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State Tournament Preview: 7A

May 13, 2015

By: Zac Bottoms
Arkansas Scouting Director

State Tournaments start on Thursday at 7 different locations across the state. Each tournament has its own special twist, but are all the same single elimination format. Here is a look at the 7A State Tournament hosted at Fayetteville High School and Bentonville High School.

Cabot High School, Conway High School, and Fayetteville High School won their respective conferences and receive a bye through the first round. Bentonville receives a bye after earning the No. 2 seed out of the 7A West.

First Round

2E Central High School vs 6W Rogers High School 12:00 PM Fayetteville HS

Central HS has finished the season hot sweeping North Little Rock HS to earn the 2 seed. They are led offensively 2016 C/INF Dakatoh Stafford. He hits in the middle of the lineup and has the ability to hit the ball to all fields. On the mound they the Tigers will look 2016 RHP Nathan Abraham, Abraham has advanced pitchability locating three pitches for a strike. The X factor for Central will be 2018 INF Aaron Mann, if Mann can continue to drive in runs the Tigers will have a chance in the first round.

Rogers HS has finished 6th in the competitive 7A west. It’s safe to say the key player for them will be 2015 RHP/INF Derek Sallee. Sallee is second in innings pitched, and leads the Mounties in several offensive categories. On the mound he has pitched 54 innings with an ERA of 3.63, with 63 strike outs and 29 walks. Offensively he led the team with 19 RBIs and is hitting .306. Kyle Eason will be the X factor for Rogers if he can get things going,  he may spark the offense enough to when the game. On the year Eason is hitting .326 with 6 doubles, 3 triples 15 RBI’s and 20 Runs scored.

4W Southside High School vs 3E North Little Rock High School 2:30 PM Fayetteville HS

Southside HS finished 4th in the 7A West behind a tough pitching duo of 2015 RHP Ty Harpenau and 2017 LHP DJ Reeves. In the first round I look for Harpenau to get the ball. The Texas Tech commit is tough with an upper 80’s fastball and an advanced slider. Seniors Christian Brasher and Tanner Wiley will be the key for the Rebels offensively. I don’t think Harpenau is going to give up many runs, so if Brasher can get on and Wiley can drive him in I think Southside will advance to the second round.

North Little Rock HS finished 3rd in the 7A East. On the mound they will turn to 2016 RHP Christian Goshen. Goshen is a 6-foot right-hander that works his fastball 84-86 mph with some sinking action. He compliments the fastball with a curveball and changeup that he throws for strikes. Behind Goshen the Charging Wildcats are young, starting at time 6 sophomores, 2 juniors and 1 senior. Offensively look for 2015 OF Danny Mitchell Jr. and 2016 C Ben Bailey to be the keys. Mitchell is hitting .333 with 14 RBI’s and 16 runs scored. Bailey is hitting .386 with 23 RBI’s. I think this group is a year away from making a run but if it’s going to happen this year both of those guys will have to have a productive tournament.

2C Bryant High School vs 5W Rogers Heritage High School 12:00 PM Bentonville HS

Bryant HS will start their run to defending the 2014 7A State Title against Heritage HS. The Hornets will hand the ball to 2015 RHP Blaine Knight. Knight is a 6-foot 3 right-hander with a fastball that works 86-89 mph and can get up to as high as 92 mph. Knight compliments the fastball with a wipe-out slider thrown 78-81 mph. Offensively they are led by a core of seniors that have shown the ability to get big hits in big situations. As a group Bryant is hitting .306 and uses a discipline approach to execute an offense. The X factor for Bryant will be 2016 LHP/OF Evan Lee, is hitting .302 with 10 RBI’s and 11 runs scored. Lee is one of the best athletes in the tournament if he plays well Bryant will get through the first round and should be a challenger until the end.

Rogers Heritage HS finished 5th in the 7A west. The War Eagles, stand behind a talented pitching staff with 2015 LHP Kacey Murphy and 2015 LHP Ty Harris leading that group. Murphy and Harris are both committed to Arkansas. I expect Murphy to get the ball on Thursday. Offensively things start with 2015 MIF Chase Kilgore, Kilgore is a versatile infielder with a short compact line drive swing. The X factor for Heritage could be 2017 RHP/INF Logan Easley, Easley is a good player with a line drive swing with some doubles power.

3W Har-Ber High School vs 3C Catholic High School 2:30 PM Bentonville HS

Har-Ber High School finished 3rd in the 7A west. Har-Ber is a veteran club, but has been banged up, losing 2015 OF Zach Stanley a month ago to a broken wrist. Offensively, they have gotten a solid year out of 2015 MIF Josh Stephens. Stephens is a fleet footed middle infielder that really picks it, offensively he has a line drive swing with the ability to hit the ball the other way. Each team in this tournament has at least one front-line starter and the Wildcats are no different. I expect them to start 2015 LHP Weston Rogers, Rogers is a 6-foot-4 230-pound lefty that works his fastball 84-87 mph with a sharp slider that he commands for strikes.

Catholic High School finished 3rd in the 7A Central. Catholic will ride young but talented pitching staff that has been good so far this spring. The Rockets challenge this year has been consistent run production. The top half of the lineup has the pieces to be successful with 2017 MIF Cameron Tissue, 2016 MIF Joe Myers and 2015 C William Hancock. IF they are going to make a run in this tournament they will have to find production from the bottom half of the lineup. In game one I expect to see 2016 LHP Dylan Thompson, Thompson has had a great year pitching big game after big game to anchor this staff. He is a 6-foot-3 170-pound left-hander that locates his fastball on both sides of the plate 83-85 mph and to 87 mph. He compliments his fastball with a change up and curveball that he has thrown for strikes

Second Round

Fayetteville High School vs Winner Game 1

Fayetteville HS won the 7A West behind a lights out pitching staff and consistent production throughout their line-up. The pre-season favorite to win the State Title the Purple Dogs are right on track with a record of 26-3 and have yet to lose to a team from Arkansas. Their pitching staff has been dominate and efficient, they have a staff ERA of .950 with 272 strike outs and 53 walks in 199 innings pitched. Offensively they are led by 3 seniors RHP/OF Cody Davenport, MIF Drew Tyler and C Grant Koch. Davenport leads them in RBIs, Tyler leads them in hits while Koch leads them in homeruns.

Conway High School vs Winner Game 2

Conway HS won the 7A Central. As veteran and experienced as Fayetteville is Conway may be the polar opposites, possibly being the youngest group in the Tournament. Youth does not mean lack of talent, one of the more talented teams as far as depth goes Conway starts 5 or 6 sophomores or freshman. Offensively they receive bog production from 2017 CIF Cade Tucker and 2017 MIF Kolby Reck. On the mound 2018 Jordan Wicks has been a stable hand in a staff that has battled injuries. If Conway makes a run it will be because 2015 MIF Jacob Adams plays well at short-stop and has a consistent tournament at the plate.

Bentonville High School vs Winner Game 3

Bentonville HS earns a bye, after finishing second in the 7A West. The Tigers have a record of 19-8. Offensively they are led by 2015 MIF Cody Scroggins, Scroggins is hitting .403 with 4 doubles, 4 triples and 25 runs scored. On the mound they 2016 RHP Kasey Ford leads a staff with an ERA 2.75. Ford has a 1.30 ERA with 80 strike outs and 12 walks. Ford is a 6-foot-4, 230-pound right-hander with an 87-90 mph fastball and a slider with late break. After Ford look for 2016 Drew Young or Preston Rosales to get the ball.

Cabot High School vs Winner Game 4

Cabot HS won the 7A East with a record of 17-8. Their pitching staff has been steady all year with a staff ERA of 2.01. 2015 LHP Gavin Tillery and 2017 RHP Chase Kyzer have been a great 1, 2 punch. Tillery has thrown 53.6 innings with an ERA of 1.17 and 42 strike outs. Kyzer has thrown 50.3 innings with an ERA of 1.39 while striking out 52. Offensively the Panthers are led by Tristan Bulice and Dylan Bowers. Bulice is hitting .338 with 8 doubles and 2 home runs. Bower is also hitting .338 with 3 doubles with 14 RBIs and 22 runs scored. The X factor for Cabot will be 2017 OF Evan Hooper, Hooper is a great athlete with fast bat speed. On the mound Hooper has a fastball 82-85 mph with late sink and a change up with arm side run.

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