Talented Bulldogs Aim High

— With just the right mix of experience, pitching, defense and talented youth, Fayetteville appears to have all the pieces together for a special season.

Schedule

Fayetteville Bulldogs

Date Opponent Time

March 2 Tulsa (Okla.) Union noon

March 9 Cabot 12 p.m.

March 12 at Rogers High (DH)* 4:30 p.m.

March 26 Rogers Heritage (DH)* 4:30 p.m.

March 28-30 at Jenks/Broken Arrow Classic TBA

April 2 Springdale Har-Ber (DH)* 4:30 p.m.

April 9 at Van Buren (DH)* 4:30 p.m.

April 11-13 at Sand Springs/Broken Arrow Tournament TBA

April 18 Springdale High (DH)* 4:30 p.m.

April 20 at Conway/Little Rock Catholic 1 p.m./3:30 p.m.

April 25 Siloam Springs (DH)* 4:30 p.m.

April 26 Memphis (Houston High)^ 7 p.m.

April 27 Collierville, Tenn.^ 2 p.m.

May 2 at Bentonville (DH)* 4:30 p.m.

May 4 vs. Kansas City Rockhurst$ 2 p.m.

May 7 at Greenwood 6 p.m.

May 9-11 7A State Tournament at Rogers TBA

^ denotes at Christian Brothers

$ denotes at Bentonville

  • denotes 7A/6A-West Conference game

Now, the Bulldogs just have to go out and meet the high expectations.

Fayetteville returns six position starters this spring, and the team is led by a pitching staff that could be one of the best ever assembled in the program’s history. That combination has the Purple’Dogs setting their sights on a seventh state baseball championship.

“We’ve got three kids who have been around in the lineup,” Fayetteville coach Vance Arnold said. “Carson Shaddy and Logan Hyatt have started for three years, and Austin Allen will be starting for a fourth year. So that’s kind of the backbone of our defense, and then we’ve got a talented group of sophomores to mix in.”

The Bulldogs must replace catcher Connor Roberts, outfielders Dominic Noto and Landon Summers and first baseman Cade Waller this spring. Plenty of talent appears ready to take over with Shaddy moving behind the plate, junior Kyle Pate in centerfield, senior Forrest Johnson in the outfield, transfer Drew Tyler at shortstop and senior Davis Huddleston at first base.

Tyler is one of just many sophomores expected to contribute in a big way for Fayetteville. Both Grant Cook and Conner Shaw will also see time in the field, and the team’s top pitcher, Andy Pagnozzi, is back after a standout freshman season.

“A lot of these sophomores have played a lot,” Arnold said. “So they’ve got some experience.”

While the offense could improve, the pitching staff is what makes Fayetteville a team to beat. Pagnozzi and Pate — a lefthander who has been offered to play at Arkansas — are the Bulldogs’ expected 1-2 starters during conference play. Add in Will Ginger, Cody Davenport and senior Forrest Fultz and this year’s staff has the makings of one of the best around.

“It’s a talented group,” Arnold said. “It’s the deepest quality pitching staff we’ve ever had. And all we ask of these guys is to just go out and throw strikes. As good as we are defensively, we don’t need to strike every batter out.”

The Bulldogs are seeking their first state championship since 2009 when they finished off a run of four consecutive titles. In order to get there, a tough nonconference schedule will be used to help test their worth.

“That’s why we took on two big weekend tournaments this year,” Arnold said. “We play in Broken Arrow and Sand Springs, and there will be nationally ranked teams there. And we go to Memphis to play Houston High out of Memphis, so we may get some bumps and bruises along the way.

“But we’ve talked to the kids about having those high expectations. Those expectations don’t mean anything unless you back it up.”

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