SPRINGDALE -- Alan Buttram took advantage of his opportunity Tuesday night.
Buttram hit a two-run single to help Springdale Har-Ber to a 5-3 victory over Fort Smith Northside in 7A-West Conference action at the Tyson Complex. Northside got to within a run after a two-run double by Christian Neves, but Har-Ber added an insurance run on a safety squeeze by Josh Stephens.
Game 1
Springdale Har-Ber 5, Fort Smith Northside 3
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Har-Ber^202^001^X—^5^8^1
Wolfe, Albertson (5) and Pendleton; Rogers, King (3), Patrick (6) and Lloyd. W - King. L - Wolfe. Sv. — Patrick. HRs - None
Har-Ber finished with eight hits while Weston Rogers, Michael King, and Brady Patrick combined to limit Northside to two hits. King got the win and Patrick earned the save.
Buttram, a junior, batted eighth while serving at the Wildcats' designated hitter. He gave Har-Ber a 4-1 lead when he punched a single to right field that scored two runs. Har-Ber then held on for the victory in a game delayed 90 minutes because of the weather.
"Buttram has been a role player off the bench," Har-Ber coach Ron Bradley said. "He got a chance to DH because of some injuries we've had and he hit a two-run single that got us going."
Northside stayed close despite collecting only two hits. Neves lined a two-run double in the sixth and the Grizzlies put two runners on base in the seventh before Will Klek lined into a double play at second base to end the game.
"We're playing better baseball, but something good has to happen to us," Northside coach Brian Fry said. "Like that play at the end, where we line into a double play, we've got to get over that hump. But we only had two hits and we have to help our pitchers better than that."
Rogers left the game in the third inning in a precautionary move after Northside scored an unearned run in the second. Rogers hit Bryce Geels, who stole second and third and then continued home when Spencer Lloyd's throw sailed past Tyler Blackston, who slipped while trying to catch a wide throw.
"Weston's shoulder was a little tender and we took him out for safety reasons," Bradley said. "We gave up too many free passes, but King did a good job and Brady came in to shut the door."
Blackston scored Har-Ber's first run when he led off with a double, moved to third on a groundout, and came home on a sacrifice fly by Stephens. Brandon Still and Devin Sok-Amnouya added singles before Still scored on an error to give Har-Ber a 2-0 lead.
Game 2
Har-Ber 8, Fort Smith Northside 1
Har-Ber scored six runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to complete a doubleheader sweep over Northside.
Patrick had a two-run home run and Josh Stephens a two-run single in the inning for the Wildcats (16-5, 6-2). Kurt Phillips pitched six innings for the win over the Grizzlies (9-14, 2-6).
It was the second consecutive sweep for the Wildcats, who beat Fort Smith Southside 4-3 and 2-1 last week at Arvest Ballpark.
Sports on 04/15/2015