CONWAY, Ark.-Zac Harrington pitched the Texarkana Red River Credit Union Razorbacks back into contention for a American Legion AAA state championship Saturday night.
Forced into a loser's bracket game after a 10-0 loss to Bryant on Saturday afternoon, the Razorbacks outlasted Little Rock for a 16-6 win to earn a chance to try to knock off the Black Sox today and bring home a fourth state title in seven years.
Perhaps more importantly, both teams playing today will have berths in the American Legion AAA Southern Regional in Little Rock. One will go as state champion with an opening round against Mississippi, the other as the host team will take on the Kansas champ.
The Razorbacks and Black Sox, holders of all six of the last state championships-three apiece-will face off at noon today at Hendrix College in Conway.
The night game was a tight battle as Texarkana's Austin Cross and Little Rock's E.J. Scott locked up in a pitchers' duel for the first four innings.
When those two wore down, the Razorbacks turns to Herrington, who gave up just one run in 4 2-3 innings, scattering six hits while striking out five and walking one.
The Vipers didn't have an answer, yielding a total of 19 walks as the Razorbacks put up 13 runs in the final four frames to win going away.
The game was scoreless through three, until Nick Myers got the Razorbacks on the board first with a shot over the right field fence. Will Smith, who had walked, came in ahead of him to make it 2-0.
It was 3-0 in the fifth after Cole Boyd hit a grounder to the right side to drive in Bailey Orr, who had walked, stolen a base and moved to third on Matt Goodheart's groundout to first.
The Vipers took the lead with a six-run rally in the bottom of the sixth. They loaded the bases with none out on two infield singles and a walk. Another infield single and walked chased Cross, who pitched five scoreless innings until the roof fell in.
Harrington came in and gave up a pair of sacrifice flies and an RBI single before finally putting out the fire.
Little Rock starter E.J. Scott hit his allowed pitch limit and had to leave the game after the fifth. His reliever, Marcus Bracey, struggled mightily, walking six and hitting one and making a throwing error as the Razorbacks scored six runs on one hit to take a 9-6 lead.
Texarkana added three in the seventh and two more in both the eighth and ninth.
Texarkana 000 216 322 - 16 10 0
Little Rock 000 060 000 - 6 10 3
Austin Cross, Zac Harrington (5) and Will Smith; E.J. Scott, Marcus Bracey (6),Tate Stine, Lance Harille-Thomas and Deshawn Hampton. WP-Harrington, LP-Bracey. HR-T: Nick Myers, 4th inning, 1 on.
Black Sox 10, Razorbacks 0
Bryant ace Zach "Panda" Jackson put a bear hug on the Texarkana offense and the Black Sox rolled to a Mercy Rule win over the Razorbacks.
Jackson, an Arkansas signee who pitched a shutout for Bryant High in the Class 7A state championship game in May, rarely was in trouble. He retired nine of the last 11 hitters he faced as the Black Sox rolled to a 10-0 lead.
Jackson threw 88 pitches in six innings, scattering six hits. He walked two and struck out two.
Closer Boston Heil put down the side in order in the seventh, prompting the umpires to call the game two innings short of the scheduled nine.
The loss was Texarkana's first in the tournament and third on the season.
The Black Sox are in the catbird seat in the double-elimination American Legion AAA state title tournament and are guaranteed a berth in the Legion's Southern Regional in Little Rock in two weeks.
Things went Bryant's way from the get-go as Razorback starter Tanner Vaught struggled with the heat and Bryant's hitters early and often.
The Black Sox threatened to put up a big inning in the bottom of the first, loading the bases with one out.
Conway got one run when Garrett Misenheimer scored on a Razorback grounder to the right side, but third sacker Logan Vidrine gunned down one runner at the plate and Vaught struck out Seth Tucker.
The Horatio righty got out of that jam, but it required throwing 46 pitches with the temperature climbing past 98 and the heat index at 116.
A few disputed ball-and-strike calls contributed to his struggles, but the real damage came from Bryant's disciplined hitting. Twice, Black Sox hitters went to 10 pitches before finding their way on base.
The wear and tear showed up in the second.
The Black Sox stirred up more trouble, putting runners on second and third with two out. Misenheimer drew an intentional walk, and Austin Kelly, an Arkansas signee, followed that with a grand slam over the left field fence to make it 5-0 after two.
A triple, hit batsman and walk loaded the bases and chased Vaught with none out in the third. He finished giving up eight runs, all earned, with five hits, three walks and one strikeout. He threw 79 pitches.
Arkansas High's Patrick Flanagan came on for an inning of relief work, but he yielded a pair of singles and a sacrifice fly. When the dust settled it was 9-0, Conway, after 3.
Hunter Lewis threw three effective, if scary innings of relief. He surrendered one run. He struck out six, walked five and hit one.
Texarkana 000 000 0 - 0 6 1
Bryant 144 100 x - 10 9 1
Tanner Vaught, Patrick Flanagan (3), Hunter Lewis (4) and Cole Boyd; Zach Jackson, Boston Heil (7) and Dylan Hurt. WP-Jackson, LP-Vaught. HR-B: Austin Kelly, 2nd, 3 on. T: 2:08.