HARRISON -- There will be a new Class 3A baseball champion crowned next weekend in Fayetteville.
Horatio, the No. 4 seed from Region 4, made sure of that by knocking off Region 2 winner and defending state champion Harding Academy 7-3 on Thursday in the opening game of the Class 3A state tournament at the Community First Sports Complex.
Horatio trailed 3-2 going into the top of the sixth inning, but it finally got to Wildcats starter Austin Calhoun and knocked him out of the game.
Jose Luna started the inning for Horatio with a single and scored on a double by Cole Boyd to tie the score at 3-3. Jordan Izzo walked, and it looked like reliever J. Paul Fullerton might get the Wildcats out of trouble when he struck out Hunter Lansdell for the second out of the inning, but Jason Barron reached on an error that allowed Boyd and Izzo to score and give Horatio a 5-3 lead.
Harding Academy put two runners in scoring position in the bottom of the sixth, but Izzo, Horatio's starter, got a strikeout to end the rally.
The Lions then padded their lead with two runs in the top of the seventh when Luna singled with one out and scored on a triple by Kade Caudle, who eventually scored on an error to make it 7-3.
Harding Academy managed to load the bases with two outs in the bottom of the seventh, but a groundout ended the game.
Harding Academy scored first when Glover Helpenstill reached on a fielder's choice and scored on a double by Calhoun in the bottom of the first.
Horatio pulled even at 1-1 in the top of the third when Izzo walked and scored on an error.
Harding Academy took a 3-1 edge in the bottom of the third when Fullerton walked and later scored on a balk and Helpenstill reached on a fielder's choice and scored on a bases-loaded walk.
Horatio finished the game with 11 hits, two each from Boyd, Izzo, Luna, Tanner Vaught and Caleb Ward. Izzo, Luna and Caudle scored two runs each.
Izzo also picked up the victory on the mound, striking out eight over six innings.
Harding Academy was limited to five hits, with Fullerton and Calhoun providing two each. Helpenstill scored twice.
Sports on 05/16/2014