The battle of the ax rivalry is still alive but in a different aspect. Rather than the two teams clashing helmets they faced off on the diamond.  Fans from both teams filled the stands and were shoulder to shoulder down the baselines as everyone was excited to finally get a rivalry game this year. Players were also excited for this game as it is most football players’ favorite game that has been taken away from them due to Covid the past two years. 

“It’s such a big rivalry and it sucks we didn’t get to play them in football. It’s always a good time playing them no matter the sport and I love beating [Arkansas],” senior tight end and first baseman Nate Mennie said.

The Tigers started Louisiana Tech commit Luke Smith on the mound, while the Hogs started Arkansas commit Ty Waid. The Game started rocky for the Tigers as the Hogs scored three runs early.

The Tigers found a rhythm against Arkansas’s Ty Waid and scored three runs of their own. These hits and walks got the Tiger crowd fired up and into the game, making Arkansas pitcher Ty Waid lose his composure on the mound. 

In the 3rd inning, an RBI from Freshman Jacob Yowell and an error that turned Mennie’s single into a double seemed to drop the morale of the Razorbacks and eventually be the nail in the coffin. The Texas High crowd impacted the game by rattling the Arkansas High players, allowing the Tigers to once again take home the Axe with a score of 10-3.

“ I think this win is going to give us a push that we need to get hot when going into the district season,” senior pitcher Luke Smith said.

The Tigers will also face the Atlanta Rabbits in the Border Battle Tournament. The Tigers will take on Benton at home Monday, March 7. The Tigers will re-enter tournament play in the Airline Tournament March 10-12.