SPRINGDALE - Matt Fields is quite familiar with the left-field porch at Arvest Ballpark.
In fact, he got downright cozy with it Tuesday night.
The Northwest Arkansas Naturals’ first baseman, who leads the team with 18 home runs, hit 23 out of the park - many line drives that quickly cleared the left-field wall - to win the Texas League All-Star Game Home Run Derby.
“This is amazing, especially to do it here,” Fields said. “I couldn’t be happier.”
Fields hit a first-round best 13 home runs to advance to the championship round against Kiel Roling of the Tulsa Drillers. Roling, who has 16 home runs this season, hit 10 home runs in the first round and finished with six in the championship round.
Six Texas League players and Colby Demato, a high school player from Spiro, Okla., took part in the event. Demato won a home run derby contest among area high school players for a chance to take part in Tuesday night’s competition. He hit two home runs Tuesday.
“It feels really good to be here,” Demato told the crowd before his first-round at-bat. “Let’s go.”
Demato finished fifth among the first-round minor-league competition, one home run ahead of George Springer of Corpus Christi, who leads the Texas League with 19 home runs, and two better of Frisco’s Brett Nicholas, who didn’t hit a home run in his at-bat.
Springer hit a quick home run before recording 10 consecutive outs.
Arkansas Travelers center fielder Randal Grichuk finished the first round with four home runs.
Fields had eight home runs with just one out remaining in the first round when he strung together a streak of five consecutive home runs. He then hit four home runs after recording seven outs in the second round.
“My heart started skipping a bit there late,” Fields said. “I just wanted to relax, put the bat on the ball and make it as fun as possible.”
Sports, Pages 24 on 06/26/2013