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Regional Preview: 3A

May 7, 2015

By: Zac Bottoms
Arkansas Scouting Director

In regional tournament play, the format is win one game and you advance to the state tournament, a week from Thursday. So Friday, each team will hope to take their best shot at advancing to the 3A State Tournament at Genoa Central High School.

3A Region 1

Favorite: Lamar High School: Lamar should swing their way through this regional. A strong offense that challenged last year’s defending state champions Genoa Central to their best game in State tournament leading 5-1 until the 6th. Pitching will be the key, if they can command the strike zone enough look for them to win this tournament.

Challenger: Booneville High School: Booneville and Lamar are familiar foes, finishing 1 and 2 in the conference season and in the district tournament. Booneville has shown the ability to pitch with a staff ERA of 2.25, led by RHP Brady Brasher who is 5-0 with a 1.50 ERA with 39 strike outs with only 7 walks.

Cinderella: Greenland High School: Greenland is a young team starting several freshman and sophomores. Young teams, sometimes can be fearless, if that’s the case look out for the Pirates as they have the talent to be a tough out.

3A Region 1 At Lavaca High School
10:00 AM 1W Lavaca HS  4th 4 Atkins HS
12:30 PM 2nd 4 Booneville HS 3rd 1W Greenland HS
3:00 PM 4W Lamar HS  4th 1W West Fork HS
5:30 PM 2nd 1W Mansfield HS  3rd 4 Charleston HS

3A Region 2

Favorite: Harding Academy; Harding Academy should be the favorite, they are led by 2016 C J. Paul Fullerton, a solid defensive catcher with some power from the left-side. He has several solid pieces around him with 2016 OF Noah Holt, 2018 MIF, Pate Fullerton, and 2018 OF/RHP Peyton Harlow. This group is talented enough to win the regional and make a run in the state tournament, if they play consistent defense and throw enough strikes.

Challenger: Benton Harmony Grove High School: Benton Harmony Grove has some veteran group led by 2015 Tyler Hamilton on the mound and 2015 C Zach Caplinger behind the plate, in the middle of their lineup. The Cardinals will be a tough out, if they can get enough production out of the rest of the pitching staff.

Cinderella: Mayflower High School: It’s tough to consider a yearly contender a Cinderella story but, if tradition holds true they will be in the mix. They are led by 2015 MIF/RHP Drew Duncan, the versatile athlete is steady at short stop and has been tough on the mound for the Eagles. They have split with Harding Academy during the regular season match-ups, if both win it should be a great semi-final match-up.

3A Region 2  At Bald Knob HS
10:00 AM W2 Harding Academy 4th 5 Episcopal Collegiate
12:30 PM  2nd 5 Mayflower HS 3rd 2 Bald Knob
3:00 PM W5 Benton Harmony Grove  4th 2 Rose Bud HS
5:30 PM 2nd 2 Cedar Ridge HS  3rd 5 Bismark

 

3A Region 3

Favorite:  Rivercrest High School: Rivercrest is the 3A-3 District Champions and Conference Champions, expect them to keep their great season going with solid play in all phases of the game. 2015 INF Dylan McLemore will provide leadership to carry this group through.

Challenger: Cotter High School: Cotter won the 3A-1 East District tournament last week at the same venue. Teams that are hot and familiar with a location are always a group to be weary of.

Cinderella: The Field: This could be a tough first round, any team standing after the first round should challenge the favorites.

3A Region 3 At Harrison Sportsplex
10:00 AM W 1E Cotter HS  4th 3 Piggot HS
12:30 PM 2nd 3 Hoxie HS  3rd 1E Melbourne HS
3:00 PM W3 Rivercrest HS  4th 1E Green Forest HS
5:30 PM 2nd 1E Flippin HS  3rd 3 Corning HS 

3A Region 4

Favorite: Smackover High School: The Buckaroos should win this region. A veteran team with several seniors including LHP Logan Clark, OF Trip Evans, and MIF Jackson Martin. The X-factor for this group maybe 2016 Keandre Purifoy, if he can provide enough pop in the middle of the order, Smackover may not only win this tournament, but possibly the state tournament.

Challenger: Horatio High School: Coach Spigner has his group in its normal position this time of year. In the hunt for another regional title. On the mound they lean on 2016 RHP Cole Boyd. Boyd has electric stuff striking out 82 hitters in just 44.3 innings. He also is their leading hitter hitting .506 with 7 homeruns and 35 RBI’s.

Cinderella: Genoa Central: I don’t think you can label them as a Cinderella, but with two losses to Horatio in the past 7 days and an early loss to Smackover, the Dragons can’t be considered a favorite either. Genoa has a talented group with 2015 MIF Garrett Huff and 2015 INF/RHP Cale Ridling and 2016 RHP Justin Swecker, all of these players are upper tier players. If they defend, the Dragons will have a chance to defend their regional title and maybe even their State Title.

Region 4 At Smackover HS
10:00 AM W7 Horatio HS  4th 8 McGehee HS 
12:30 PM 2nd 8 Fordyce HS  3rd 7 Fouke HS
3:00 PM W8 Smackover HS  4th 7 Prescott HS
5:30 PM Genoa Central HS  3rd 8 Camden Harmony Grove 

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