Tyler Godwin knew what to expect Thursday when he had to face Mayflower teammate Drew Duncan in the bottom of the ninth inning at the Central Arkansas All-Star Game.
Godwin, the MVP of last week's Class 3A state tournament, lined the first pitch he saw into center field for the game winner. Godwin's hit completed the South All-Stars' comeback from a five-run deficit for a 6-5 victory over the North at UALR's Curran-Conway Park.
"I knew what was coming," Godwin said. "We don't face each other in practice very much, but I know him well enough to know what to expect. I wanted to rip him a little bit."
Godwin and Duncan were originally scheduled to play for the North, but because the North had a lack of catchers on its final roster Godwin and Mayflower's Tyler Herrin were traded to the South for Little Rock Hall catcher Carnell Bailey.
It was a two-for-one deal that eventually paid off the South.
For seven innings, the North's pitching dominated the game. Vilonia's Hayden Weaver, Conway's Nick Starr, Maumelle's Chad Cox all threw two scoreless innings, combining to allow only two hits as the North built a 4-0 advantage.
"They all did super," said Mayflower Coach Joe Albritton, who was the North's coach. "They all threw strikes. The defense made some great plays, but really it was mostly good pitching."
The North increased its advantage to 5-0 in the top of the eighth, and after Godwin lined into a double play in the bottom of the eighth, the South was down to its final four outs. Unfortunately for the North, the South made only two more outs the remainder of the game.
Herrin started the South's eight-inning rally by getting hit by a pitch. Catholic's Zach Sokora drew a walk and Little Rock Christian's Tarrod Collier -- who had the South's first three hits -- lined a single to left to drive in the South's first run.
Catholic's Chris Musteen singled in two runs to cut the North lead to 5-3 before Arkansas Baptist pitcher Josiah Johnson came in to strike out Sheridan's Tadd Daggett for the final out of the eighth.
In the ninth, Watson Chapel's Jaylen Jackson and White Hall's Antoine Luster drew walks before back-to-back singles by White Hall's Turner Sparks and Woodlawn's J.P. Aiken tied the game.
Albritton brought in Duncan to face Godwin, who hit the only pitch Duncan threw into center field to end the game.
"It was tough pulling against Godwin," Albritton said, "but I was."
Collier, who will play receiver for Ouachita Baptist this fall, was 3 for 3 in what was probably his final competitive baseball game.
"I took a little batting practice before the game," said Collier, who was selected as the South's MVP. "I just gave God the glory and went out there and played my best."
Duncan went 2 for 3 and drove in a run to earn the North's MVP honors. Vilonia's Jake Goodson also went 2 for 3 with a double for the North. Greenbrier's Jake Walker drove in a run with a sacrifice fly and Vilonia's A.J. Crook singled in a run.
The North outhit the South 11-7. The South was guilty of all four of the game's errors.
Wednesday's and Thursday's all-star games were organized by the Arkansas Baptist College coaches.
Sports on 05/29/2015