ROGERS -- Brett Gentz has stopped trying to strike out every hitter, and he's found success lately.
Siloam Springs never could figure out the Rogers High pitcher in the first game of their 7A/6A-West Conference doubleheader Thursday at Veterans Park.
How They Scored
Rogers High 10, Siloam Springs 0
Siloam Springs^000^00^—^0^1^2
Rogers^050^5x^—^10^7^0
Beever and McSpadden; Gentz and Ivey. W - Gentz, 4-2. L - Beever. HRs - None.
Game 2
Rogers High 17, Siloam Springs 0
Siloam Springs^000^00^—^0^4^2
Rogers^015^(11)x^—^17^10^0
Bolstad, Cook (4), Hunt (4) and McSpadden; Farnan, Sallee (5) and Ivey. W - Farnan, 4-2. L - Bolstad. HRs - Rogers, D’Amico (1).
Gentz allowed only one hit and only two balls left in the infield as Rogers blanked Siloam Springs 10-0.
He faced just 16 batters -- one over the minimum -- allowing only a two-out double by John Austin Earles in the fourth. Gentz (4-2) struck out 10 and did not walk a batter.
Gentz said not overthrowing was the key.
"I came out and threw like I wanted," Gentz said. "Honestly, the couple games I didn't pitch well, I was overthrowing, trying to throw it past guys. Now I'm just trying to hit the glove. It's been working out. I've been getting ground balls and stuff."
Rogers coach Matt Melson liked what he saw.
'That's two good games in a row for Brett," Melson said. "We're excited about getting him going a little bit. The main thing is he didn't walk anybody. His two-seamer was running. His breaking ball he threw in the dirt with two strikes; he had command of that.
"We talk about three keys to high school baseball are throwing strikes, making routine plays in the field and being opportunistic at the plate. We did that."
Melson was also pleased with sophomore Zach Hall's performance.
Hall went 2-for-2 with an RBI and two runs scored in the designated hitter slot.
"He's a spark plug, can run real well," Melson said. "I like the way he approaches lefties, stays on the pitches. I know that we're going to see two next week."
Timmy Seldomridge also drove in three runs, while Zach Arrick drove in two for the Mounties, who scored five in the bottom of the second and never looked back.
Game 2
Rogers 17, Siloam Springs 0
Brett D'Amico hit a grand slam to key a five-run bottom of the third, and the Mounties blew the game open with an 11-run fourth.
D'Amico went 2-for-3 and drove in six to lead the Mounties (14-11, 6-6 7A/6A-West). Nolan Farnan also went 2-for-2 with a walk and drove in two, while Arrick was 1-for-2 with two RBIs.
Farnan improved to 4-2, pitching five scoreless inning. He scattered four hits, struck out eight and walked one.
Rogers finishes up conference play with a doubleheader at crosstown rival Rogers Heritage next week.
Sports on 05/02/2014