Year In Review: No. 7 3A and 4A State Championships
December 23, 2016
By: Zac Bottoms
Arkansas Scouting Director
The year of 2016 was a busy year for Prep Baseball Report Arkansas. We hosted 12 showcase events, scouted 3 tournaments during high schools season and 8 during the summer. Our staff saw over 100 games during the high school season. Today we look at 3A and 4A State Championship Games.
3A
Horatio took care of business beating a young Booneville team 7-0. 2016 RHP Tanner Vaught, pitched a complete game allowing 0 runs on 2 hits, 0 walks, while striking out 7. Offensively the Lions were led by Treyce Young who reached base 4 times during day going 2 for 3 with 2 singles. He also walked twice and scored two runs. Horatio as a team scored 7 runs on 7 hits, taking advantage of 8 walks. Booneville’s youth played a role as they made some youthful mistakes that the veteran club from Horatio.
Moving Forward
Horatio, lost a solid group of seniors with Cole Boyd, Hunter Lansdell, and Tanner Vaught. This group carried the load on the mound. Boyd also was one of the most feared hitters in the classification. Coach Lance Spigner always has Horatio in the mix, so I am not counting them out in a rebuilding year. Their pitching staff has an anchor in a transfer with 2018 RHP Wade Beasley (Arkansas commit) and they have an offensive catalyst in 2018 C/OF Zach Izzo.
Booneville will move back up to a 4A classification, they return the majority of their players from last season including 2019 OF/RHP Brandon Ulmer and 2019 OF Michael Hesson. There may night be a better 1-2 combination at the top of a line up in 4A baseball, I am just unsure if they have enough around them to make a run deep in the state tournament.
4A
The best game of the day with Shiloh Christian defeating Ashdown 1-0. 2016 LHP Gunner Gilbert (Shiloh Christian) and 2016 LHP Austin Cross pitched lights out, using the same receipt for success. A fastball on both sides of the plate and a sharp curveball with late break. Shiloh scored their lone run in the 6th inning on a ball up out of the zone the catcher could not corral. Ashdown threatened with two hits in the 7th but Gilbert worked out of a jam to preserve the win.
Moving Forward
Shiloh Christian has several key pieces returning that should give them a shot to repeat. 2018 RHP Landon Brown will lead their pitching staff and is a legitimate No.1 in any rotation. 2018 1B Luke Johnson is a middle of the order bat that has the ability to change games with one swing of the bat. Ashdown lost several key pieces including 2016 LHP Austin Cross. Fortunately for them, they have some big time talent returning and a solid crop of young players to replace the group of seniors they lost. On the mound 2017 RHP/MIF Taj Bishop and 2018 RHP Jaden Hill will be there one two punch. Bishop has advanced pitchability and a mid-80’s fastball and Hill has electric stuff flashing a fastball up to 92 mph and a feel for his breaking ball. Offensively look for 2017 OF/MIF Bryson Haskins to get them going out of the leadoff spot.