By Cade Haak
Texarkana, Texas (July 28, 2024) – Texarkana took the lead early in game one, but eventually Fort Smith was able to eke out the win. Game two flipped in favor of the Rhinos, as they were able to score 15 runs in just six innings.
The first run of the night was scored by Texarkana when Antonio Sabala doubled to start the game, then moved to third on a wild pitch, and eventually was able to steal home to score. In the second inning, the second run scored for the Rhinos on a sacrifice fly into straightaway centerfield that was deep enough to allow Ian Guanzon to score.
Following these two early runs, the Rhinos offense slowed down for three innings. During this time, Fort Smith was able to come back and take the lead in their own favor. Fort Smith scored their first run in the fifth, then scored four more to take the lead in the sixth.
The Rhinos then cut one run into the lead in the sixth inning when a double into the gap in left field by Antonio Sabala scored KJ Battles. In the seventh, the Rhinos went out swinging. Yuto Mimura hit a single into right field that scored Alex DeLeon, but KJ Battles got into a rundown and was tagged out to end game one with the final score at 5-4.
In game two, both teams came out with bats blazing immediately. A two-RBI triple for CJ Snowden gave the Marshals a lead in the top of the first frame, but Texarkana retaliated with two runs of their own. The first run for Texarkana was scored when Lane Epperson hit a single into center field and brought home Antonio Sabala. The second run was a sacrifice fly off the bat of Alex DeLeon that brought home Rylan Evans.
In the third, the Marshals took another lead, but this inning woke up Texarkana’s bats, and from this point on, they did not slow down.
Texarkana took their first lead of the game in the bottom of the third when a single from Ian Guanzon batted in Rylan Evans and Lane Epperson. The third and final run of the inning was by Neil Jansen, who scored on a wild pitch.
In the fourth inning, Texarkana scored three more runs on five hits. Rylan Evans and Ian Guanzon both singled to drive in a teammate. Alex DeLeon then drove in Rylan Evans when the Marshals second baseman committed an error, allowing the run to score.
Following these two innings, the Rhinos had their biggest inning of the game as their offensive momentum continued to swell. Lane Epperson hit a two-RBI double when a hard-hit baseball into right field caused enough calamity to bring home two runs for Texarkana. Neil Jansen then followed up with a similar hit of his own, as a double off his bat scored both Rylan Evans and Lane Epperson.
The last three runs of the game for Texarkana were scored in the bottom of the sixth, as pitching struggles allowed all three runs to score. The Rhinos were able to score these three runs on no hits to bring their run total up to 15 in the game.
Mason Sellers started game two for the Rhinos, and despite only pitching three of the seven innings, Sellers was able to walk away with his fourth win of the season. The only other pitcher to take the mound for Texarkana was Kyle Poissoit, who pitched four innings and allowed just one run during his stint on the bump.
