Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Smith’s clutch hit lifts Har-Ber
HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL SPRINGDALE HAR-BER 3, ROGERS 1
SPRINGDALE — Caleb Smith watched, first from the dugout and again from the on-deck circle, as Rogers pitcher Matthew Dillard tried to get out of a bases-loaded jam and struck out the two Springdale Har-Ber batters before him.
The Wildcats senior made sure it didn’t happen again.
Smith delivered the decisive two-run single in the bottom of the fifth inning and gave Har- Ber a 3-1 victory over Rogers during 6A-West Conference baseball action Monday at Wildcat Field.
“The mindset was just do what you could for the team,” Smith said. “I was just trying to put the ball into play hard and see if it can’t get through, and it did luckily.
“It was a changeup, low and away. I just got early on it and golfed it over the shortstop’s head. He changed his arm slot a little bit, you could tell. He took a little bit off of it, so I knew it would be something slow and away.”
Kaleb Kellar led off the inning with a walk and took second when Ross Felder singled to center, then Cole Carlton loaded the bases when his bouncing ball up the middle was misplayed with nobody out. Willard then picked up a pair of swinging strikeouts before Smith delivered his hit.
Har-Ber (3-0, 3-0) made the lead stand, even though Felder started the sixth with a walk. Gavin Moore entered the game and quickly induced a double play and went on to record the save for Felder, who allowed one run on three hits.
“No matter what time of the year it is, if you’re fortunate enough to beat Rogers, it’s a big win,” Har-Ber coach Dustin Helmkamp said. “For the past three or four years, it’s been a pretty good battle. They’ll get their share of wins, and we were just hoping to get one and got one.
“Ross’ pitch count was getting up, and I told him he had one batter in the sixth and that was it. Gavin did that a little for us last year, and he’s coming on. I’m really proud of him.”
Rogers ( 3-1, 2-1) scored its run in the third when Zach Lawing was hit by a pitch and scored on Caleb Champion’s double of the center-field fence. It lasted until the fourth when Luke Cornelison’s single drove in Zach Brinegar, who was a pinch-runner after Smith had been hit by a pitch.
The two teams will meet again today in Rogers to complete their series.
FORT SMITH NORTHSIDE 5, BENTONVILLE WEST 0
McLane Moody and two relievers combined for a no-hitter as Northside won its 6A-West opener at the Wolverine Athletic Complex.
Moody pitched five innings and struck out eight while issuing four walks in a 90-pitch outing. Logan Matlock continued the no-hitter with 1.1 innings of work and struck out two, while Will Rollans picked up the final two outs to complete the shutout.
Rollans also led the Grizzlies’ offense with two hits and three RBIs. His first-inning single drove in a run and he scored on Eli Calderera’s singel to give Northside (3-3, 2-0) a 2-0 lead.
Rollans added a two-run single in the fifth, then the Grizzlies’ final run came in the sixth when Garrett Springs was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded. Calderera and Jayden Weiler had two hits apiece for Northside.
ROGERS HERITAGE 1, SPRINGDALE HAR-BER 0
Jack Hamm’s sixth- inning single drove in Luke Askew and broke the scoreless deadlock as Heritage slipped past Springdale in a game played at War Eagle Field.
Askew drew a leadoff walk and went to second when Bennett Crafton walked before coming home on Hamm’s single to right.
That was all Dillon Askew and Cade Miller as Askew threw a four-hitter over 6.2 innings and struck out six to pick up the win, while Miller picked up the final out with the save.
Hamm finished with two of Heritage’s six hits. Myron Erks took the loss for Springdale in relief of Yadi Canales, who allowed just four hits and struck out four over five innings.
BENTONVILLE 10, FORT SMITH SOUTHSIDE 3
Stephon Gryskiewicz belted a fifth-inning grand slam, and Casey Christ drove in three more runs as Bentonville picked up its first win of the season at Fort Smith.
Christ gave the Tigers (1-3, 1-2) a lead they never relinquished with a two-run double in the first and scored on Connor Taylor’s triple for a 3-0 cushion. He also had a sacrifice fly in the second that gave Bentonville a 5-1 cushion, which stood until Gryskiewicz belted over the left-field fence.
Tony Woodie had three of the Tigers’ 12 hits, while Christ, Taylor and Bryson DeLozier had two hits apiece. Zeb Allen scored two runs for Southside (2-1, 2-1).