BENTONVILLE -- Drew Young expected to spend his first season in varsity baseball as Bentonville's starting pitcher during those nonconference games once 7A-West play began.
The Tigers, however, needed the junior right-hander to play a much bigger role. Young eventually started the second game of league doubleheaders and helped Bentonville earned a second-place finish in the conference standings and eventually win the Class 7A state championship.
"I was really shocked by the end of the year," Young said. "I never really thought about that role being a possibility until I started performing well.
"It was pretty interesting. I was nervous at first, even though I had pitched conference games in relief, but getting that buildup and going out to the mound for the start was a good experience."
Bentonville was 3-3 in 7A-West play when Young -- who had a 2-0 record at that point -- became the second-game starter. He won his next three starts and helped the Tigers clinch the league's No. 2 seed before he suffered his only loss against Fayetteville.
Young finished with a 7-1 mark and a 1.84 ERA with 50 strikeouts and 20 walks. He allowed just 38 hits in 45.2 innings pitched, and opposing teams had a mere .220 batting average against him. He is the All-Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Baseball Newcomer of the Year.
"I feel like working hard in the offseason and the preseason helped," Young said. "I worked on getting my control down, getting strong and proved I could pitch on a high level.
"Overall, I thought my offspeed pitch got a lot better and a little more consistent, especially my breaking ball. I was able to spot my fastball a little better."
Young capped his season with a 3-1 semifinal victory over Springdale Har-Ber in the Class 7A state tournament, thanks to Bentonville's three-run rally in the sixth. He held the Wildcats to six hits over 6.2 innings and struck out six.
"That start was great," Young said. "That was the most interesting game I've played in a while. It was very exhilarating and a great game."
Sports on 06/13/2015