MOUNTAIN HOME — The Armorel Tigers (16-13, 9-1) Elite Eight opponent was an opponent known all too well to longtime head coach Charlie Brown — the Taylor Tigers (24-7, 7-1).
The Tigers of Taylor have been a rival of the Brown’s Tigers the past several years. In 2013, THS defeated AHS 5-4 in the 1A Final Four. The Tigers, however, avenged that loss with a 10-0 victory in the 2015 State Championship game held at Baum Stadium in Fayetteville. Taylor, however, defeated Armorel 7-4 in their 2017 Elite Eight matchup.
In Friday’s Elite Eight matchup between Armorel and Taylor, the Taylor Tigers outlasted AHS, 10-0, to advance to the 1A state baseball Final Four.
THS hit a two-run homer and a three- run homer in the top of the sixth to defeat Armorel, 10-0.
In Thursday’s matchup, Armorel (16-12 ,9-1) found itself down 5-0 early against the Mt. Vernon-Enola Warhawks, but after a pitching change from junior Bo Hale to senior Brock Elliott the Tigers cut the lead to 6-5 after three innings.
The Warhawks held on to a one-run lead until the bottom of the fifth when the Tigers finally came alive and took a 7-6 lead with no outs before adding on four more runs to lead 11-6 after the fifth inning. AHS scored another run in the bottom of the sixth to lead 12-6 and held on to move to the Elite Eight in the 1A state baseball playoffs.
NASHVILLE, Ark. — The Gosnell Pirates were defeated two years ago on a walk-off hit by the Ashdown Panthers. Fast forward two years and the Pirates and Panthers are tied at three heading into the bottom of the seventh.
The Panthers had two runners on base when Panther freshmen Braylon Bishop blasted a three-run walk-off homer over the right field wall to give the Panthers a 6-3 victory over the Pirates in the first round of the 4A state baseball playoffs.
The Pirates jumped out to an early 3-0 lead and held it until the bottom of the fifth inning when the Panthers scored three runs of their own.
Then they finished the game with a walk-off homer in the bottom of the seventh.
Leading the offense for GHS was Brayden Burcham (1-4 with a run scored), Kyle Robinson ( run scored), Andy Roberts (1-3 with an RBI and a run scored), Jordan Lewis (3-3) and Hunter Jolly (1-3).
Andy Roberts pitched 6.1 innings, allowing four runs on seven hits and two walks. Roberts fanned seven Panther batters. GHS sophomore Jace Wren allowed two runs on one hit and a walk.
The Pirates finished their season 12-20 overall and 5-1 in conference. They finished runner-ups in the 3-4A district tournament and fourth out of the 4A East Regional tournament.