One call on a controversial ground ball over the bag at third base may have been the difference in a win and a loss for Pine Bluff’s baseball team Wednesday afternoon at Taylor Field.
With Texarkana leading the Zebras 6-4 with the bases loaded and two out in the top of the sixth inning, the home plate umpire ruled the ball fair, allowing all three runners to score as the Razorbacks (9-12, 7-4 6A-South) survived late-inning threats to top Pine Bluff (4-17, 3-8).
The Z’s had rallied from an early four-run deficit to close the scoring to 5-4 in the fifth inning but the Hogs plated four runs in the sixth, aided by the close play at third and held on for a 9-5 victory.
“I thought it was foul,” Pine Bluff coach Greg Easter said after the game. “That’s three runs right there. And there were two outs. If we get out of that it’s a different ball game.”
The Zebras gave up four runs in the first as the Hogs took advantage of two errors and a pair of hits to take the early advantage. Pine Bluff had six errors on the day, one more than its hits tally of five. The AZ’s committed three miscues in the third but allowed only one run.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
“That was just poor base running on their part,” Easter said. “You know, if we just catch a couple of ground balls…but that’s been an issue all year.”
Pine Bluff starting pitcher Ryan Green was effective on the mound, scattering eight hits, keeping the Hogs off balance with a two-seam sinking fastball and good location.
“He did a great job of keeping us off stride,” Texarkana coach Mike Lloyd said. “His fast ball was running in on our hands and we had a tough time getting to him. He was around the zone just enough to make us chase some pitches. If they play good defense this could be a different outcome. It’s always good to come into Pine Bluff and leave with a win.”
But Pine Bluff struggled to get runners across, stranding 10 and wasting a pair of leadoff singles, a leadoff walk and a leadoff triple by Karl Dewalt in the bottom of the first.
“”We had our chances,” Easter said. “But we didn’t play well on defense and we didn’t get runners in when we had chances.”
The Z’s scored a run in the bottom of the seventh and had the bases loaded with nobody out but Texarkana reliever Dylan Silvey struck out Aaron Silvey, Gealander Harris and Adam Graham to pick up the self-created save.
Dewalt led a five-hit Pine Bluff performance with a triple and single, Jason Dabner and Green each doubled and Larry Williams singled.