Mustangs’ pitching shines in title game

CAC 3, BAPTIST PREP 2

Sophomore Eli Garrison drove in a run and limited host Baptist Prep to three singles in six innings as Central Arkansas Christian earned a 3-2 victory in Friday’s 2-4A District Tournament championship.

CAC (16-8) sent nine batters to the plate in a three-run fifth inning, rallying the Mustangs from a 2-0 deficit. But it was CAC’s pitching that was dominant Friday.

“We’ve really got a good pitching staff,” CAC Coach Patrick Smith said. “That’s one of things that’s gotten better and better as we’ve played throughout the year. We were inexperienced at the start of the year, but through some of the battles and tough teams we played early, they’ve matured and developed into a fine pitching staff.”

The victory was the ninth in the last 11 games for the Mustangs, who play Thursday vs. Pocahontas in the opening round of the 4A-East Regional at Southside Batesville High School.

Baptist Prep (18-11) will play Harrisburg in a first-round game Thursday at Southside.

Garrison struck out 4, walked 1 and hit 2 batters. Only one of the two runs he allowed was earned. Junior Levi Smith, who started the game in center field, gave up a two-out single to Ben Kernodle in the seventh, but struck out the side to pick up the save.

Baptist Prep pitcher Ben Devine had allowed three hits through the first four innings, but the sophomore failed to record an out in the fifth.

Junior Jacob Hale drove in CAC’s first run and the Mustangs tied it when junior Hugh Miller scored on a wild pitch by Baptist Prep reliever Luke Weaver. Garrison gave CAC the lead with a single that scored Hale.

Baptist Prep scored a run in

the first on a single by junior Riley Loyd. The Eagles added an unearned run in the third thanks to a sacrifice fly from junior Tucker Robertson.

“This is what makes playing ball fun,” Baptist Prep Coach Eddie Stephenson said. “There are going to be nights like this and sometimes you’re going to lose. That’s just part of it. … We didn’t do enough at the plate. We had some chances to get some more runs across. We just didn’t do it.”

CAC managed eight hits but left 12 runners stranded, including the bases loaded in the fifth and sixth innings.

“We scratched out a few [runs] but that is a little concerning,” said Smith of the runners left on base. “Obviously that’s something we’ll work on this next week before regionals. We’ll try to address that as soon as we can.”