard in the fifth inning. With two outs, Logan Vidrine worked a 5-pitch walk, and Parker Ribble smashed an RBI double to deep left-center to make it 5-1.
Goodheart, who was a triple shy of the cycle, roped a stand-up double over the center fielder's head to start the sixth, and he scored on Will Smith's groundout. Beau Burson also smacked a ground-rule double in the inning with two outs, and Cole Boyd beat out an infield hit before the Vipers worked out of the jam.
The score remained 5-2 until the seventh. Vidrine was hit by a pitch, and an error put two on with no outs. A bunt loaded the bases, but an errant throw to third on the play allowed Vidrine to score, leaving two in scoring position.
Goodheart belted the first pitch he saw over the wall in right for a 3-run home run, giving the Hogs a 6-5 advantage.
"We talk about it a lot, 'at some point we're going to be down in this tournament, and we can't be shocked,'" Peavy said. "We never had the mindset that we had to press at the plate or had to get these runs right now. They understand it's a 9-inning ballgame, and so if we get down early we've got time to come back."
Little Rock got to the Hogs early, pushing across five in the second inning.
Lance Harville Thomas chopped a single into left field to leadoff the frame, and after a fielder's choice, Andrew Howard lined a hit to right. A double steal attracted a throw to second, and the runner at third delayed his break home to score on the throw to second.
With two outs, Nate Mooney singled to center to plate a run, and Cameron Blann added an RBI grounder inside the bag at third to make it 3-0. Anders Nowell drove in two more with his chopper to left.
Goodheart was 3 for 5 with his homer and double, and Burson, Tyler Moreland and Ribble each had a double.
In other games, Bryant beat Russellville, 6-0, in a winner's bracket game. In elimination games, Sheridan topped El Dorado, 10-6; Batesville edged Searcy, 10-9; Mountain Home bested Jacksonville, 7-1; and Arkadelphia beat Benton, 11-6.
Six games are on tap today-three at each site-with two more elimination games Monday before the tournament continues Thursday, July 27 with the remainder of the schedule played at Hendrix.
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Hunter Lewis, Justin Swecker (7) and John Michael Russ. Gavin Johnson, Shelby Quiggens (9) and Andrew Howard. WP-Lewis. LP-Johnson. HR: TR-Matt Goodheart, 7th, 2 on.
