TEXARKANA, Ark. -- Arkansas High took a step backwards with a 7-4 loss in a make-up game against league-leading 5A-South opponent Lake Hamilton on Monday night at Razorback Field.
Arkansas High (7-10-1, 5-6) was looking to remain in contention of a playoff spot for the 2024 postseason going into the game. The program currently sits in sixth place within the conference standings, and two games back of fourth-place El Dorado for the final position.
To their credit, the Razorbacks went down putting up a fight in their last at-bat in the bottom of the seventh while finding themselves down 7-1 before the comeback bid was eventually snuffed out by the Wolves defense. The Razorbacks plated three runs in the final frame, all with two outs, getting RBI singles from Lee Smith and Braylon Thompson before Thompson would dash home after Scooter Wilder reached based safely with Lake Hamilton's second error of the inning.
With the game tied 1-1 in an otherwise pitcher's duel through the first four innings, Lake Hamilton (17-2, 11-1) then put together five base hits that resulted in four RBIs during the fifth frame for the 6-1 lead.
That would be enough for starter Brent Davis, who went six innings and struck out 10 Razorback batters while getting the win. The Wolves got to Arkansas High starter Jonathan Garcia, knocking him off the rubber after four and two thirds of an inning and tabbing the junior right-hander with the loss.
Ryan Wardlaw lead Arkansas High at the dish with a pair of doubles, including a RBI, and a single, whiles teammate Landry East and Jackson Cannon collected base hits each.
Arkansas High returned to the diamond Tuesday evening on the road at El Dorado, suffering a second straight loss in a 4-2 final.