Harrison jumps on River Valley early, holds on

HARRISON -- The Harrison McDonald's Big Macs got off to another big start in their second contest in the American Legion Baseball AA State tournament but had to hold off a couple of late rallies by the River Valley Tropics to post a 10-7 victory in the winners' bracket semifinals Saturday afternoon on Pippin Field at Community First Bank Sports Complex.

In Friday's first-round contest, Harrison scored five runs in the first inning and two more in the second and eventually defeated Jonesboro Fat City 15-2. On Saturday, the Big Macs plated four runs in the top of the fourth and eventually held leads of 6-1 and 10-5.

Lead-off batter Jenner Jones was hit by a pitch and Nathan Kane and Hunter Humphrey each singled. Jones later scored on a wild pitch before designated hitter Baker Wilson cleared the bases with a three-run home run over the right-center field fence for a 4-0 lead.

River Valley got one of those runs back when Kamron Hurst led off the bottom of the first with a single and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Brandon Wolski.

Harrison's bats came alive again in the top of the third when the Big Macs scored two runs on four hits. Kane and Humphrey led off with back to back singles and with one out, Kane scored on a single by James Trammell then Humphrey scored on a single by Dalton Sattler to up Harrison's lead to 6-1.

The Tropics had their biggest inning of the day in the bottom of the third, scoring four runs off three hits and three Harrison errors. Jace Hudson an Max Higgins each had an RBI single in the inning while errors allowed the other two runs to score as River Valley crept to within 6-5.

But Harrison got all four of those runs back in the top of the fourth when Wilson had an RBI single, Trammell smacked a one-run double and two more runs scored on a single by Hunter Marshall for a 10-5 Big Macs' advantage.

The Tropics scored the last two runs of the game in to bottom of the sixth when Eric James doubled and scored on a single by Dyllanger Choate who then scored on a double by Zach Leos.

Drew Fitzgerald went 5 1/3 innings on the mound to pick up the victory for Harrison. He allowed 9 hits, struck out 5 and walked 2. Only three of the seven runs he allowed were earned.

The Big Macs finished the game with 13 hits as Kane went 4 for 4 while Humphrey, Wilson and Trammell each had two. Kane scored three runs while Humphrey and Wilson each scored twice.

River Valley also had 13 hits. Hurst led the way with three while Hudson, James and Higgins each had two.

Harrison;402 400 0 -- 10 13 3

River Valley;104 002 0 -- 7 13 1

Fitzgerald, Eddings (6) and Schuh; Hudson, Robinson (2), Choate (4) and Moudy, Wolski (4). W -- Fitzgerald. L -- Hudson. HR -- Wilson.

Maumelle 6, Sheridan 3

A three-run home run by Walker Culp in the top of the fifth was the difference in the contest as Maumelle defeated Sheridan to join Harrison in the winners' bracket final.

With a man on second and two out in the top of the fifth, the Sheridan coaching staff gambled and had pitcher Brady Bibb intentionally walk Tanner Kirby for a possible force out at any base. But Culp made them pay for that gamble when he smacked the ball over the wall in left field that bumped Maumelle's lead from 3-2 to 6-2.

Walker finished with two hits to lead Maumelle. Kirby pitched all seven innings to pick up the victory, striking out 10 along the way.

Maumelle;002 040 0 -- 6 6 1

Sheridan;110 010 0 -- 3 6 2

Kirby and Post; Glidden, Bibb (3) and Daggett. W -- Kirby. L -- Glidden. HR -- Culp

HARRISON 10, MAUMELLE 1

HARRISON — Tourney host Harrison McDonald’s remained the only unbeaten team left after the Big Macs clobbered Maumelle in Saturday’s late contest on Jack Williams Field.

And unlike their previous two games, it took the Big Macs a couple of innings to get any offense going. Maumelle took the initial lead in the bottom of the first, Quinton Wyrick singled with one out and scored on a single by Walker Culp.

Harrison waited until the third inning before doing most of its damage, scoring eight runs on eight hits and three errors. Jenner Jones began the big inning with a double, followed by a single by Nathan Kane and Hunter Humphrey drew a walk to load the bases. First baseman Baker Wilson then hit his second home run of the day, planting a grand slam over the wall in right field to give Harrison the lead for good.

James Trammell hit a single, scoring on a double by Dalton Sattler who scored on a single by Hunter Marshall. Jones then had his second hit of the inning and both runners scored on a single to center by Kane to make it 8-1.

Harrison ......................... 008 000 2 — 10 16 1 Maumelle ....................... 100 000 0 — 1 5 6 Eddings, Davis and Parker, Curtis (2), Schuh (6); Young, Strickland (3), McCullough (5) and Culp. W — Eddings. L — Young. HR — Wilson.

Sports on 07/27/2014