BENTONVILLE -- Every time Bentonville made an error Monday afternoon, Fort Smith Southside made sure it compounded the Tigers' mistakes.
The Rebels were opportunistic, with their runs coming as a result of a Bentonville error or a missed fly ball, and claimed a 5-1 victory at the Tiger Athletic Complex while knocking the Tigers (8-6, 3-2) out of first place in the 7A-West Conference standings.
Fort Smith Southside 5, Bentonville 1
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Bentonville^000^001^0^—^1^2^3
Pogue and Demondesert; Ford, Williams (7) and Bratspies. W-Pogue, 4-1. L-Ford, 2-3. Sv-None. HR-None.
"We've been preaching to the guys to continue to play aggressive," Southside coach Dale Harpenau said. "When you do that, good things are going to happen. Even in the seventh inning, we're up three and we get a dirt ball read.
"We still go anyway and make it second, then get a hit right behind it. If we don't go and lay back, it will take two hits to score them. They pitch very well, and you have to take advantage of every mistake somebody makes."
Southside (11-6, 4-1) had runners on first and second when Kinner Brasher appeared to be caught off base in the first inning. Kasey Ford's pickoff throw to second, however, hit Brasher's helmet and glanced into the center field, allowing the runner to score the run.
The Rebels took advantage of Dylan Bryant's second-inning fly ball that was lost in the sun for a double as Weston Phillips added the RBI single. Southside scored two more runs in the sixth after a throwing error on a sacrifice bunt attempt, then added its final run in the seventh on Jake Melton's single and stolen base and a Bentonville fielding error in the seventh.
"What do you do," Bentonville coach Todd Abbott said. "You give them free bases and free outs. Southside's guy did a heck of a job throwing strikes, and their hitters one through nine was putting the ball into play, forcing us to create our own outs."
That was more than enough for Southside pitcher Hunter Pogue, who improved his record to 4-1 with a two-hitter. The right-hander cruised with a no-hitter through the first five innings before Matt Bratspies led off the sixth with a single, followed by Ford's RBI single for the Tigers' only run.
Ford took the loss and dropped his record to 2-3 despite striking out 11 batters.
The two teams will play again at 4:30 p.m. today in Fort Smith.
Springdale Har-Ber 13, Rogers Heritage 1
Brady Patrick went 5-for-5 at the plate and tossed a three-hitter to lead Har-Ber to the big 7A-West Conference win Monday at Veterans Park.
Har-Ber (8-6, 3-2) scored in every inning but one in rolling over the War Eagles. Brandon Still went 3 for 5 and drove win four runs. Caleb Grace and Blaze Brothers added two hits each for the Wildcats, who banged out 18 hits.
Patrick allowed a run on three hits. He struck out six and walked two.
Dylan Qualls drove in Heritage's lone run with a groundout in the bottom of the first. The War Eagles (6-7, 2-3) got two of their three hits in the first inning as Garrett Carmical singled and Logan Easley doubled before Qualls' groundout.
The teams play against this afternoon at 4:30 at Tyson Park.
Fayetteville 5, Fort Smith Northside 4
Joey Savin started slow but finished strong to help the Purple'Dogs rally for a 7A-West Conference victory Monday at Bulldog Field.
Savin allowed four runs in the top of the first inning, most of which came on a three-run home run by Tanner Cross to put the Grizzlies up early. But after that, Savin settled in and would give up just two hits the rest of way as Fayetteville (9-8, 2-3) chipped away.
The Purple'Dogs got two runs back in the bottom of the first on an RBI double by Thomas Broyles and an RBI single from Braden Jordan. Two more runs in the second, started by an RBI single from Savin, tied things up a 4-4 before the team's settled in for more of a pitcher's duel.
Finally in the bottom of the sixth it was Savin who came up big again, driving in Barrett Banister with a single for a 5-4 Fayetteville lead.
Savin then finished off a complete game effort on the mound with a perfect seventh inning, finishing 3-for-4 at the plate while striking out nine Grizzlies (2-13, 0-5) on the mound.
The two teams play again today in Fort Smith.
Rogers High 10, Springdale High 8
Sage White and Grayson Lee hit back-to-back two-out, two-run doubles to complete a seventh-inning rally and lift Rogers High to a thrilling road win over Springdale High.
Rogers (12-2, 4-1) trailed 8-5 heading to the top of the seventh but struck for five runs in its final half inning, highlighted by White's game-tying double and Lee's follow-up double, which proved to be the game-winner. The Mounties also got solo home runs from Ryan McClurkin and Jackson Field to pull within 6-5 in the fifth.
Springdale (11-6, 2-3) appeared to be in good shape after Hunter Necessary's two-run, two-out double gave it an 8-5 lead heading to the seventh, but the Bulldogs issued four walks and three hits in the seventh. Springdale trailed 3-0 before exploding in a six-run fourth, highlighted by Ryne Whitaker's two-run double.
Harrison Heffley started for Rogers and gave up six runs in five innings while going 3 for 5 at the plate. Andrew Roach started for Springdale and gave up five runs in five innings. Jack Lindsey took the loss out of the bullpen. Jake Williams went 4 for 4 for Springdale.
The teams play again today in Rogers starting at 4:30 p.m. at Veterans Park.
Sports on 04/05/2016