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Staff Reports

WHITE OAK — Texarkana countered a 10-run Piney Woods sixth inning with six runs in the seventh on the way to a 22-14 Mid America League win over the TimberHogs on Sunday at Roughneck Field.

The TimberHogs drop to 30-29 with the loss, and are currently in third place in the MAL standings behind Abilene (41-21) and Joplin (33-30).

Texarkana is last in the league at 25-35.

Neil Jansen homered twice, singled and drove in four runs to lead the way for Texarkana on Sunday. Rylan Evans homered, doubled, singled twice and drove in three runs, and Lane Epperson, Aiden Otano and Mason Sellers all went deep for the Rhinos. Otano and Sellers drove in three runs apiece, and Epperson collected two RBIs.

Juan Murillo tripled, doubled, singled and drove in a run in the loss for Piney Woods. Logan Jones added a triple, single and two RBIs. Gabriel Flores doubled, singled and drove in four runs, and Dawson Albin had a double, single and two RBIs.

Cermodrick Bland chipped in with two hits and two RBIs, and Charles Chatman added two hits and an RBI for the TimberHogs.

Simon Baker (1-0) went 3.2 innings on the mound for Texarkana for the win. He struck out one, walked four and gave up one earned run.

Zakary Jordan (1-3) worked 4.2 innings in the loss for the TimberHogs. He fanned seven, walked two and gave up seven earned runs. Grayson Werth allowed one earned run in an inning. Alton Gatson pitched 1.1 innings, giving up six earned runs, and Gage Goddard pitched two scoreless innings, striking out two with no walks.

NOTES: The TimberHogs will visit Sherman for two games on Tuesday and two on Wednesday and visit Texarkana on Thursday, Aug. 8 before hosting Texarkana on Friday, Aug. 9 and Saturday, Aug. 10.

ABILENE GETS FINALS SERIES

Abilene has been selected to host the inaugural championship series for the Mid-America League on Aug. 13-14.

“We are very pleased to award the Flying Bison and the City of Abilene the opportunity to host the playoffs,” Bill Davidson, League commissoner, said. “We’ve experienced a great first season and are looking forward to awarding the championship trophy in Abilene.”

“We are extremely honored and excited to host these inaugural playoffs. It is a testament to the City of Abilene and the fans of the Abilene Flying Bison that we’ve been chosen. We look forward to sharing our elite brand of baseball with the rest of the Mid-America League,” said John Stark, General Manager of the Abilene Flying Bison.

The top 4 teams according to winning percentage will compete for the championship in a single-elimination competition. The No. 1 seeded team will play the No. 4 seed, while No. 2 will face No. 3. Both winning teams will then play one game with the winner being declared the Mid-America League Champion for 2024.

The semifinal round of games will be played on Tuesday, Aug. 13 with the winning teams vying for the championship on Wednesday, Aug. 14.

All games will be played at Walt Driggers Field on the campus of McMurry University, the summer home of the Mid-America League’s Abilene Flying Bison.