By Cade Haak
TEXARKANA, Texas (August 8, 2024) – Texarkana closed out their inaugural season with a win in their final game at home. The game started back and forth, but eventually the Rhinos pulled away to win 10-5.
In the first inning, the Rhinos took their first lead when Rylan Evans walked on first, then was driven in to score on a double from Gabe Baker. This lead didn’t stand for long because of a three-run top of the second for the TimberHogs.
Texarkana then pushed back with two runs of their own to tie the game in the bottom of the third inning. The third started with a single and a stolen base for Sota Suzuki. Suzuki then scored on a double into right center field from Rylan Evans. Later in the inning, Evans went on to score when Lane Epperson reached first base on a fielder’s choice.
Piney Woods took another lead in the next inning when they scored one run to make it 4-3, but Texarkana scored three immediately after to take the lead away. Josiah Taylor scored first after reaching base safely with a single. Sota Suzuki also singled, then was driven in by Mason Sellers. Sellers was then brought in as the final run of the inning when Lane Epperson found a gap in right center field for a triple.
In the sixth, the TimberHogs dug into Texarkana’s lead by one, but the seventh inning brought the final scoring action of the game for either side when Texarkana strung together four runs. The Rhinos’ four runs came on four hits and one error. The first run was scored by Jonathon Rios, who was driven in by Yuto Mimura. Next, Mimura was knocked in by a single from Sota Suzuki. Josiah Taylor then scored by way of an error by the right fielder. And finally, a double down the line from Rylan Evans scored Suzuki’s for Texarkana’s tenth run.
Simon Baker earned his second win of the season by allowing just four runs in seven innings pitched. Tahj Cunningham came in to clean up the last two innings and was able to do exactly that as he went through two innings without allowing a hit to close the game.
