By GRAHAM POWELL
Leader sportswriter
The Beebe Badger baseball team put up five runs in the second and fifth innings Friday at Lonoke en route to a 12-0 mercy-rule win over the host Jackrabbits in a nonconference game between the two local rivals.
The first inning was scoreless, but Beebe grabbed a 5-0 lead with that many runs scored in the top of the second. The third inning went scoreless before the visiting Badgers added two more runs to their side of the board in the fourth to lead 7-0.
Beebe starting pitcher Kord Simpson kept the Lonoke bats at bay once again in the bottom of the fourth to maintain the seven-run lead, and the Badgers got back to work in the top of the fifth, scoring five more runs and holding the host team scoreless in its next at-bat to leave Lonoke County with the dominant shutout victory.
Simpson threw the first four innings and got the win on the mound. He gave up just one hit and three walks and recorded one strikeout, allowing his team to play solid defense behind him. John Finley relieved Simpson in the fifth inning, and he retired the side to ensure the 10-run after five innings mercy-rule win.
Beebe scored its 12 runs on seven hits while also taking advantage of Lonoke’s four errors committed in the field. Half of the Badgers’ runs scored were unearned. Lonoke’s only hit of the game came off the bat of Pierce Johnson.
For Beebe, leadoff hitter Angus Denton led the way offensively with a 3 for 4 showing at the plate. He also scored three runs and had an RBI. Cleanup hitter John Finley was 2 for 4 for Beebe, and he had four RBIs, while teammate and three-hole hitter Jonathan Underwood went 1 for 4 at the plate, and he too finished the game with four RBIs.
The Badgers played a 5A-East doubleheader yesterday at home against Paragould after deadlines, and will play again at home Friday against Mayflower in a nonconference game.
Lonoke played a nonconference game against Carlisle yesterday at home after deadlines, and will resume conference play Thursday at Stuttgart. Both games Thursday and Friday start at 4:30 p.m.