Pleimann settles in as Fayetteville rolls by Bentonville West

FAYETTEVILLE 12, BENTONVILLE WEST 2 (5)

FAYETTEVILLE — Fayetteville pitcher Miller Pleimann appeared he might struggle Wednesday after walking the bases loaded in the first inning against Bentonville West. He did not. Pleimann settled down and allowed two hits in 42/3 innings to help Fayetteville to a 12-2 victory over West in the first game of a doubleheader at Bulldogs Stadium. Emory Kincaid hit a home run and two-run double for Fayetteville (9-5-1, 2-1), which scored three runs in the fourth inning and seven in the fifth to end the game on the 10-run rule. Matthew Magre and Jeff Sinacore contributed consecutive doubles in the fifth and Mason Shaw followed with a run-scoring triple. Fayetteville outhit West 11-4 and the Wolverines made two of the game’s three errors. Pleimann should’ve left the game after five with a 5-0 lead. But an error with two outs extended the inning in the fifth and Jason Gloeckler followed with a two-run double off reliever Jacob Davenport. Fayetteville then responded with seven runs in the fifth to end the game. “Miller’s pitch count really got up in the first inning and that’s not like him,” Fayetteville coach Scott Gallagher said. “He’s had a long layoff since his last outing and he wasn’t at his best in these conditions. He’ll be better next time out.” It was still raining when Pleimann took the mound after a one-hour delay in Wednesday’s makeup game. He walked the bases loaded with one out but got out of the inning when Kincaid caught a line drive and stepped on third base to complete the double play. “Emory’s a senior and this is his last go-around, so he gets excited for conference games,” Gallagher said. “He does a good job in the field with the glove and at the plate. On the home run, he didn’t try to do too much and I think he was kind of surprised it went out, actually.” The Fayetteville defense also helped Pleimann again in the third inning after Joey Aden doubled and Will Jarrett drew a walk. But the inning ended when left fielder Magre made a diving catch in foul territory after a long run. West (8-5, 0-3) entered the game with some momentum after a victory over Greenwood on Monday. But the Wolverines had little success at the plate against Pleimann, who walked five and struck out five. The Mounties scored 22 runs in the bottom of the second inning to roll to the 7A-West Conference win Wednesday at Veterans Park. Lead-off man Jeb Sample went 3-for-3, scored four runs and drove in two for Rogers. Hayden Seldomridge and Tim Howard added two hits each. Seldomridge drove in four, while Matthew Watson added a two-run home run. Rogers also benefitted from 14 walks and five hit batsmen. McKaden Templeton and Marc Sussman combined on the two-hitter for the Mounties (10-3, 3-1). Templeton threw two scoreless innings, while Sussman finished the final three innings allowing both runs on one hit. Landen Clines accounted for both Heritage runs with a two-run home run in the top of the fifth. The War Eagles (1-10, 0-4) managed just two hits. Sample went 2-for-4, drove in a run and scored twice to help the Mounties to a 12-1 win in the nightcap. Rogers was also aided by 11 walks by Heritage pitchers. Watson picked up the win, allowing a run on two hits in four innings. He struck out nine and walked one.