Smackover Rallies Past Wildcats, 9-6

ASHDOWN - Smackover scored all nine of its runs over the final two innings as the Buckaroos rallied from a five-run deficit to knock off the Rison Wildcats, 9-6, in the first round of the Class 3A Region 4 Tournament at Ashdown last Thursday.The loss closed out the season for the ‘Cats, who finished the year with a 16-5 record and won the 8-3A conference championship. It was the program’s first league title in 21 years.Rison starting pitcher Noah Matheson had held the Buckaroos scoreless over the first five innings as the Wildcats took advantage of their scoring opportunities to open up a 5-0 lead.The Wildcats’ first run came in the bottom of the second when Thomas Wilson singled and eventually scored on a passed ball with two out  giving Rison a 1-0 lead.After Andrew Couture and Ayden Laws doubled to start the third, Brayden Terry came up with a clutch two-out double that scored both to extend the lead to 3-0.Rison added two more runs in the fifth when Laws doubled to start the frame, James Jacobs walked and Terry  got a one-out walk to load the bases. Laws ended up scoring on a wild pitch and Kyson Walker, running for Jacobs, also scored on a wild pitch to extend the Wildcat lead to 5-0.Smackover started the top of the sixth by loading the bases with back-to-back singles and a walk before the Bucks’ scored their first run off a wild pitch. That ended the day for Matheson, who left the mound on pitch county after having given up three hits and four walks while striking out five over five innings.Reliever CJ Edwards, however, was called for a balk that allowed one more run to score to make it a 5-2 game.Afterwards a hit batter and a walk re-loaded the bases and Smackover’s Peyton Harrison delivered a double to center to drive in two more runs to cut the Wildcats’ lead to one. Jaden Bryant then followed with another single that scored another run to tie the game, 5-5.The Buckaroos...