Springdale Har-Ber is hoping for a better outcome against Rogers High tonight after getting swept by Fayetteville in a doubleheader last week.
The Wildcats (13-3, 4-2 7A/6A-West Conference) were ranked No. 1 in Class 7A when they were taken down 5-0 and 9-4 by the Bulldogs. The consecutive defeats dropped Har-Ber to No. 3 in the state behind North Little Rock and Fayetteville. Har-Ber will host North Little Rock in a nonconference game at noon Saturday.
“We’ve got to do a better job of putting the ball in play,” Har-Ber coach Randy Salsbury said. “Fayetteville is really good with two top pitchers, but I expect our team to bounce back. They don’t accept defeat easily.”
Har-Ber warmed up for tonight’s 7A/6A-West doubleheader with a 6-4 victory Saturday over Fort Smith Northside. Hunter Patrick and Gus Vitt each hit two-run home runs for the Wildcats, who fell behind 4-0.
Har-Ber used four pitchers, including senior Blake Williams, who threw three strong innings.
“Blake has a really good game,” Salsbury said. “He’s coming into his own and might be able to help us moving forward.”
— RICK FIRES
Fayetteville Finds Game
Every 7A/6A-West Conference baseball team seems to be affected by weather in one way or another the past week or so, and Fayetteville was no different.
The Bulldogs visited Jenks, Okla., on March 28-29 for a weekend tournament with five games scheduled for the event. But after rain halted the tournament after two days, Fayetteville was left searching for more games to fill the schedule.
Following Monday’s conference sweep of Springdale Har-Ber, Bulldogs coach Vance Arnold said the plan was to hopefully return to Jenks to complete the tournament Friday. When those plans fell through, Fayetteville settled for one last-minute contest with Muskogee, Okla.
The Purple’Dogs (9-1, 6-0) smashed out 13 hits and put together a seven-run second inning in a 12-5 nonconference win Friday at Muskogee. But even bigger news than the victory for Fayetteville was the return of Will Price. A senior who has signed with Oklahoma Wesleyan, Price had missed the first nine games of the season with a hip injury.
“We got Will Price back and he got a hit,” Fayetteville assistant coach Scott Gallagher said. “So that was really good to see.”
The Bulldogs visit Van Buren today for another 7A/6A-West doubleheader, then close out the week Thursday through Saturday at the Sand Springs, Okla., Wood Bat Tournament.
— VERNON TARVER
Mounties Face Tough Test
ROGERS — Rogers High will look to take another step towards a Class 7A State Tournament berth when Springdale Har-Ber visits for a 7A/6A-West Conference doubleheader today at Veterans Park.
Rogers (10-6, 3-3) is in fourth place in the league standings and a game behind the Wildcats.
“Har-Ber is very talented, but it seems they are always tight games when we play them,” Rogers coach Matt Melson said. “I like the way we have been swinging the bats lately. But we are going to have to pitch better and shore up the defense a little.
“It seems that we have been giving up too many walks and errors lately. Against a good team, that will get you beat.”
Rogers is expected to start Brett Gentz and Chris Greear today. Gentz had seven strikeouts in three innings of work in Friday’s 12-7 win against Tulsa (Okla.) Bishop Kelley. Brett D’Amico and Nolan Farnan will work out of the bullpen if necessary.
“Chris Greear has thrown well his last few outings,” Melson said. “Gentz threw really well against Bishop Kelley. He pounded the strike zone against Bishop Kelley. When he throws strikes, he is pretty effective.”
Rogers has a team batting average of .284, and leadoff batter Timmy Seldomridge has been a spark for the Mounties. Seldomridge is batting .259 and has scored 10 runs this season.
“It seems like when Seldomridge gets on, we are going to score,” Melson said.
— PAUL NIELSEN
Tigers’ Mizelle On Hitting Tear
BENTONVILLE — The key to Bentonville’s offensive success in its last two games can be traced to how well its leadoff batter has performed.
Senior Chris Mizelle banged out seven hits, scored seven times and drove in two key runs in the Tigers’ latest victories over Rogers High and Tulsa (Okla.) Bishop Kelley.
“He’s seeing it big and seeing it good,” Bentonville coach Todd Abbott said. “That’s what you need from that spot. He’s done a great job all year of getting on base, and now he’s starting to see the ball and swinging a good bat.
“That’s good for us, and hopefully he’ll continue to have that same type of focus with each at-bat.”
Mizelle went 5-for-5 — all singles — and scored three times during the Tigers’ 17-8 victory over Rogers in the second game of Thursday’s doubleheader. He could have had a chance for a sixth hit, but he was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the seventh inning.
He continued the hit streak with his leadoff single and scored Bentonville’s first run in Friday’s game against Bishop Kelley. Mizelle then belted a two-run triple in the fourth and gave the Tigers (12-5) a lead they didn’t relinquish en route to a 10-7 win over the Comets.
Bentonville is scheduled to be back in action today with a 7A/6A-West Conference doubleheader at Siloam Springs.
— HENRY APPLE