Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Billies make the most of their two hits in victory
ALMA — The Monticello Billies made one of their two hits count Thursday for a 1-0 win over Panama, Okla., in the first round of the third annual Alma Wood Bat Tournament.
Monticello struck out 14 times, but Warren Pennington’s two-out single in the top of the sixth inning scored Kaleb Romero for the game’s only run.
“It’s not about how many hits you get, it’s about when you get the hit,” Monticello Coach Ross Rogers said. “You can win with one hit, it’s just a matter of when it comes.”
Romero coaxed a fullcount walk with one out, stole second and advanced to third on a grounder by Trystan White. Pennington lined the first pitch sharply to right for the decisive run.
Senior pitcher Easton Byrd needed 100 pitches to go the distance to earn the win, striking out 5, walking 4 and scattering 4 hits.
“He doesn’t throw the hardest, but he can locate everything and throw three pitches for strikes,” Rogers said. “At our level, that’s what matters.”
Byrd pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the first inning and worked out of a final jam in the home half of the seventh.
Byrd went to three balls to three batters in the first inning and threw 25 pitches. After that, he went to three balls just once and never needed more than 14 pitches in an inning.
“We told him he was getting a little fast on his delivery, to slow down and to hit the zone,” Rogers said. “It’s a wood bat tournament, and it’s not going to carry like they usually do and just throw it over the plate and let the defense play.”
Boomer McClain reached on an infield single with one out in the home half of the seventh for Panama and stole second. After another out, Brex Caldwell was walked intentionally before Byrd retired the final batter.
In the seventh, all three of Panama’s outs were foul pops to White, Monticello’s catcher.
“This is probably the best two teams in the tournament that played right there in the first round,” Panama Coach Chris Gollihare said. “We pitched it well and got a good defense. They got a runner to third and scored a run.”
Caldwell, Panama’s 6-4, 215-pound senior who signed with Oklahoma State in November, allowed 1 hit in 5 innings with 2 walks and 11 strikeouts. He departed after 84 pitches.
“He can beat anybody he gets on the mound and throws against,” Rogers said. “We did a good job of working the count and getting him out pretty early. We played well and didn’t make many mistakes.”
VILONIA 9, OZARK 7 (13)
Vilonia scored three runs in the top of the 13th inning to win the tournament opener after 4 hours and 49 minutes.
John Mason Halley walked and stole second to start the 13th inning and scored on a single by Carter Brown. Levi Lane singled, sent Brown to third and both scored on a base hit by Miles Baily.
Austin Archer earned the win for Vilonia with two scoreless innings of relief.
DOVER 12, HOWE, OKLA. 1 (5)
Levi Standridge struck out seven and allowed just two hits to earn the win for Dover in the second game of the day.
Kaleb McGhee walked four times and Brady Ayers doubled twice and drove in two runs.
Dover scored four runs in the third inning to go up 5-0, added three in the fourth and four in the fifth.