Arkadelphia outlasts Shiloh

CONWAY -- Clay Wilson hit a three-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to lift Arkadelphia to a 5-3 victory over Shiloh Christian in the Class 4A semifinals Tuesday at the University of Central Arkansas.

Wilson's blast put the defending state champions ahead, but it was the work of Ty Kosters and Ty Jones that put the Badgers in position to defend their state title against Star City on Friday at the championship game in Fayetteville.

Kosters, a junior right-hander, pitched six strong innings of relief and Jones delivered a big pinch-hit two-out single in the fifth to spark the Badgers' rally after Arkadelphia trailed 3-0 heading into the inning.

"We don't usually panic, but it was one of those baseball games that comes around and you are doing everything you can, you are not playing bad but the ball just does not fall,'' Arkadelphia Coach Brant Matros said. "Ty Jones got the big hit that picked us up a little bit and got them on their heels, and we were able to finish. Then we got the big hit from Clay Wilson, who has done that all year."

Kosters entered in the second inning with the Badgers trailing 2-0 after Broderick Butler's single scored one and a wild pitch scored another.

Kosters did not start well, walking a couple and hitting a batter and eventually allowing the Saints to a take a 3-0 lead on a wild pitch. But he closed out the second with the bases loaded thanks to a pair of strikeouts and found his groove, allowing just two hits the rest of the way and finishing with seven strikeouts and no more walks.

The Badgers did not get a hit off of Shiloh Christian starter Landon Brown until the fourth. In the fifth, Danny Spradlin and Brayden Bebee reached on hits, setting up Jones' two-run single to right.

In the sixth, Brooks Burnham drew a walkoff reliever Luke Bandy and Kosters singled before Wilson's home run over the left-field wall.

Bandy managed a two-out double in the seventh for Shiloh Christian, but a strikeout ended the game.

STAR CITY 10, BROOKLAND 0

Star City got a lot of help from Brookland as the Bearcats committed seven errors and managed only three hits.

"We deserved one like this," Star City Coach Scott Johnson said. "We've had a lot of tough games."

Star City starter Blake Winn turned in a complete-game shutout, allowing 3 hits and striking out 3 in 5 innings. He also had three hits and drove in two runs.

Austin Powell had three hits and an RBI, Jacob Courson scored three runs, and Cole Muckelroy had a hit and scored twice.

CLASS 2A SEMIFINALS

MAGNET COVE 4, RIVERSIDE 0

MARKED TREE — Cane Edwards struck out 10 and allowed only four hits as the Panthers (15-6) knocked off the Rebels (25-4).

The senior walked only one batter as Magnet Cove earned a trip to Friday’s championship game against Ouachita. It will be the fourth meeting between the schools this season.

“He wants the ball every day, and I really mean that,” Magnet Cove Coach Robert Webb said. “This rain helped everyone with their number one pitchers no doubt, but he was so focused yesterday coming over and this morning in the hotel.”

Sophomore Brandon Stovall had two hits and drove in two runs to lead Magnet Cove’s offense.

Riverside pitcher Kollin Stone struggled, walking 6 batters and hitting 2 to go along with 6 hits. Stone finished with 10 strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings.

“I thought Kollin did a great job,” Riverside Coach Jeff Womack said. “But it’s simple: If you score zero, you can’t win.” The game was scoreless until the fifth. Tanner Clements drew a one-out walk and then gave up a two-out RBI single to to Stovall.

OUACHITA 6, JUNCTION CITY 1

Logan Huneycutt struck out 10 and allowed four hits as the Warriors defeated the Dragons in the second semifinal game.

Hunter McDade, Gavin Alston, Hayden Burris, Mason Norman and Alex Volz drove in runs for Ouachita (16-2). Huneycutt improved to 5-1.

— Austin Emerson

Sports on 05/20/2015