Baseball: Purple'Dogs Back In Title Game

Special to NWA Media Mark Buffalo Andy Pagnozzi, Fayetteville third baseman, throws out a Cabot runner in the top of the seventh innning during the Bulldogs’ 5-0 win over the Panthers in the semifinals of the Class 7A state tournament Monday at Burns Park in North Little Rock.
Special to NWA Media Mark Buffalo Andy Pagnozzi, Fayetteville third baseman, throws out a Cabot runner in the top of the seventh innning during the Bulldogs’ 5-0 win over the Panthers in the semifinals of the Class 7A state tournament Monday at Burns Park in North Little Rock.

NORTH LITTLE ROCK -- When Cody Davenport chased down a liner in center field to end the first inning, it set the tone for the remainder of the afternoon for the Fayetteville Bulldogs.

Senior left-hander Kyle Pate struck out nine, and junior Blake Power drove in two runs as the defending 7A state champions knocked out the Cabot Panthers 5-0 in Monday's Class 7A state baseball tournament semifinal game at Burns Park. It was Fayetteville's 17th consecutive victory.

How They Scored

Class 7A State Baseball Tournament

Fayetteville 5, Cabot 0

Cabot^000^000^0^—^0^5^2

Fayetteville^030^110^x^—^5^9^1

Hicks and Sullivan; Pate and Koch. W - Pate. L - Hicks. HRs - None.

Davenport's running catch was nothing new for the Bulldogs (31-3).

"We played great in the outfield the other day (against Little Rock Central) when we ran down two big ones," Fayetteville coach Vance Arnold said. "For Cody to do that again, it just lets the pitcher know that they've got his back out there."

Fayetteville's victory sets up a championship showdown with 2012 state champion Bryant on Friday at Baum Stadium. First pitch for that game is scheduled for 4:30 p.m.

Taking down pesky Cabot (17-13) was no easy task for the Bulldogs. The No. 6-seeded Panthers topped Rogers Heritage and Little Rock Catholic to set up Monday's contest, and Cabot lead-off batter Lee Sullivan reached second with an infield single and an ensuing throwing error.

With two outs and Sullivan at third, Cabot clean-up batter Tristan Bulice, who had homered against Heritage, hit a line drive that seemed destined for the center field wall. Instead, Davenport caught up with the ball to end the inning. Cabot had only one more baserunner to advance past second base the rest of the afternoon.

"The wind was blowing to left and it looked like it was going to be a little lower," said Davenport, who was 2 for 3 with two runs scored. "The wind took it a little further than I first thought, but I got a secondary read on it and was I able to catch up to it."

Pate, an Arkansas signee, earned his second victory of the state tournament. He allowed only five hits -- all singles -- and he walked only one in his complete-game victory. He retired the final five batters he faced.

Cabot starter Adam Hicks retired Fayetteville in order on 10 pitches in the first inning, but he allowed four consecutive singles to start the second. Power drove in two runs with his line single to center. A third run came home when Hicks' pickoff throw to first hit Power's shoe and wound up in foul territory.

Fayetteville added runs in the fourth and fifth innings with Ethan King and Drew Tyler came up with RBI singles.

Sullivan had two singles for Cabot.

Sports on 05/20/2014

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