FAYETTEVILLE -- Fayetteville appeared to be more of a team in mid-season form than one going through a season opener on Saturday. But for the defending Class 7A champion, playing sharp baseball right out of the gate might not be that much of a surprise.
Fayetteville got five innings of shutout baseball from junior pitcher Andy Pagnozzi, played clean defense in the field and a big day at the plate with 12 hits in a 7-4 win over Conway to open the new season at the refurbished Bulldog Field.
Prep Baseball
7A Nonconference
Fayetteville 7, Conway 4
Conway^000^004^0^ —^4^7^1
Fayetteville^020^320^X ^—^7^12^0
Williams, Schichtl (6) and Alexander; Pagnozzi, Shaw (6) and Koch. W - Pagnozzi (1-0). L - Williams (0-1). HR - Conway, Jones.
"We played well. We didn't commit any errors behind Andy and we got some hits," Fayetteville coach Vance Arnold said. "Andy did a good job on the mound and with the bat, and we had a lot of guys hit."
Duck Dunn, who had missed almost all of the past two seasons with a torn labrum and mononucleosis, made the most of his return to the Fayetteville lineup. The senior second baseman was 3-for-3 with a double, two singles, four RBIs and one run scored.
"Dunn had a big day," Arnold said. "That was good for him, in his first game back."
Conway left 11 runners on base and twice appeared to threaten with runners in scoring position. Both times, though, Pagnozzi worked out of tough spots including a one-out bases loaded jam in the top of the fifth.
"(Pagnozzi) is a good one and he comes up with big pitches," Conway coach Noel Boucher said. "We left 11 runners on base and we just couldn't come up with the timely hits. But this is our first time out and I think Fayetteville is a little farther along than us in the pitching at this point."
Conway (0-2) did keep it interesting enough near the end, getting four runs off relief pitcher Connor Shaw in the sixth inning to cut its deficit to three runs. Shaw settled down after that, closing out the Wampus Cats in the seventh inning to preserve the win.
"Connor just hung one pitcher to their batter (on the home run)," Arnold said. "But he usually throws strikes for us."
Fayetteville (2-0) closed out Saturday's doubleheader with a 5-3 win against Conway. Kyle Pate picked up the pitching victory, allowing no hits in five innings. Grant Koch provided much of a pop at the plate with two home runs and 4 RBIs.
The Bulldogs return to action at 4:30 p.m. Thursday when they host Fort Smith Southside.
Sports on 03/09/2014