Prairie Grove and Pulaski Academy will meet today in an early season showdown of top-ranked baseball teams in the state.
The game will be played at Clarksville, beginning at 4 p.m. Prairie Grove (4-0) is ranked No. 1 in Class 4A, while Pulaski Academy (5-1) is ranked No. 2 in Class 5A.
Today’s game will feature two Arkansas signees pitching against each other — Aaron Kincaid for Prairie Grove and Lawson Vassar for Pulaski Academy. Kincaid is 2-0 on the season with a 0.50 ERA.
“We kept missing each other. They play Shiloh Christian, we play Shiloh Christian, and we decided to meet at a neutral site,” Prairie Grove coach Mitch Cameron said. “I’m excited for our kids because Pulaski Academy, historically, is very good. It should be a great game.”
Prairie Grove is off to a fast start after finishing 23-5 last season. The Tigers are ranked No. 1 in 4A with a resume that includes victories against two 7A programs, 8-0 over Springdale High and 6-3 over Fort Smith Northside.
“It’s early, so we don’t put a lot of stock in being (ranked) No. 1,” Cameron said. “For us, it’s all about facing good competition and seeing how our players respond. The outcome, in many cases, is irrelevant.”
Gravette Sophomore Sets School 1,600 Mark
GRAVETTE — Roberto Garcia did more than just finish eighth in the 1,600-meter run during last week’s Joe Roberts Invitational in Springdale.
The Gravette sophomore opened the outdoor track season by setting a school record, finishing the event in 4 minutes, 57.66 seconds.
“I’m very excited about that,” Gravette coach Kevin Cole said. “He’s gong to have a great spring.
“He was in the first heat because we didn’t have times for our kids. He won it, and I think he’s just in the right spot. He and another kid battled pretty good, and that might have been what helped him out.”
Cole said he hopes to see improvement from last week when Gravette takes part in the Tiger Relays at Bentonville. A number of larger schools will also be at the meet Thursday, but Cole said he’s not worried about those teams.
“At this point, you’re just using these meets to get your kids in shape,” Cole said. “That’s what I’m looking for. I’m looking for our kids to compete and try to improve on everything else.
“We just need to get better each week. We’re trying to compete against some of our own records. We’re not going out there to win a meet against the 7A-West and those competing there.”
— HENRY APPLE