Super Tuesday: Preview
April 12, 2016
By: Zac Bottoms
Prep Baseball Report
The 2016 season is rapidly approaching its’ end. As the end gets closer the margin for error shrinks in each of the conference races. Tuesday, April 12th will be looked back on by several teams as a turning point either for the positive or the negative. Here is a preview of some of the critical matchups.
7A West
Rogers vs Fayetteville, Har-Ber vs Southside, and Bentonville vs Heritage. All three games have a critical impact on the overall race with Rogers, Har-Ber and Bentonville all being tied for first in the league. If all teams are defeated tomorrow, the league will be a jumbled up mess with 5 teams with a conference record of 5-3.
7A Central
Catholic squares off against Conway. Catholic will hand the ball to 2018 LHP Evan Hiatt who has been sharp all spring. I expect Conway to give the ball to 2016 LHP Collin Cahill, who will try to repeat his performance from last week were he shut out Bryant with a 4-0 victory. Conway has a deeper line up, but Catholic has more players with the ability to change the game with one swing of the bat.
5A West
Greenbrier vs Little Rock Christian: The top two teams in the 5A west square off in a double header. Greenbrier has two high profile players in 2017 CIF Paxton Wallace and 2017 LHP Hunter Milliigan, both are talented enough to carry the majority of the load and make the team much better. LRCA is a solid baseball team with a disciplined approach to the game. 2016 CIF/RHP Dylan Hays and 2019 C Cason Tollett will have to help provide some offense for Little Rock Christian to win.
5A South
Watson Chapel vs Magnolia. The two teams atop the 5A south meet Tuesday. Watson Chapel will ride a talented pitching staff and a dynamic centerfielder in 2018 OF Jakobi Jackson. Magnolia is not short on talent as well as they are led by 2017 INF Matt Goodheart. Goodheart is a solid athlete with an advanced offensive skill set.
4 4A
Ozark vs Dover. Two teams that are undefeated in confernce play, with several returners from successful 2015 campaigns. Ozark has challenged themselves with a tough non-conference schedule and has suffered some losses, but is battle tested. Dover is 13-1, this will be the best team they have play so far. 2016 OF Luke Price lead Dover’s offensive the physical right-handed hitter has more power than any other hitter in 4A.
8 4A
Fordyce vs Smackover. The two front-runners for the conference. Fordyce relies on two senior right handers in RHP Ross Rogers and RHP Tommy Tidwell. Either way they go they will be in solid hands. Both pitchers command the strike zone and compete with a solid secondary. Smackover will pitch 2017 RHP Beau Burson, Burson is an athletic player with versatile skills.
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