PRAIRIE GROVE -- Prairie Grove catcher Spencer Allen made the play of his life, trapping a curve ball in the dirt under his feet and tagging out a runner.
Allen's block and ensuing put-out preserved the Tiger's 5-4 victory over Arkadelphia in the first-round of the Class 4A State baseball tournament at Cabot on Friday, May 12.
"Ryder Orr throws a curve ball in the dirt. Spencer Allen blocks it under his feet, picks the ball up, tags the runner out at the plate and it's game over. It was literally under his feet. It was a bang, bang play," said Prairie Grove coach Mitch Cameron.
That came on the heels of another outstanding effort by third baseman Asher Linn, executing on a routine play, when he fielded a ground ball with the bases loaded and threw out a runner at the plate.
"We only had six hits. We didn't have a whole of opportunities offensively," Cameron said. "We didn't play a great game, but it didn't have to look pretty. We found a way to get it done."
Orr dealt with adversity in the top of the seventh.
After inducing a groundout to second, he gave up a single into left field and the next batter reached on an error.
With the bases loaded and one out the Tigers made a defensive stand.
Orr induced a ground ball that Linn fielded at third base and made a fantastic play.
"He threw the guy out at the plate. That was a huge play," Cameron said.
But the Tigers needed one out more with the bases still loaded, and Allen did his job, protecting the plate.
With the tournament delayed one day by rain and moved the Tigers were primed for their first state tournament competition since 2015.
Conner Hubbs started on the mound and went five innings. He allowed three runs on four hits while striking out six and walking two. Only one run was earned.
Orr came on in relief and threw two innings. He gave up one run on two hits with two strikeouts and one walk.
Arkadelphia took a 1-0 lead in second inning. A runner got on base on a dropped third strike and advanced on a double line drive to left field. With runners at second and third, Arkadelphia scored on a sacrifice fly.
Hubbs managed to prevent a second run from scoring. He struck out the next batter, then issued a walk, but got out of the inning on a groundout.
The Tigers answered in their half of the inning.
Allen drew a walk. The next batter struck out. Luke Vance smacked a single over shortstop, scoring Carter Flumm, in the game as a courtesy runner, to even the score at 1-1.
Arkadelphia hit a double and triple on consecutive at-bats with one out in the top of the third. Kaden Brown drove in a run with his line drive triple to right field, but again Hubbs held the runner. He eased out of trouble with a strikeout, followed by inducing a groundout to end the inning with the Tigers trailing, 2-1.
"He got out of another jam," Cameron said.
Prairie Grove's first three batters, Vance, Hubbs and Orr, walked to load the bases in the bottom of the third. Owen Davenport was hit by a pitch to drive in the tying run, and Linn gave the Tigers a 3-2 lead when his ground ball became a fielder's choice.
In the bottom of the fifth Tristan Hall walked and advanced to second when a pickoff throw went past first. Arkadelphia struck out the next Tiger, but Hubbs was beaned and got on base. Orr singled into left field to drive in a run and Prairie Grove led 4-2.
The Badgers rallied to tie the game in the top of the sixth.
Cameron pulled Hubbs after he walked the leadoff batter, and sent Orr to the mound.
Arkadelphia's Cooper Stephenson reached on an error. A passed ball allowed the runners to move to second and third. Jared Campbell's RBI single plated a run, bringing the Badgers within 4-3. They eventually tied the game at 4-4 on a ground ball.
Prairie Grove faced a precarious situation with two runners in scoring position with one out, but Orr came through in a a big way.
"He struck out the next two batters to leave runners at second and third. It was huge to get those two strikeouts," Cameron said.
The Tigers regained the lead in the bottom of the sixth.
Linn was hit by a pitch with one out. He advanced twice on passed balls, arriving at third. With the go-ahead run 90 feet away, Cameron called for a squeeze bunt, but that failed, bringing up a second out.
Prairie Grove finally got the go-ahead run across with Allen batting when another passed ball occurred.
"Linn moved all around the bases with passed balls," Cameron said, while noting he would have scored anyway because the next batter, Hall, doubled into right field.
Arkadelphia denied the Tigers an insurance run by striking out the next batter, which left two runners stranded at second and third.
Lonoke 4, Prairie Grove 0
Moving the Class 4A State baseball tournament 20 miles to Cabot didn't phase Lonoke, which eliminated Prairie Grove with a 4-0 win on Sunday.
Steele Eaves threw a one-hitter and struck out 13 in a shutout for Lonoke (27-2) in Sunday's quarterfinal round. Jaxon Ingle collected two hits and scored a pair of runs for the Jackrabbits as Lonoke extended its winning streak to 12 games, including two in a row at the Class 4A State baseball tournament.