PG Pitchers Post 1-Hitter

PRAIRIE GROVE — Prairie Grove’s baseball team went into spring break with momentum with a three-game winning streak highlighted by a Thursday, March 15, 13-0 shut out of West Fork.

Senior D.J. Pearson made his second start pitching 3 innings allowing 1 hit and striking out 6 batters.

Prairie Grove coach Chris Mileham was pleased with the rotation.

“D.J. was able to execute all three pitches tonight and work in the zone,” Mileham said. “We’re just looking to build off that.”

Senior James Birmingham threw one inning yielding no hits, one base on balls and striking out three.

“Then we came in with James Birmingham and Garrett Heltemes closed it in the fifth,” Mileham said, noting, “Heltemes struck out the side to close it.”

Heltemes needed only 13 pitches to get out of the inning.

“We threw strikes and we made all the routine plays and that’s what I’m looking for to consistently make routine plays,” Mileham said.

The Tigers scored a run in the bottom of the first, then added 4 in the second before exploding for 8 in the third to give their pitching plenty of run support.

“Jadin Higgins went 3-for-3 with 2 runs batted in, everything else we just scattered around with some unselfish approaches at the plate,” Mileham said.

Silas Myane and Kyle Fidler each drove in a pair of runs. Chase Wade and Zac Perdue produced one RBI apiece. The Tigers began the week with a 7-1 loss at Elkins on March 12, then won on the road, 9-5, at Berryville March 13; and following the 13-0 win over West Fork beat Charleston, 8-5, on March 16.

“I bragged on our defense a little earlier in the year, then we got caught in a couple of games where it was really cold,” Mileham said. “It’s hard to play defense when you can’t field the ball. We had four games this week and we’ve got five games in Arizona next week. That stretch, nine games in 14 days will really prepare us for conference.”