SPRINGDALE -- The difference in a one-run game often comes down to executing fundamentals.
Such was the case on a windy Thursday afternoon as Junction City took advantage of several Shiloh Christian mistakes in a 3-2 nonconference baseball win at Champions Diamond.
How They Scored
Junction City 3, Shiloh Christian 2
Junction City^001^002^0^-^3^6^1
Shiloh Christian^020^000^0^-^2^8^3
Hammett and Jolley; Bandy, Lantzsch (6) and Butler. W - Hammett. L - Lantzsch, 0-2. HRs - None.
The Dragons (6-8) capitalized on three Saints errors, but Shiloh Christian's biggest mistake came on the bases when a runner was picked off second base with no outs. Shiloh Christian (5-3) trailed by one run when Austin Connolly and Cooper Whaley opened the sixth inning with back-to-back singles. But Connolly was picked off second by Junction City catcher Peyton Jolley when he fell trying to get back to the bag.
"That was big for us," Shiloh Christian coach Moe Henry said. "And it was just a freak accident. He ended up getting a secondary lead and rolled his ankle and fell. It wasn't anything we were trying to do special, just trying to move the runners. But that was huge for us. I think that ended up being the turning point."
Junction City, a Class 2A team, which went 1-1 on its Northwest Arkansas trip this week, got out of the inning as Parker Hammett got Broderick Butler to line out to third and struck out Josh Lantzsch to end the threat.
Dragons coach Joe Hammett agreed the pick off at second base changed the complexion of game.
"My catcher made a big play, and all of a sudden they've got one out and a runner at first instead of no outs and runners on first and second," Hammett said. "That takes a lot of pressure off of us. So that was definitely a big out."
Parker Hammett went the distance for the Dragons, scattering eight hits and just two runs with seven strikeouts to get the win. Lantzsch (0-2) took the loss for Shiloh Christian in relief of starter Luke Bandy. Bandy went 5 1/3 and allowed one run on two hits with five strikeouts.
Lantzsch did not get a lot of defensive help, especially in the top of the sixth inning when Junction City scored a pair of runs to take the lead, the last on a throwing error on a double-play ground ball. Jolley, who was 3-for-4, led off with a single, and Chad Butler sacrificed courtesy runner Lake Michael to second. Michael advanced to third on a wild pitch. Hammett hit a slow grounder toward second that went unfielded as Michael scored to tie the game.
Zach Doolin followed with a single before Will Smith hit a sharp grounder to second. The Saints got Doolin on the force at second, but the throw back to first for the double-play sailed high and Smith was safe. Hammett later scored on another error to give Junction City the lead.
"We turn that double-play, we get out of there," Henry said. "Our pitchers are doing a good job and pitching ground balls, but right now we're just making errors. But the pitchers are doing what we're asking them to do."
The Saints took a 2-0 lead in the second inning as Whaley and Butler laced one-out singles and Ben Olsen laid down a bunt single to load the bases. Doug Burke snuck a ground ball just inside the bag at first for a two-run double. The Saints had runners at second and third, but Hammett got a strikeout and a ground ball out to get out of the inning.
SHILOH CHRISTIAN 2, GRAVETTE 1
Shiloh Christian edged Gravette 2-1 in a late game Thursday in 10 innings. Starter Jake Reindl went the distance and allowed just three hits with nine strikeouts to improve to 2-0. The win snapped a three-game losing streak for the Saints.
Luke Bandy plated the game-winner with a sacrifice fly in the 10th inning. Olsen had two hits for the Saints. Ethan Vanderpool was stellar in the loss for Gravette, going nine innings and allowing just three hits with seven strikeouts.
Sports on 03/28/2014