Rogers Optimist Overpowers Bentonville

Zach Sample, Rogers starting pitcher, delivers a pitch Tuesday during the Optimist Club’s game against Bentonville at Northwest Park in Rogers.
Zach Sample, Rogers starting pitcher, delivers a pitch Tuesday during the Optimist Club’s game against Bentonville at Northwest Park in Rogers.

— Rogers Optimist broke out the bats early and cruised to a 17-11 win over Bentonville Nunnally Chevrolet in Zone 1 American Legion baseball Tuesday night at Northwest Park.

Rogers (14-3, 3-1 Zone 1) scored 10 runs in the first three innings and went on to claim first place in the zone.

Zac Stewart led Optimists’ hit parade, going 4-for-5 with two triples. He scored three runs and drove in one. Collin Roberts added four hits, two RBIs and three runs scored out of the lead-off spot.

Zach Sample drove in four runs, while Tyler Greenhaw and Orin Orlopp also had three hits apiece.

Rogers coach Tony Anderson was pleased with how his team started strong and kept adding on throughout the game as the Optimists scored in seven of their eight at-bats. Eight of Rogers’ nine starters either drove in at least one run or scored a run.

“I was really proud of how the boys hit the ball,” Anderson said. “They kept the bats rolling. We knew they were good hitting team and would keep coming.

“Reed Brown came in and pretty much shut them down. A pitcher hits a wall after about four or five innings, but he got it together and finished strong.”

Reed Brown pitched the final five innings to pick up the win for Rogers. Brown allowed four runs (three earned) on just two hits. He struck out four, walked two and hit a batter.

Bentonville coach Kyle Blevins was not pleased with his team’s effort.

“It was totally not what I expected,” Blevins said. “We just didn’t do things right tonight. The frustrating thing to me as a competitive player and coach is hustle seemed to be an issue tonight. We’re not going to stand for that.”

Rogers added to Blevins’ frustrations by finding holes with several bloop hits to keep adding on runs.

“How many dink and dunk balls did they get tonight? We’ve just got to be better.”

The game was halted for about 30 minutes in the top of the eighth inning when a pitch bounced up and hit Rogers catcher Austin Griffin in the throat. Griffin passed out when he was being checked out by Anderson and he was taken to Northwest Medical Center for precautionary measures.

However, Griffin lost consciousness for only a few seconds and was talking and answering questions when he was loaded into the ambulance, Anderson said.

Trent Hill led Bentonville (12-6, 2-2) offensively, going 3-for-5 with a pair of two-run homers and five RBIs. Blake Petersen also had two hits.

Bentonville will continue Zone 1 play at Fort Smith Kerwins at 6 p.m. Thursday, while Rogers will host Kerwins on Friday at 6 p.m.

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