Black Diamonds celebrate Senior Night with walk-off win over Prairie Grove

There’s nothing like a walk-off win to make a special night even more special. The Sallisaw Black Diamonds baseball team did just that.

Easton Wolfe’s RBI single through a drawn-in infield scored pinch-runner Brodi Nickell with the game-winning run as the Black Diamonds celebrated Senior Night with a 5-4 come-from-behind win over the Prairie Grove (Ark.) Tigers on Thursday evening on “The Turf of Dreams.”

The Black Diamonds (20-4) tied the game on an error that allowed one of those celebrated seniors, Broque Oft, to score to knot the game at 4-all.

In the seventh inning, Rylan Eagle walked, and was courtesy ran for by Nickell, who stole second base.

After Dagan Grizzle walked, another of the Sallisaw seniors, Brodie Cameron, hit a grounder to third base, which was booted, to load the bases for the Black Diamonds.

On a 1-0 count, Wolfe hit a sharp grounder through the draw-in infield past Prairie Grove third baseman Kaiden Rochie for the game-winning RBI single and capped the comeback.

The Tigers (11-17) took a 1-0 lead on a sacrifice fly by Maddox Ogle in the first inning, then doubled their advantage to 2-0 in the third inning on a safety-squeeze bunt by Kellen Cash.

The Black Diamonds’ bats came alive in their half of the third inning as Grizzle’s two-RBI single and Cameron’s RBI single produced three runs for a 3-2 lead for Sallisaw after three innings.

However, the lead was short lived as Prairie Grove’s Tristan Hall hit a tworun home run in the fourth inning, regaining the lead for the Tigers at 4-3 after four innings.

For the game, Grizzle, Cameron, Wolfe and Connor Green each singled for Sallisaw’s four hits of Prairie Grove pitching.

Keaton Brant (1-0) got his first varsity win of the season in relief, pitching a scoreless seventh inning with a strikeout. Wolfe started and went the first 3.2 innings with four strikeouts. Luke Pack entered with two outs in the fourth inning and went 1.1 innings with a strikeout. Levi Scavo pitched a scoreless sixth inning with a strikeout.

After the game, Sallisaw’s six seniors, Oft, Cameron, Creed Nelson, Green, Caleb Hightower and Coleman Wasson were honored.

Prior to the national anthem to begin the game, a moment of silence was held in memory of 11-year-old Sallisaw Middle School student Baylee Coachman, who tragically lost her life in an automobile accident last Wednesday night on the south side of town.

Saturday’s scheduled home game against McAlester was canceled due to McAlester High School’s prom taking place that night.

The Black Diamonds will begin postseason play by being a Class 4A Regional Tournament host as they will meet Mannford at 11 a.m. Thursday on “The Turf of Dreams.” The regional title game is slated for 6:30 p.m. Friday, with the if-game at 2 p.m. Saturday.