Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Hubbs provides highlights for Tigers
PRAIRIE GROVE — Throwing two no-hitters in the same season would be at the top of the list for most pitchers, but not for Conner Hubbs of Prairie Grove.
Last week he threw a one-hitter and struck out 17 in an 8-0 victory over Mena in the 4A-North Regional Tournament at Morrilton. Hubbs opened the game with a home run for the Tigers (17-9-1), who qualified with the win for the Class 4A state tournament at Gravette.
“The first round of regionals is the most important game of the season for us because there is nothing like the feeling of making it to the state tournament,” Prairie Grove Coach Mitch Cameron said. “For Conner to go out and dominate the game like he did was very special for our team and program.”
Prairie Grove drew a firstround bye and will play at 12:30 p.m. on Friday against today’s winner between Crossett and Batesville Southside.
Highlight performances are not unusual for Hubbs, who carries a .437 average as a leadoff batter in addition to his 8-3 record and a 2.01 earned run average on the mound. His no-hitters came against Vian, Okla., and Mayflower. Hubbs also is a standout football player who rushed for 1,017 yards and 12 touchdowns last fall despite missing two games because of a broken middle finger. Hubbs set a single-game school record when he rushed for 298 yards on 22 carries against Farmington.
“That was senior night and it was a good game even though we lost, but I’m definitely a baseball player,” said Hubbs, who will continue his baseball career at Crowder College in Neosho, Mo.
Hubbs hopes to continue his baseball career beyond college like some former Prairie Grove athletes. Currently, there are three former Tigers, all pitchers, playing professional baseball. Jalen Beeks is with the Colorado Rockies in the major leagues, while Ty Tice is at Class AA Harrisburg (Pa.) in the Washington Nationals organization and Logan Gragg is at Class AA Arkansas with the Seattle Mariners organization.
“A lot of that is just Mitch Cameron,” Hubbs said. “He gets guys to the next level. He puts us in [weight training] at 6 in the morning three times a week. He turns us into baseball players, really.”
Cameron credits five seniors — Hubbs, Asher Linn, Jaxon Beare, Spencer Allen, and Luke Vance — for much of the Tigers’ success this season.
“These seniors have played a lot of baseball since their freshman year, and I attribute a lot of our success to those guys,” Cameron said. “They’ve got a lot of experience and a winning mentality.”
The Tigers will carry plenty of momentum into the Class 4A state tournament after sweeping to a regional championship. Since 2002, Prairie Grove has made 11 appearances in the state tournament with a state-runner finish in 2011 after losing to Shiloh Christian in eight innings in the championship game.
Hubbs said the Tigers will arrive with a lot of confidence at state after outscoring its opponents 24-3 in the regional.
“When you’re having fun with all your buddies, it doesn’t even feel like the pressure is on,” Hubbs said. “The seniors, we’ve been together since our freshman year. We’ve been through it all, losing in the district, and here we are three years later playing in the state tournament. It just shows the progress we’ve made.”