GRAVETTE -- The Lions' baseball season came to a close when they couldn't keep up with the Lonoke Jackrabbits in the semifinal round of the state tournament on May 15.
The Jackrabbits jumped ahead early, scoring four runs in the first, another in the second, and three more in the top of the third before the Lions finally made it onto the scoreboard when Gunnar Woolard hit a line-drive single to center and later scored on a wild pitch. The Lions added another run in the third when Connor Acosta, pinch-running for Rhett Hilger, scored on a line-drive single to right field by Kyle Murphy.
But the Jackrabbits were far from finished rounding the bases. The Lonoke team added another run in the sixth to make it 9-2 and six more in the top of the fifth to put the Lions to rest, 15-2, after they failed to answer Lonoke in the bottom of the inning.
Hunter Roughton was on the mound for the Lions. The lefthander pitched one inning, allowing four runs on five hits, striking out one and walking none. Holden Betz, Kyle Murphy and McCoy Kildow each relieved for the Lions.
The Lions managed their two runs on six hits and one Lonoke error. The Jackrabbits scored 15 runs on 14 hits and one Gravette error. Lonoke hit three home runs in the game.
Gunnar Woolard led Gravette with two hits in three at-bats.