Matt Powell follows through on a hit against McCrory last Friday morning in Trumann during the Xtra Innings Classic. (Tribune photo/Dan Brawner) [Click to enlarge]

EPC finished 2-1 in the annual Xtra Innings Classic Friday and Saturday, defeating McCrory and Woodlawn in their first and last games, but dropping their middle game to Forrest City. Due to the rains, the Warriors didn't take the field until Friday. The did, however, have the advantage of playing both the Jaguars and Mustangs in Trumann rather than in Paragould as originally scheduled.

EPC 7, McCrory 6

"We got off to a good start," said coach Brian Weathers of the Warriors opening game Friday Morning. "We swung the bat well early and scored all our runs in the first four innings."

After Carson Tyler fanned two of the first four batters, the third out coming on a grounder to first , the Warriors went on offense and struck quickly.

Matt Powell took first on a hit pitch then went to third when the next batter, Chris Maddox doubled. A wild pitch to Lando Bass sent Powell home and Maddox to third. The on the next pitch, Bass grounded into a 4-3 out, but Maddox scored putting the Warriors up 2-0.

The Jaguars came back in the top of the second and scored their first run of the game when their centerfielder, Holiday, homered to cut the lead to 2-1. This was the only score of the inning, but when EPC couldn't add to their lead in the bottom of the inning, McCrory tacked on another run in the top of the third to tie the game 2-all.

EPC came back in the bottom of the inning to have their highest scoring of the game as Maddox knocked in Powell and Tyler sent Maddox home for a 4-2 lead. The Lando Bass took first on a pitching error which also sent Tyler home for a seemingly comfortable, 5-2 lead in the bottom of the third.

"We walked too many people and let them get back into the game," said Weathers later.

However, when McCrory was once again skunked in the top of the fourth while both Brett Hardin and Kyle Kline scored runs in the bottom of the inning to up the margin to five runs, 7-2, it looked as if the Warriors had deflated the designated visitors. Looks were deceiving, though.

Even though, he struck out two in the top of the fifth, Tyler allowed a run to come in for a 7-3 score. Seeing his starting pitcher's arm was tiring, Weathers pulled him and inserted Powell in the top of the sixth to finish the game.

After an opening 1-2 out, the next three batters scored as McCrory pulled within one, 7-6 and making the EPC heavy crowd wonder if the pitching change had been timely. Powell, an all-out, all-the-time type of player, wasn't finished, though, as he closed out the inning with no more runs scored.

Then in the seventh, after an opening double, Powell truck out the next batter while the next flew out to Tyler at second. The final batter flied-out to Kline in left field to end the game.

"Over all it was pretty well played game," Weathers concluded. I like the way Matt shot them down in the last inning."

Tyler finished the game giving up three runs on two hits while striking out six and walking seven. He was also 2 for 4 at the plate with a run, a double and an RBI. Powell scored two runs, stole a base and had an RBI while giving up three runs on three hits and a walk with one strikeout.

Maddox finished with two doubles in four at-bats also scoring two runs while Kline 1 for 3 with a run scored and Chris Carter was 1 for 4. Hardin had a run scored and Bass an RBI.

Forrest City 8, EPC 3

After a break of a few minutes, EPC took the field again, this time against 6A Forrest City. Clearly, the Warriors showed that the previous game had taken a great deal out of them.

"They had a pitcher who was throwing in at least the mid-80s," said Weathers. "Plus we cam out flat and just got beat. We had a total of three hits for the game. They were a really good team."

The only lead the Warriors enjoyed was when Hardin scored off of a wild pitch to put EPC up 1-0. Tyler and Maddox scored the other runs, but EPC never really threatened the Mustangs.

Tyler was 1 for 2 while Hardin, Maddox and Bass all finished 1 for 3. Jeremy Kimbrel had an RBI scoring Tyler.

Hardin pitched the entire game, giving up five earned runs on eight hits and tw walks while striking out seven.

"Brett pitched a pretty good game," Weathers concluded about the game. "We made three errors behind him that could have gotten him out of trouble."

EPC 12, Woodlawn 3

Saturday, EPC traveled to another Xtra Innings site, Highland, for their final game of the weekend against 2A state runner-up Woodlawn.

"We knew that we had our work cut out for us," said Weathers. "It turned out that we played our best game of the year."

Other than when Woodlawn took an opening 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning, EPC never trailed as Maddox took the mound for the entire game.

"He was outstanding," said Weathers of his pitcher who struck out 10 while giving up just two earned runs on four hits and three walks. "To come out and pitch the way he did against a team like Woodlawn was incredible. Then on top of that we to have an offensive performance like we did."

Hardin led the offense with a a 3 for 5 effort which included a homer to end the game on a run rule, a double, two runs scored and four RBIs. Powell was close behind with two hits in four at-bats with a run scored and another batted in.

Going 1 for 3 were Maddox and Kline, who had two runs each, and Tyler and D.J. Brister who scored one run each. Bass was 1 for 4 with and RBI while Carter also hit once in four at-bats, scoring once. Finally, Kimbrell added two runs and an RBI.

The win moved the Warriors to 8-3 on the season.