ARKANSAS HIGH BOYS TOP LAKE HAMILTON, 12-4,
Arkansas High devoured Lake Hamilton in front of a sun-baked crowd Friday at Razorback Field, 12-4.
Austin Nix shut out the Wolves for four innings, before fatigue started to set in for the hard-throwing right-hander. Nix also gave himself some insurance at the plate, driving in 3 RBI.
“That’s a lot to ask of a kid; It was a little warm out here today, and Nix did a great job on the mound and at the plate for us,” Arkansas High head coach Layne Berry said. “He gave up two runs in the fifth, but we probably should’ve pulled him in the fourth. He was throwing a shutout through four but that’s on me.
“His pitch count wasn’t very high but I think fatigue might’ve set in because it was scorching when we started. All in all, Austin did a great job for us today pitching.”
The blaring mismatch in the contest was the hard-nosed base running from the Razorbacks.
Arkansas High stole 12 bases, while Lake Hamilton was unable to get any free bags against Hog catcher Wren Williams.
Sophomore speedster Drake Browning, led Arkansas High in stolen bases. Browning accumulated five swipes and also 2 RBI. Browning roped a triple to right field in the sixth inning, that would have been a inside-the-park home-run in most ballparks in the area.
“We try to be aggressive on the base path. That’s what we preach, we try to take bags when we can,” Berry said. “Even our slower
able to get steals. Dylan Adcock did a heckuva delayed steal in the late innings and it caught them by surprise.”
Adcock went 1 for 2 for Arkansas High, adding 2 RBI and two stolen bases.
The Hogs were pretty sound defensively across the board.
Arkansas High committed one error, while
Lake Hamilton committed six.
“We only committed one error and that will win you ball games,” Berry said. “Our one error actually came from one of our better infielders, who has played solid for us all season long.”
Arkansas High is 2-1 in conference play.
Lake Hamilton 000 022 0 — 2 4 6 Arkansas High 310 134 x —12 8 1 Ben Slate, Dylan Hudson (1) and Utah Aitken. Austin Nix, Jake Johnson (5), Wren Williams and Brett Cox (6). WP-Nix. LP-Hudson.