South Ark makes history with run to World Series
A year ago at this time, South Arkansas College was preparing for their second season with Cannon Lester at the helm, aiming to improve on their debut season that saw the Stars go 24-32-1.
Fast forward to the present and things at SouthArk have changed dramatically.
The Stars will start their third season in less than a month, but with much higher expectations and as a much more known brand.
The reason for those expectations stems from a season for the ages.
In their second year, SouthArk reached the pinnacle of NJCAA Division II baseball, winning the Plains District title to qualify for the World Series.
SouthArk made waves by winning their first two games before losing two straight to end their run.
But the accomplishment of being one of 10 teams playing for a national championship with the program in only its second year is not only extraordinary, it is historic.
For that accomplishment, SouthArk’s run to the World Series is the News-Times Sports Story of the Year.
The World Series run has opened many doors not just for the baseball program, but for the school itself.
“Obviously this has been a very positive thing, with ripples all the way out to the edges,” said Heath Waldrop, the director of marketing and public relations at SouthArk. “Student recruitment is part of the marketing umbrella at SouthArk, and it has been common this fall for us to go to a college fair at a place where, typically, students might not have a lot of exposure to SouthArk, yet they’ll know about the baseball team’s accomplishments.
“Enrollment is a complicated equation, so even though our enrollment did increase slightly this fall, no one would be able to say confidently that success of the baseball program is the reason — but it certainly doesn’t hurt, even if it is just because it helps us get our foot into the doorway of some prospective students.
“So after discussing baseball, that door opens a little wider, and we can talk with them about the academic offerings that SouthArk has, the great support resources and the service provided.
“We were pleased with how well the fundraising went to send the team to the World Series, and how quickly that we were able to meet the goal — many people contributed to that effort, and we can’t possibly provide enough thanks for that support.
“Funding for all of our athletics programs always is a need, and always will be a need, so we welcome additional financial support. But we’re thrilled also just with the growing interest over the last year — catching a doubleheader of the local college team on a spring afternoon is something that hasn’t been an option here before, and we’re glad that people will connect that positive experience with SouthArk.”
For Lester, the World Series was the furthest thing from his mind as he prepared for the 2023 season.
“Thinking back a year or so ago and seeing where we’re at now, the World Series was probably the last thing on my mind,” Lester said. “I knew we were pretty good, but we kind of got smoked a little bit in the fall and learned a lot about our program.
“We go through the year and we’re 15, 20 games in, and we’re hovering around .500, so it’s kind of like, ‘Well, maybe we’re the same team we were the year before.’ Then all
of a sudden, we get on a run and the guys were really mature the whole year. Making the run we had, it was awesome. Here we are six months later, and the program has definitely trended up.
“People actually know who we are now. They definitely know we’re in El Dorado, they definitely know South Arkansas College has a baseball team, and they’re actually a pretty competitive team. It’s been huge in recruiting, it’s been huge getting the brand out there, getting more people on board. It’s been an exciting, exciting fall for sure.”
STARTING THE SEASON
So how did the Stars become the team that went 47-18, beat the No. 1 team in the country on the road and win the Region 2 and Plains District titles? The answer wasn’t obvious at first. SouthArk was 13-9 through its first 22 games that also included a split in their first Region 2 series against National Park.
The following week saw SouthArk hit the road for a Region 2 series at Northern Oklahoma-Enid.
Prior to this series, the Stars had never won a series in the short history of the program, but that changed with a sweep that saw Clay Burrows earn Region 2 Player of the Week honors after hitting .523 with 11 hits, including three home runs and seven RBIs.
It was the beginning of a dominant run that saw the Stars sweep Arkansas-Rich Mountain, Carl Albert State and Redlands College to sit atop the Region 2 standings.
The sweep of Carl Albert State also marked two milestones for the program.
The Stars surpassed both their overall and conference win totals from 2022, and SouthArk moved into the NJCAA Division II poll for the first time, checking in at No. 20.
BEATING NO. 1
On April 11, SouthArk picked up its biggest win to date, upending No. 1 LSU-Eunice 5-2 to extend their winning streak to 18 while handing the Bengals their first loss and ending their 39-game winning streak.
Roc Hawthorne’s RBI single in the seventh broke a 2-2 tie, and Jacob Ambriz gave the Stars a couple of insurance runs with a two-run single in the ninth.
Trey Miller got the save with a 1-2-3 ninth to complete a three-hitter.
Aaron Warriner picked up the win in relief of Kade Lively, who limited the Bengals to just two hits and two runs over 5 1/3 innings.
It wouldn’t be the last time Lively delivered in a crucial game for the Stars.
FINISHING REGION 2
Owners of an 18-game winning streak, the Stars had a crucial Region 2 series at home against Murray State.
The Aggies ended the Stars’ winning streak by winning the first two games of the series, but in their biggest test of the season to date, SouthArk responded with wins by scores of 11-0 and 11-4 to pick up a split.
The Stars hit six home runs in the two wins while the pitching staff held the Aggies to just nine hits total.
A week later, SouthArk hosted Western Oklahoma State with only one game separating the two schools in the Region 2 standings.
The Pioneers entered the series having won 15 of their last 16 games, while the Stars were back in the rankings at No. 18 after winning three of five games against teams ranked in the top 10 in the country.
With the Region 2 lead hanging in the balance, the Stars picked up their fifth sweep in conference play, winning all four games in come-from-behind fashion.
A barrage of home runs was the catalyst for the sweep for the Stars, who hit 10 in the four games.
SouthArk finished with 44 hits in the series with 19 going for extra bases.
The Stars overcame a 6-2 deficit to pick up an 8-7 win in the opener with Elijah Nichols driving in four runs, while Warriner threw two scoreless frames out of the bullpen with Miller picking up the save.
In Game 2, the Stars trailed 4-2, but former Parkers Chapel standout Trace Shoup hit a fourth-inning grand slam to lead the comeback. Burrows and Hawthorne also homered with Hunter Royal picking up the win after allowing one earned run over five innings of work. Luke Eaton recorded the final two outs for his second save of the year.
The Stars trailed 3-2 in Game 3 before scoring three two-out runs in the fifth to win 6-4. Kyle Tolley’s threerun homer gave SouthArk the lead for good. Shoup drilled a two-run homer and Nichols added a solo shot.
Brett Foss improved his record to 5-0 by allowing three runs with two being earned in five innings of work. Jackson Regan picked up his third save of the season by working the final two innings.
SouthArk finished the sweep with Jacob Ambriz hitting a pair of solo homers while driving in three runs in a 13-9 win.
Tolley capped a huge series by driving in five runs, including a three-run homer. He had eight RBIs in the series.
Gage Bellati struck out seven over 6 1/3 innings to improve his record to 4-0 with Warriner getting two big outs in the eighth before Eaton got the final out for his second save of the series.
SouthArk lost its only Region 2 series a week later at Northern Oklahoma-Tonkawa, but the following weekend with SAU Tech in town to close out the regular season, the Stars finished off the season by clinching the Region 2 title, fittingly with a sweep, their sixth of the season.
PLAINS DISTRICT TOURNEY
With a 30-7 record, the Stars were the No. 1 seed for the Plains District Tournament. SouthArk was also trying to buck recent history after top-seeded Arkansas-Rich Mountain was ousted by eventual tournament champion Murray State in 2022.
SouthArk opened against Redlands College, the No. 8 seed. The Stars swept the season series, and they continued their dominance with an 8-0 win behind a two-hit shutout by Foss.
Gabe Spedale homered to lead a nine-hit attack. In their first winner’s bracket game, the Stars faced Hesston (Kan.), the Region 16 champion and No. 5 seed who topped defending tournament champion Murray State.
Hunter Royal followed Foss’ lead with a dominant pitching performance, striking out 10 over seven innings in an 8-3 win.
Former El Dorado standout Brennan Jones went 2-for-2 with two walks and two RBIs, while Tolley added two hits, including a home run.
Off to a 2-0 start, the Stars faced No. 7 seed Northern Oklahoma-Enid, which had upset No. 2 seed Western Oklahoma State and No. 3 seed Northern OklahomaTonkawa.
The Stars got rolling in the regular season with a sweep of the Jets and appeared to be on their way to another win by taking a 9-4 lead, but the game was interrupted by weather delays, and the Jets forced extra innings by scoring four runs in the seventh and one in the eighth.
The Jets took the lead in the 10th, but a hustle play helped set up one of the biggest hits in the program’s history.
Jones won the race to first base on a bang-bang play after hitting a slow roller to the right side of the infield.
One out later, Hawthorne, who already had hit a two-run homer in the second inning and had driven in three runs, deposited a 1-2 pitch over the fence in right for his second two-run homer of the game to send SouthArk to the championship game with an 11-10 win.
Warriner allowed two runs in four innings in relief to pick up the win.
SouthArk got an unexpected day off due to the inclement weather, while Western Oklahoma State advanced to the championship game with a 16-8 win over the Jets thanks to scoring 11 runs in the bottom of the eighth to overcome an 8-5 deficit.
Weather forced the tournament to shift to the University of Central Oklahoma for the championship round.
The Pioneers continued their offensive onslaught by handing the Stars their worst loss of the season with a 17-3 win to force a winner-take-all game.
Western Oklahoma State headed into the decisive game having won five straight elimination games, scoring double figures in all five games.
With a berth in the World Series at stake, Lester called on Lively to try and slow down the Pioneers.
The Stars jumped out to a 5-1 lead with Nichols hitting a solo homer in the second before SouthArk scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth and one in the fifth after the Pioneers had tied the game at 1-all in the top of the fourth.
Ryan Riggs drove in the go-ahead run with a single and Nichols drove in a run with a sacrifice fly in the fourth. After a 13-pitch at-bat, Shoup delivered an RBI double in the fifth.
Lively took matters over from there, holding the Pioneers to just three hits and three runs with only two being earned over seven-plus innings of work.
Miller surrendered a run in the eighth, but worked a scoreless ninth to send SouthArk to the Division II World Series with a 6-4 win.
The victory was Lively’s first of the season.
For Lester, it was the Stars’ ability to respond to adversity that became a hallmark of the team.
“Probably just relentless and tough,” Lester said of the characteristics his team had. “Just showing up every day. They were really seasoned. I can remember about 10 or 15 games where we were already down 2- or 3-0 to start with, and it never fazed anybody. Nobody ever hit the panic button. There was just a trust there that we were going to find a way to win.”
WORLD SERIES
In just their second year, SouthArk was one of 10 teams competing for a national championship.
“Campus momentum definitely built around the baseball team over time,” Waldrop said. “A significant mid-season win streak brought forth a lot of conversation among employees and students as it grew and grew, and of course there was that seismic win down at Eunice, which is the most-respected JUCO program in the country.
“By the time that the postseason came around, you couldn’t really pass a co-worker in the hallway or connect with one in an online meeting without the excitement being obvious. It was a lot of fun for people to get behind something like that. And the student-athletes were so successful as students as well as athletes, which was particularly impressive.”
Seeded seventh, the Stars were not hindered by a 12-day layoff by downing Frederick (Md.) Community College 10-0 in five innings.
Nichols homered twice and drove in five runs, while Jones also homered.
Foss needed only 74 pitches to finish a two-hit shutout.
After upsetting No. 1 LSU-Eunice in the regular season, SouthArk delivered another by upending No. 2 seed Lansing (Mich.) Community College 10-0 in five innings.
The Stars hit three homers for the second straight day with Riggs homering twice and Ambriz, who was the lone SouthArk representative on the NJCAA’s Region 2 All-Region squad, added a solo homer.
Royal gave the Stars their second straight complete game with a two-hitter.
SouthArk couldn’t have asked for a better start, but their momentum was quickly halted.
Shoup gave the Stars a 1-0 lead over Southeastern (Iowa), but the Blackhawks stormed back to hand the Stars a 10-2 loss.
SouthArk’s run ended with a 10-0 loss to Lansing
(Mich.) a day later.
SOPHOMORES
The freshmen who cut their teeth in SouthArk’s first season returned and helped pave the way for the Stars to make history.
Now they are continuing their careers at four-year schools.
Royal and Nichols signed with Division I schools at Arkansas-Little Rock and Arkansas State respectively.
Most of the Stars will be competing in the Great American Conference in 2024.
Shoup, Burrows and Regan are at Southern Arkansas, while Arkansas-Monticello signed Hawthorne, Miller and Leighton Turbeville, a former El Dorado standout. Beau Kuttenkuler, a freshman standout for the Stars in 2023, also recently signed with the Boll Weevils. Lively and Warriner signed with Arkansas Tech. Riggs, who was named to the All-Tournament team at the World Series after going 7-for-12 with two home runs and six RBIs, is at Arkansas-Fort Smith. Relief pitcher Steffan Fak also joined the Lions as a walk-on. Three more Stars will compete in neighboring states. Delta State (Miss.) signed starting pitcher Christian Clayson, while reliever Kadyn Howard and Spedale are at Louisiana Christian.
“I think the best part about that team was that they stuck around and gave us a chance,” Lester said. “I really like to talk about what is the legacy when you leave this place? Did you leave it better than when you found it? It’s one of our core principles. Those guys no doubt left it. I truly think we had two guys in Roc and Trace who were two of the more talented guys we have ever coached, but I think those were the only two that truly got recruited out of high school to a high level.
“I’m not saying the rest of them were no-names because they definitely weren’t, they showed that, but they were guys no one really knew about. Guys like a Hunter Royal that comes in throwing in three innings his entire high school career, and he comes in as a hitter and now he’s a Division I pitcher. Elijah Nichols, who the only reason he showed up was because his buddy Kyle Tolley said that’s the only way he was coming down to El Dorado.
“He ends up hitting 16 home runs and now he’s at a Division I school that he’s always wanted to be at. You talk about people that got cut, that changed positions, all those types of things and that legacy is really strong. They could’ve came in and been like, ‘No, this what I am. This is what I do.’ Nobody ever did that. We just showed up every day. They enjoyed being around each other. I think that was a big thing, too. We really enjoyed the game and we enjoyed showing up every day. Even on winning teams, that’s sometimes not the case.”
LEGACY
When the chapter of the Stars’ season ended, another one began, and it’s one that has a variety of paths and likely won’t be finished for quite some time.
The players who signed with four-year schools from the 2023 team is one path that isn’t finished since the returning sophomores could be looking at four-year options next year.
Another is how the World Series appearance has opened doors for Lester to recruit players that wouldn't have been an option for SouthArk in the past.
“I think so,” Lester said. “We've gone after guys before and it's usually guys that maybe weren't in our league so to speak yet, and it's usually a quick no from them.
“Some of them lead us around a little bit just because they want to be nice. This year, it's been totally different. We talk about in June going to the World Series, and in July, we got an arm from a perennial powerhouse in Louisiana that's already been up to 91 (miles per hour) and he's polished. We might have gotten an arm like that before, but he was just a thrower and wasn't a pitcher.
“Within the first month, we looked at the recruiting trail and we said, ‘We need to go back after those guys hard that we looked at and didn't think we had a chance at.' We're really excited about this next class we've got coming in. I don't think there's any doubt in our mind that it's the most complete, athletic and polished class that we've had, and I think a lot of that has to do with the World Series run we made. It's simple. People like to go to people who win.
“We've had guys on social media reach out that would've never reached out before saying, ‘Hey, I see you're a really successful team. How can I be a part of your program?' That happens on a daily basis. That's really exciting for where we're heading in the future.”
Lester hinted that more news could be in the offing for the program, but declined to be specific.
“We'll just start with players with right now and hopefully it suffices to more,” Lester said.
Lester added that the run has been a boon for fundraising.
“It's helped tremendously,” Lester said. “The day we lost out and got beat in the World Series, one of the first things I said to the guys was, ‘You don't know how much of an impact you've just made on the future of this program.' That impact is still yet to be seen, but in the six months since it's happened, it's exponentially grown, just kind of who we are and knowing that we do have a program that's really competitive, I think here in the near future, those guys on last year's team and the success we had, I think it's going to pay huge dividends for some things we've got coming hopefully in the future.”
For Waldrop, the run is something he won't forget. “As a longtime sports fan, and a former sportswriter of some dozen years, this was a special experience for me personally,” Waldrop said. “Head coach Cannon Lester told me the previous year that the 2022-2023 team was going to be good, and I knew what I had seen with my own eyes, so there were expectations of a step forward.
“But I would be lying if I said that I had expected the World Series or for that matter, even a region title. I don't know if people in the area really realize yet how good junior college baseball is, and SouthArk competes in one of the toughest JUCO regions in the country in Region 2.
“After seeing the competition that first year, I definitely realized it myself. So I thought, ‘Hey, if our guys can land second or even third in the region in the program's second year of existence, that would be an accomplishment. And it would have been! But for them to capture the region championship, then take the district title in such a thrilling fashion, that was beyond my wildest dreams.
“I probably didn't really think that the World Series was a legitimate possibility until live-streaming Roc Hawthorne's walk-off homer that advanced the Stars to the Plains District Tournament finals. I jumped off of my couch, pumped my fists, did the whole thing that you get to do as a sports fan and your team is winning. That feeling is why we love sports.”
Union County's high schools certainly have a rich history of success with state champions in a plethora of sports over the decades, and what the Stars accomplished certainly will carry great significance going forward.
“I have to think that there is some historical significance to this, not just for our college, but also for the city and region — and, considering how quickly that junior college sports are growing in Arkansas, perhaps for the state,” Waldrop said. “SouthArk's baseball program has made itself a baseball destination due to this early success — but we're still building the foundation. So much more can happen from here.”