By: Zac Bottoms
Arkansas Scouting Director

 

The Best Sports Classic kicked off last night in Bentonville, with No. 1 Conway playing a double header vs No.7 Bentonville and No. 5 Har-Ber. The tournament will feature several of the top teams from larger classifications as the week continues.

Conway 8 vs Bentonville 4

2018 LHP Jordan Wicks gave Conway the start they needed and the offense did the rest, in an 8-4 win over Bentonville.

In the first Conway took a 1-0 over Bentonville when 2018 LHP/1B Jordan Wicks hit a single to drive in a run. It took Conway little time to give away their 1 run lead. The Tigers scored unearned runs on 3 hits to take a 3-1 lead after the 1^st inning.

2018 Jordan Wicks, continued to make pitches and worked 3 consecutive shutout innings to allow the offense enough time to secure a victory. His final line on the night was 4 innings pitched, with 5 strike outs, no walks, 3 hits and 3 unearned runs.  Wicks is very impressive with his advanced feel for three pitches, his location and movement kept the Bentonville hitter off balance consistently.

The Wampus Cats to the lead in the top of the 3^rd as they were opportunistic taking advantage of Bentonville mistakes and contributing with timely hits, scoring 5 runs, driving the score to 6-3 a lead that would not be relinquished.

Scoring was quiet in the 5^th, Conway tacked on 2 more in the 6^th, to push the score to 8-3 after 6 innings of play. In the 7^th Bentonville competed hard scoring a run on a hit by 2020 G Sam Golden which drove in 2018 OF/INF Kam’Ron Mays-Hunt that started the inning with a single.

Conway was paced offensively by 2017 OF McCall Dail, 2018 C Jack Stroths and 2018 LHP/1B, all three had multiple hits, (Dail 2, Stroths 2, and Wicks 4)

Final Score Conway 8 Bentonville 4

Har-Ber 3 vs Conway 1

Game too was eerily familiar to game one except Conway was on the other end of a big day by a dynamic two way player.

2019 RHP/OF Blake Adams had a big day, and propelled No. 5 Har-Ber to upset No. 1 Conway. Adams line on the night was 5 innings pitched 5 strike outs 0 walks and 0 hits. Offensively he went 1 for 3 with an RBI and run scored. Adams was in complete control of the game locating 3 different pitches for a strike using a repeated smooth delivery.

In the Bottom of the 1^st 2018 MIF Blaze Brothers reached on a leadoff walk, solid base running advanced him to second a fielder’s choice advanced him to 3^rd before Adams hit a single to left field. The courtesy runner advanced to second on a ball in the dirt and later scored on a two out single. Har-ber scratched across another run in the second to expand the lead to 3-0 after two.

Each teams exchanged 0s in the 3^rd-5^th. In the 5^th Conway broke up the no hitter in 6^th eventually breaking up the shutout as well. 2018 LHP Jack Lisle worked out a 2 on jam in the 6^th and again stranded 2 Wampus Cats in the 7^th to pick up the save.

This was a well-played game by two well coached teams, it is early but this is a matchup that may have a lot at stake if they meet in May. 

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