Fall Prospect Progam: SAU Instant Analysis Session I
September 14, 2015
By: Zac Bottoms
Arkansas Scouting Director
The Fall Prospect League kicked off yesterday, with the first location being Southern Arkansas University at Goodheart Field. The event saw 49 kids compete. Here is my instant analysis of the first session of the day.
Batting Practice
Purple Team
2018 C Zach Melugin, Lakeside HS: He showed fast bat speed with an advanced feel for the barrel and the ability to hit the ball to all fields. He starts with an athletic stance, transitions with a smooth load and attacks the baseball with a slight uphill bat path. He maintained balance and rhythm throughout his swing.
Black Team
2016 OF Ryan Hunter Maumelle HS: Hunter has a short compact left-handed stroke that produced consistent line drives during batting. He starts from a slight open stance and dives in over the plate. He has fast batt speed with a line drive bat path. He stayed balance through extension.
In and Out
Purple Team
2017 MIF Dylan Anderson Jessieville HS: He played through balls on a consistent basis with fluid footwork and soft hands. His transition was fluid with an accurate arm with carry. On the double play his exchange was quick and clean footwork. He had above average body control on the slow roller.
2016 Harrison Rutledge, Maumelle HS: Rutledge made all the plays look easy during in and out. He played through the baseball with soft hands. He has fluid footwork, quick exchange and an accurate arm. He showed off his pure athleticism on the slow roller handling that play with ease.
Game
The game was a back and forth affair that ended in a 5-5 tie.
The black team jumped out to a 1-0 led in the 1st when 2017 Nick Grimsley lead off the game with a single stole second advanced on an infield single by Harrison Rutledge and scored on an error. Rutledge stole a bag and eventually was cut down at home plate after a passed ball. 2017 Michael Covin from Sylvan Hills HS settled in striking out the next two hitters to finish the inning.
The pitchers kept both teams at bay in the 2nd, in the bottom of the 3rd the Purple team scratched out a run to tie the game. Jordan Gober led off the inning with a walk and scored on a two out error on a Zach Melugin pop up.
The Black team answered quickly in the 4th when Harrison Rutledge led the inning off with an infield single and scored when Ryan Hunter drove a ground-rule double down the right-field line. Hunter later scored on a Shelby Quiggins 4-3 ground out to extend the lead to 3-1.
The Purple team scored 1 in the 4th Kemp Truslow led off with a walk and later scored on a Dylan Anderson 6-3 ground out.
The black team was held silent on the score board when 2016 LHP Gunnar Gilbert came into pitch. The senior lefty cruised striking out 8 in his three innings of work. Pitching off his fastball on both sides off the plate and putting hitters away with a swing and miss curveball.
In the bottom of the 8th the purple team did damage scoring three runs with two outs when 2017 INF Race Title drove a ball in the right center gap clearing the bases. He was thrown out advancing to second to end the 8th with the purple team leading 5-3.
Rutledge and Hunter lead the black team in the top of the 9th with Rutledge reaching on an infield hit Hunter drawing a walk and both scoring on a Shelby Quiggins double to tie the game 5-5.
Quiggings heroics were not done in the 9th as he came in the 9th to close the door, pitching an efficient 9th striking out 2 hitters to complete the tie at 5-5.
Both teams will be back in action in two weeks as the fall league will compete at Arkansas Tech University on Sunday September 26th.
Related Content