Now, the Leopards will have another shot to make it with only two games remaining until the finals at Baum Stadium in Fayetteville.
Pitcher Rashadd Huell sent two back swinging in the first inning while the third got thrown out at first to end the first half of the first inning in just under four minutes.
The first two innings weren’t much in the way of offense for the Leopards, with 5 batters taking a base, but none of them were able to make it around.
In the top of the third, however, the Leopards started swinging the wood well.
Centerfielder Teron Greene made it to first on an error by the second baseman, and he was sent home after first baseman Robert Hill picked up another home run with an RBI for a 2-0 lead.
Anthony Witherspoon got a base hit by returning the ball back up the middle, and Jon Whit Golden laid down a perfect bunt to put runners on first and second for the Leopards.
Huell flew out to second in his second at bat of the game, and Ryan O’Neal bumped one off the fence to send Witherspoon and Golden home for a 4-0 lead.
Landon Williams hit a line drive to the shortstop, and Jeb Lewallen got a base hit to send O’Neal home and end that scoring drive for the Leopards, 5-0.
In the top of the fourth, the Bruins’ first batter of the inning hit a home run over the right fence to start the inning.
The next batter got a base hit, and Huell got it back under control to strike out the next batter.
The fourth batter knocked one down to Huell who tossed it to Hobbs at second who tossed it along to Hill for the double play.
In the bottom of the fourth, Greene was hit by the pitcher for the second time of the game.
Greene was able to steal second before Hill popped another one over the fence for a 7-1 lead.
Witherspoon sent a line drive into the outfield to get on base, and Golden knocked one up for the first out of the inning.
Huell was hit by a pitch, and Riley Hobbs stepped in to run for him.
O’Neal was sent to first on four balls, and Williams hit a grounder to short.
As the shortstop made the throw to third to oust R. Hobbs, the ball pegged him in the back and rolled to the fence, allowing him to score, 8-1.
Huell sent all three batters home in the top of the fifth, and S. Hobbs got a base hit to start the inning off for the Leopards.
Greene was hit by the ball for a third time in four at bats.
Hill got a base hit that was nearly caught, but the outfielder dropped the ball, and S. Hobbs was forced out at second.
Hunter Whitley was brought in to run for Hill, and Witherspoon hit a double to sent Greene in and put Whitley at third.
Whitley was able to score on a passed ball, and Golden hit a double to send Witherspoon home to end the game.
S. Hobbs had a pair of hits in the game, Hill was 3 for 4 with 2 home runs, Witherspoon was 2 for 4 with a single and a double, Golden was 2 for 4 with a single and a double, Huell and Lewallen both had a single each and O’Neal had a double.
Huell pitched the entire game, allowing only 3 hits and a run while sending 6 batters back to the dugout with strikeouts. Huell is 10-0 with his win.
The Leopards will face Greenwood at noon today in Wynne.
