The teams in the Class 4A state baseball tournament have built up some hotel reward points this week, for sure.
For the third day in a row, state tournament games in Blytheville have been canceled due to wet fields. The Monday games were finally enough to convince tournament officials to relocate to Central Arkansas in Conway, where the field is completely turfed. Another factor in the rain delays was that the facility at Blytheville did not have a field tarp.
State Tournament Schedule
Baseball
Class 7A
Friday
Championship
At Baum Stadium, Fayetteville
Conway vs. Bentonville, 3 p.m.
Class 6A
Saturday
Championship
At Baum Stadium, Fayetteville
Benton vs. Sheridan, 3 p.m.
Class 5A
Saturday
Championship
At Baum Stadium, Fayetteville
Harrison vs. White Hall, 12:30 p.m.
Class 4A
Today
At Central Arkansas, Conway*
Game 8 Brookland vs. Ashdown, 10 a.m.
Game 7 Hamburg vs. Shiloh Christian, 12:30 p.m.
Game 10 Star City vs. Game 8 winner, 3 p.m.
Game 9 Arkadelphia vs. Game 7 winner, 5:30 p.m.
*— Tournament moved from Blytheville
Friday
Championship
At Baum Stadium, Fayetteville
Game 9 winner vs. Game 10 winner, 10 a.m.
Class 3A
Saturday
Championship
At Baum Stadium, Fayetteville
Mayflower vs. Fordyce, 10 a.m.
Class 2A
At Marked Tree
Monday
Game 13 Magnet Cove vs. Riverside, noon
Game 14 Ouachita vs. Junction City, 2:30 p.m.
Friday
Championship
At Baum Stadium, Fayetteville
Game 13 winner vs. Game 14 winner, 5:30 p.m.
Class 1A
At Taylor
Monday
Game 13 Armorel vs. County Line, noon
Game 14 Scranton vs. Taylor 12, 2:30 p.m.
Friday
Championship
At Baum Stadium, Fayetteville
Game 13 winner vs. Game 14 winner, 12:30 p.m.
Softball
Class 7A
Friday
Championship
At Bogle Park, Fayetteville
North Little Rock vs. Cabot, 10 a.m.
Class 6A
At Marion
Monday
Game 13 Benton vs. Greenwood
Game 14 Sheridan vs. Marion
Saturday
Championship
At Bogle Park, Fayetteville
Game 15 Winner Game 13 vs. Winner Game 14, 10 a.m.
Class 5A
At Hot Springs Lakeside
Monday
Game 13 White Hall vs. Paragould, noon
Game 14 Vilonia vs. De Queen, 2:30 p.m.
Friday
Championship
At Bogle Park, Fayetteville
Game 15 Winner Game 13 vs. Winner Game 14, 12:30 p.m.
Class 4A
Friday
Championship
At Bogle Park, Fayetteville
Mena vs. Bauxite, 3 p.m.
Class 3A
Friday
Championsbhip
At Bogle Park, Fayetteville
Harding Academy vs. Bald Knob, 5:30 p.m.
Class 2A
Saturday
Championship
At Bogle Park, Fayetteville
Spring Hill vs. Buffalo Island Central, 3 p.m.
Class 1A
Monday
Game 13 Viola vs, Concord
Game 14 Scranton vs. Nemo Vista
Saturday
Game 15 Winner Game 13 vs. Winner Game 14, 12:30 p.m.
Soccer
Class 7A
Boys
Saturday
Championship
At Razorback Field, Fayetteville
Bentonville vs. FS Northside, 4 p.m.
Girls
Saturday
Championship
At Razorback Field, Fayetteville
Bryant vs. Fayetteville, 2 p.m.
Class 6A
Boys
Saturday
Championship
Siloam Springs vs. Russellville, noon
Girls
Saturday
At Razorback Field, Fayetteville
Siloam Springs vs. Searcy, 10 a.m.
Class 5A
Boys
Friday
Championship
At Razorback Field, Fayetteville
Pulaski Academy vs. De Queen, 4 p.m.
Girls
Friday
Championship
At Razorback Field, Fayetteville
Pulaski Academy vs. LR Christian, 2 p.m.
Class 4A
Boys
Friday
Championship
At Razorback Field, Fayetteville
Central Arkansas Christian vs. Danville, noon
Girls
Friday
Championship
At Razorback Field, Fayetteville
Central Arkansas Christian vs. Gentry, 10 a.m.
Shiloh Christian Saints coach Moe Henry said his team spent the entire weekend in hotels, first in Blytheville, then later in Jonesboro. They packed up Monday and drove to Conway for today's games.
"We switched hotels so that the kids had more to do," Henry said. "We've been able to keep them busy. We took them to the movie, and we went to church Sunday morning. We also went over to Greene County Tech and worked out in their indoor facility."
Shiloh Christian will play the second game today at 12:30 p.m. against Hamburg. The first game today will be at 10 a.m. as Brookland takes on Ashdown.
Hamburg, the No. 1 seed from the 4A-South Region, has not played a game in more than a week since defeating Star City in the regional championship game.
Rain has played havoc with 4A teams this spring. The 4A-North Regional in Dover was also delayed by rain, pushing the final day into last Tuesday with the state tournament starting two days later.
The Saints got their first-round game of the state tournament in last Thursday when they defeated Pocahontas 5-4.
Henry said the lengthy delay could prove beneficial for the Saints, who have plenty of pitching depth.
"I think it's probably good for us," he said. "People we threw Thursday can pitch again Tuesday. This allows us, if we need to, to go with someone else rather than if we played back-to-back."
Henry did not say whether Arkansas signee Jake Reindl would pitch today. Reindl, who has battled with injuries this spring, pitched against Pocahontas on Thursday.
"With him, it's a feel thing," Henry said. "But anytime we can pitch him, we will."
The teams that survive today to advance to the state finals will have a quick turnaround. The Class 4A state championship game is scheduled for 10 a.m. Friday at Baum Stadium in Fayetteville.
"It's all about depth in the pitching," Henry said. "I like our chances if we can get out of it Tuesday."
Several other state baseball and softball tournament were also affected by weekend rains that pushed games back to Monday.
Chip Souza can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @NWAChip.
Sports on 05/19/2015