ROGERS -- Harrison Heffley and McKayden Templeton combined on a four-hitter and Rogers High won its season opener Friday, knocking off Greenwood 7-2 at Veterans Park.
Heffley (1-0), an Arkansas signee, overcame a shaky start to earn the win. After a 31-pitch, two-run first inning, the left-hander settled down to pitch two scoreless innings before giving way to the freshman Templeton.
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Rogers^511^000^x^—^7^8^5
Lomon, Daggs (3), Pschier (6) and J. Smith; Heffley, Templeton (4) and Field. W - Heffley, 1-0. L - Lomon, 0-1. Sv. - Templeton (1). HRs - None.
"He's coming over from basketball, so it's going to be slow going for him for a while," Rogers coach Matt Melson said. "It'll be a few weeks before he's in top form."
Melson praised the performance of Templeton in his first varsity appearance. Templeton went four innings and allowed just one hit, to the first batter he faced. The right-hander closed the game with back-to-back strikeouts.
"I think he was a little nervous, but it looked to me like he got stronger as the game went along," Melson said of Templeton. "He threw three pitches. He threw his fastball, his slider and his changeup for strikes. With that slider, it looked like a fastball and he was able to get several swings and misses."
Greenwood (1-1) got to Heffley for a pair of first inning runs. Connor Noland delivered the big hit, an RBI double to right.
The Mounties (1-0) answered back with five runs in the bottom of the first off Greenwood starter Blaise Lomon (0-1). Max Horton had a two-run double to give Rogers a 4-2 lead and Heffley added an RBI sacrifice fly for a 5-2 lead. Rogers added another run in the second on an RBI double by Kyle Eason, and Ryan McClurkin added an RBI double in the third inning, just inside the third-base line.
Greenwood reliever Ryan Daggs also had a solid outing, helped by a 4-6-3 double-play in the fifth when Bulldogs shortstop Peyton Holt barehanded a low throw at the bag and fired a relay to first to complete the play.
The Mounties are off until next Wednesday when they host Siloam Springs in the first day of the Best Sports Classic at home.
Bentonville 11, Alma 0
Matt Bratspies and Carter Brown each hit a home run during Bentonville's seven-run second inning as the Tigers rolled past Alma in their home opener.
Bratspies hit a three-run blast to right-center, then Brown blasted a two-run shot over the left-field fence as Bentonville (1-1) took a 9-0 lead after two innings. That was more than enough cushion for Drew Young (1-0) as the right-hander allowed just one hit and two walks.
"We certainly came out swinging the bats, and that was good to see," Bentonville coach Todd Abbott said. "Drew picked up where he left off last year and throwing strikes, and defensively we played well. Those are two areas we feel strong and confident about."
The Tigers return to action Wednesday when they host Mountain Home during the opening day of the Best Sports Classic.
-- Henry Apple • @NWAHenry
Springdale High 11, Lincoln 1 (5)
Springdale scored seven runs in the fourth inning to blow past Lincoln.
Ben Roach hit a two-run triple on a line drive to center field to highlight the rally. Colton Parret began the surge with a double while Michael Harrington, Ryne Whitaker, and Carson Johnson added RBI singles.
Kyler Johnston struck out seven and allowed two hits in 42/3 innings for Springdale (2-0). Johnson led off the fifth with a single and scored on a wild pitch when the game was called because of the 10-run rule.
"We're athletic, we can run a bit, and I want to overemphasize that," Springdale coach Shohn Doty said. "I want to make guys handle the bat because the reality is there's going to be days in the 7A-West when the guys on the mound are really, really good."
Caleb Lloyd and Tristan Young had singles for the Wolves, who scored an unearned run in the fifth.
-- Rick Fires • @NWARick
Liberty, Texas, 7, Fayetteville 3
Garrett Owens had three hits and an RBI and both Thomas Broyles and Barrett Banister had one hit and one RBI each, but it wasn't enough as the Purple'Dogs couldn't keep up in dropping Friday's first game at the Collin County (Texas) Tournament. Sam Brignoni allowed five earned runs in 3 2/3 innings for the pitching loss.
Fayetteville (1-2) won its late game Thursday, 3-2, against McKinney Boyd, as Chase Arnold and Hayes Cox combined on a four-hitter.
Sports on 03/05/2016