Smith’s RBI double carries Fayetteville
CENTERTON — Cody Smith’s RBI double was the difference in Fayetteville’s 5-2 victory over Rogers on Friday.
The Bulldogs (18-13) advance to the 7A state baseball semifinals and will play Springdale Har-Ber at noon today.
Smith was 3-for-3 and his slicing hit to right field broke a 2-2 tie to highlight a three-run sixth inning.
“We were fortunate to get the big inning because we really didn’t sting the ball very well there,” said Fayetteville Coach Scott Gallagher. “To have [Smith] have success on the big stage here, you couldn’t ask for anything more than that. He put in the time and the effort and it paid off.”
The Mounties (16-12) took a 2-0 lead when Grayson Lee and Jeb Sample drove in runs in the top of the third. However, Lee tried to score on Sample’s hit to right and was ejected after running into Fayetteville catcher Alex Blagg.
“It’s kind of tough to take right now, but we battled,” Rogers Coach Matt Melson said. “We made some unforced errors there in the sixth that got to us. That’s what happens in these games. The team that makes the fewest mistakes wins and they did that.”
Fayetteville starter Miller Pleimann struck out 9 and allowed 2 earned runs on 6 hits in 52/ innings before being relieved by Greydon Turner, who retired the final four batters in order and got the victory.
CABOT 3, LITTLE ROCK CATHOLIC 1
Evan Hooper’s two-run single in the bottom of the sixth inning snapped a 1-1 tie and Cabot second baseman Kyler Franks made a diving catch in foul territory to send the Panthers into the semifinals.
Little Rock Catholic put two runners on in the seventh, but Cabot reliever Michael Shepherd retired Luke Wewers thanks to Franks’ catch.
Cabot (23-7), the 7A-Central champion, will face Bryant today at noon.
BRYANT 9, BENTONVILLE 8
The Hornets (19-9) scored five runs in the final two innings, then held off a late rally to advance to the semifinals.
Senior Seth Tucker, the lone returning starter for Bryant, picked up the victory in relief. He pitched the final 4 innings, allowing the 3 seventh-inning runs, while striking out 3 and walking only 1.
Logan Chambers went 3 for 5. Cade Lastovica went 3 for 3 with a walk, scored a run and drove in two to lead Bentonville.
SPRINGDALE HAR-BER 5, NORTH LITTLE ROCK 3
Springdale Har-Ber’s Blake Adams settled in after a three-run first inning and got plenty offensive support to help the Wildcats advance to the semifinals.
Adams shut out the Charging Wildcats (20-9) the rest of the way. He struck out 9 and allowed 2 earned run on 6 hits for the complete-game victory. He retired 10 consecutive between the third and sixth innings, which gave the offense plenty of time to rally.
The Wildcats (21-9) pounded out 13 hits and got going on Mac McCroskey’s RBI single in the second. Adams singled and scored to lead off a three-run fifth inning. They tied the score and took the lead on sacrifice flies by Caleb Grace and Lincoln Rasmussen before adding their third run in the sixth on Grace’s RBI double.
North Little Rock grabbed the early lead on a two-run double by Reed Shepherd and an RBI single by Owen Stuckey.