FAYETTEVILLE -- Technically, neither the Arkansas Prospects Passini nor the Mac-N-Seitz Indians got the victory as the game in the Mid America Baseball Showcase ended in a 1-1 tie after seven innings.
But both coaches agreed the pitchers were winners Saturday morning in Baum Stadium.
Arkansas Prospects Passini 1, Mac-N-Seitz Indians 1
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Arkansas Prospects^100^000^0^—^1^4^0
Marks, Bosma (6) and Cooley; Bowling and Stafford. HRs- None.
Quentin Bowling of Morrilton tossed a complete-game for the Prospects, allowing a run on just four hits. The 6-foot, 160-pound right-hander struck out nine and walked only one. The duo of Cooper Marks of Overland Park, Kan., and Nick Bosma combined to allow a run on four hits for the Indians as well.
Mac-N-Seitz coach Jerry Hobbs acknowledged his team struggled against Bowling, especially later in the game.
"The opposing pitcher had a really nice breaking ball," Hobbs said. "It was a little easier to pick up early, but man when he got it going. I think there were 10 strikeouts looking total on both sides. The pitchers did the job today.
"Our guy, Cooper, was not at the top of his game, but he was solid today. He's continuing to get better. His slider was working pretty well."
Marks, who will be a senior at Blue Valley North, allowed a run on just two hits over five innings. The right-hander struck out five, walked three and hit a batter.
Blake Wynn of Star City, who has committed to Arkansas State, scored the Prospects' only run of the game. He was hit by a pitch leading off the bottom of the first, stole second, moved to third on a groundout and scored on a wild pitch by Marks.
The Indians, who won both of their games on Friday, tied the game in the top of the fourth as lead-off man Ross Capps doubled to center field, went to third on a groundout and scored when Avery Jennings' fly ball to right field was dropped for an error.
Errol Scott of Little Rock Central was the only player with more than one hit, going 2-for-3.
Prospects coach Rusty Passini said he thought about taking out Bowling, who will be a senior at Sacred Heart High School in the fall, in the sixth. But he powered through the final two innings, striking out the side in the sixth.
"He just kept getting stronger," Passini said. "He only threw about 75 or 80 pitches. He went through them 1-2-3 in the sixth and was good in the seventh."
Bowling has shown good potential with the Prospects and at the Xtra Innings Showcase in Jonesboro earlier this week, Passini said.
"The last couple outings with us, he's just gotten better and better," Passini said. "Some college guys got him at 87 on the gun at Xtra Innings."
But the Prospects struggled offensively, too. Passini said his hitters struggled to pick up the ball out of Marks' hand.
Sports on 07/12/2015