BENTONVILLE -- Brian Gloeckler stepped to the plate Saturday afternoon, fully aware that it could be the last at-bat of his high school baseball career.
Instead, the senior outfielder has the opportunity to play one more time as he and his Bentonville teammates head to Baum Stadium and face Conway in the Class 7A State Championship game at 3 p.m. this afternoon.
At a glance
Class 7A state baseball championship
Conway vs. Bentonville
When: 3 p.m.
Where: Baum Stadium, Fayetteville
Records: Conway Wampus Cats 25-4; Bentonville Tigers 20-8
How they made it: Conway, the top seed from the 7A-Central, defeated Fort Smith Southside 4-2 and Fayetteville 3-2. Bentonville, the second seed from the 7A-West, defeated Rogers Heritage 8-5 and Springdale Har-Ber 3-1.
Profile
Brian Gloeckler
School: Bentonville
Class: Senior
Position: Outfielder
Notable: A two-year starter … Hit .347 with 1 home run, 5 doubles, 2 triples and 22 RBIs. … Belted an opposite-field double in the sixth inning for Bentonville’s first hit of the game Saturday and ignited a three-run rally against Springdale Har-Ber. … Hasn’t drawn major-college interest but hopes to walk on at Arkansas next season.
"I'm just trying to make the most of what I have left," Gloeckler said. "That's what I was thinking when I went to bat, that this could be it. I just tried to relax, do what I do and make the most of it."
Gloeckler's plate appearance in the bottom of the sixth inning lasted just one pitch, but it was all he needed. He belted an opposite-field double over the rightfielder's head -- Bentonville's first hit against Springdale Har-Ber starter Michael King -- and later scored the tying run on a wild pitch as the Tigers (20-8) rallied for a 3-1 victory on their home field.
It didn't shock Bentonville coach Todd Abbott that Gloeckler -- a mainstay for the past two years -- would be the player to ignite the comeback that has the Tigers one win away from their first state title since 2002.
"I don't think anybody was surprised at that," Abbott said. "Obviously, we would have preferred to have a hit before the sixth inning. The fact it was Brian that started that off -- not with just a single, but with a double -- that's what he's done for the past two years."
Because of the abundance of Northwest Arkansas players who have already signed to play with major colleges, Gloeckler might have flown under the radar despite his productive season. For those who have been around Bentonville's baseball team on a regular basis, they have seen what he is capable of doing each and every game.
He enters today's game with a .347 batting average with one home run and 22 RBIs. The double he hit Saturday was his fifth of the season, and he has two triples while hitting out of the important No. 3 spot in the Bentonville's lineup, a place where he feels very comfortable in the batting order.
"He's had that opportunity to play every day, and he's been solid, man," Abbott said. "He's consistent, steady and a calming presence in the lineup. We know what we're going to get from Brian, and he brings it every time out.
"Brian has the personality that be approaches every day the same. He's laid back, in a sense, but at the same time he's a competitor. All of those things mix well, and it provides us with what we get all the time -- a consistent Brian Gloeckler."
Abbott said he saw an steady improvement in all phases of Gloeckler's game, but the area that picked up the most couldn't be done on the field. The soft-spoken outfielder made a big effort in becoming more of a leader this season.
"That was a big difference between last season and this season," Gloeckler said. "I'm really not going to get in somebody's face. I'm more of a person that leads by example, and I try to stay on track and be focused all the time."
Sports on 05/22/2015