Pectol, Senators blank Cobras in conference play
LITTLE ROCK — Fountain Lake had opportunities Wednesday night against Joe T. Robinson, but the Cobras were unable to deliver a big hit on command.
Despite loading the bases in the second and fourth innings, Fountain Lake (13-5, 3-4 in 3A/4A-8) was left empty-handed, stranding nine runners on base in a 5-0 loss to the Senators (17-9, 12-4).
“There’s no excuses; we just didn’t get the job done,” Fountain Lake coach Josh Wesson said. “Any time you leave nine or 10 guys on base against a good team like that, you’re asking a lot to win a ballgame. Some of it might be youth, but we don’t like to make excuses. We just didn’t get the job done today.”
Robinson starter Luke Pectol proved a difficult matchup for the Cobras at the plate. The sophomore right-hander held Fountain Lake in check through six shutout innings, scattering five hits while issuing four walks and six strikeouts.
“He mixed it up well; he stayed around the zone, and he hit his spots,” said Wesson. “He just kept us off balance all day today. He’s a Division I baseball player whether it’s on the mound or at the plate. He’s big time. He was able to get timely outs, and they made plays behind him.”
The Senators threatened to take an early lead in the bottom of the first inning when Pectol doubled and Davis Wofford and Andrew Pickering each drew a walk to load the bases with two outs.
Fountain Lake starter Montana Carden induced a groundout to get out of the jam unscathed, but the Cobras’ ace lasted only 2 1/3 innings after laboring through a high pitch count.
Fountain Lake’s Preston White and Daeton Bassett delivered back-to-back singles in the top of the second and Jack Wurz later walked to load the bases before Pectol matched Carden by inducing a fly ball to keep the Cobras off the board.
“Anytime you get rid of a goose egg on the board, it’s going to weigh and it’s going to factor in,” Wesson said. “Whenever a team can look up there and see zeroes across the board for their opponent, it’s going to give them confidence and it’s going to give the pitcher confidence.
“He’s going to keep pumping it in there, and the defense is going to make plays behind him. It’s tough to leave the bases loaded right there.”
After escaping the threat in bottom of the first, Carden ran into trouble in the second frame. Justin Nelson and Brandon Hudson each reached base safely, and Pectol and Wofford each followed with an RBI single to give the Senators a 2-0 lead.
Robinson stretched its advantage to
4-0 with two runs in the bottom of the third after a pair of Cobra errors before Pectol settled in for good on the mound.
The sophomore held Fountain Lake to just two hits over his last four innings pitched as Fountain Lake stranded runners in scoring position in the fourth and sixth frames.
Batting ninth in the order, Robinson’s Gage Johnson added an insurance run for the Senators with an RBI single in the bottom of the fifth. Hudson relieved Pectol on the mound in the top of the seventh to keep the shutout intact.
Scheduled to start for the Senators in today’s matchup with visiting Malvern
(19-4, 8-0), Hudson retired the side in order in the top of the seventh, striking out two of the three batters he faced.
Pectol finished with one single, one double and one RBI in four at-bats for Robinson, while Weston Bradberry singled, walked and stole a base in three plate appearances.
White had three singles in three atbats for the Cobras.
“He hasn’t gotten a ton of credit this year, but he has been a great ballplayer for us,” said Wesson. “He’s only a sophomore, and he was locked in at the plate today. He hit the ball hard. He squared
them up against a very good pitcher, and I’m very pleased with the way he performed.”
Fountain Lake is scheduled to host Arkadelphia (9-9, 5-3) today in its final home game before closing the regular season Monday at Gurdon (3-12, 0-7).
“I shouldn’t have to say much before the game (Friday) because it’s senior night and those guys mean so much to our program,” Wesson said. “The guys are going to want to get the win for them and build some momentum. The message is going to be let’s go win for our seniors that have been in the program and done things the right way.”