Brain delivers ‘hit of the season’
CLASS 7A ROGERS 9, CONWAY 5
CENTERTON — Jeb Brain’s bases-loaded triple in the seventh inning lifted Rogers High to a 9-5 victory over Conway in the first round of the 7A state baseball tournament at Bentonville West on Thursday.
The third-seeded Mounties (16-11) advanced to play Fayetteville at noon today. The Bulldogs received a bye after earning the top seed from the 7A-West Conference.
Conway (16-9) never led as Rogers answered each time the Wampus Cats attempted to steal momentum. Brain’s three-run triple down the leftfield line came after Conway had tied the score at 6-6 in the sixth. It was set up by a leadoff double by McKaden Templeton and a pair of hit batsmen.
“Jeb Brain has been on the bench and been back and forth and hasn’t had his best year,” said Rogers Coach Matt Melson. “But then he comes in a gets the hit of the season. Real proud of guys like that because he just always wants to do whatever’s best for the team, so it was good to see him have a big hit there.”
It came off of Conway junior left-handed ace pitcher Jordan Wicks. Brain later scored on the Wampus Cats’ fourth error.
“We made those mistakes that just kill you,” said Conway Coach Noel Boucher. “Right at the end of the game, leave a pitch up and the guy gets a triple to clear the bases. That’s just a mistake.”
Junior left-hander Evan Hiatt allowed just four hits and struck out 13 to lead the Rockets.
The 6-foot-3 junior, who has verbally committed to the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, allowed only one Van Buren base runner past second base to improve to 8-2. He struggled with command at times, which drove up his pitch count. Hiatt was forced out of the game after reaching the daily limit with two outs in the seventh inning.
Logan Chambers broke up a pitchers’ duel with an inside-the-park home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to lift the Hornets to the first-round victory over the No 6 seed from the 7A-West.
The sophomore hit a sinking line drive to right field that Springdale’s Tanner Sargent made a diving attempt to catch. However, the ball rolled past Sargent and to the fence. In the meantime, Chambers circled the bases for the lone run of the game. LITTLE ROCK CATHOLIC 3, VAN BUREN 1