FAYETTEVILLE -- Andy Pagnozzi was expected to dominate the 7A-West Conference baseball opener against Springdale High -- he did just that.
Springdale lefthander Troy Boyd wasn't too far behind minus one bad inning and one throwing error in another.
While Pagnozzi was close to perfect for the Purple'Dogs, Boyd did his best to keep Fayetteville's bats in check. But all Fayetteville needed was a two-out run on a throwing error in the first, and a big two-out rally in the second in a 5-0 win in the first game the doubleheader at Bulldog Field.
"We told them not to get happy and not to get complacent," Fayetteville coach Vance Arnold said. "You're swinging and everybody is making contact and driving the ball and we hit a lot of deep fly balls.
"They were playing us deep and we just hit a lot right at them, and Troy Boyd did a good job. And sometimes kids get that way. When one hits it real hard, the next guy goes up there expecting to do the same thing."
The plan for Springdale (2-3, 0-2 7A-West) was simple: Have Boyd work at a quick pace and hope to keep the Fayetteville bats off balance. For the most part, it worked.
Boyd allowed five runs, four earned, in 5 2/3 innings, but quieted every Fayetteville (7-0, 2-0) threat after the second inning.
"You've got to score when you have a chance to score and you've got to get them out and get out of innings," Springdale coach Shohn Doty said. "But the bottom line is Troy pitched a great ball game, and he gave us a chance to win."
Pagnozzi (2-0) was dominant out of the other dugout. In a complete-game effort, he allowed just three hits with 14 strikeouts. Springdale's only decent threat at a score came in the fourth when Carson Johnson and Logan Carr delivered back-to-back two-out singles. But Pagnozzi got Jackson Hutchens to strike out to end the rally.
"We're not going to beat anybody by striking out 14 times. Our kids know that and it's still a work in progress," Doty said. "But give credit to Andy. A lot of that is due to the fact that he can really pitch."
Game 2
Fayetteville 9, Springdale High 1
The bats came live a bit more for Fayetteville in the nightcap and Grant Koch was again a big part of the offense just as he was in the opener.
Koch, who broke open the first game with a two-run home run off the left field scoreboard, added a second blast in the bottom of the first inning in game 2. Fayetteville broke the contest open with a five-run fourth inning, with Drew Tyler providing a two-RBI triple in the frame.
John Boushelle (2-0) worked five innings and allowed no runs and two hits with two walks and five strikeouts for the victory.
Sports on 03/18/2015