PEA RIDGE -- The news hit both Bryce Beckmann and Gage Cawthon with the power of a sledgehammer.
As freshmen trying out for the Pea Ridge baseball program, neither player made the cut.
4A North Regional
At Prairie Grove
Today
Game 1: Pea Ridge (1st-1) vs. Clinton (4th-4), 10 a.m.
Game 2: Pottsville (2nd-2) vs. Huntsville (3rd-1), 12:30 p.m.
Game 3: Dover (1st-4) vs. Prairie Grove (4th-4), 3 p.m.
Game 4: Shiloh Christian (2nd-1) vs. Ozark (4th-4), 5:30 p.m.
Friday
Game 5: Game 1 winner vs. Game 2 winner, noon
Game 6: Game 3 winner vs. Game 4 winner, 2:30 p.m.
Saturday
Game 7: Game 5 loser vs. Game 6 loser, noon (Third-place game)
Game 8: Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 winner, 2:30 p.m. (Championship)
*— Top 4 teams advance to state tournament
"You really can't describe how it feels when you're trying out for something and you're working your tail off and then you get to the end and you find out you didn't make it," Beckmann said. "You could say it was devastating, but it made me want to work harder."
Instead of walking away from a game they'd played most of their lives, Cawthon and Beckmann refused to let this setback define them. Even after they later made the team, Cawthon had even more adversity when he tore an ACL during basketball practice last year and missed his entire junior year. Beckmann was on the Blackhawks' baseball team last year but rarely saw the field in a varsity role. That was the same with transfer Eric Hankins, who moved to Pea Ridge from Bentonville.
This season, all three are playing vital roles for the Blackhawks, who won the 4A-1 District title and will be the No. 1 seed from the conference today in 4A North Regional Tournament action in Prairie Grove. Pea Ridge will take on Clinton at 10 a.m. in first-round action.
"I remember the tryout day and throwing the ball around," Cawthon said. "I was surprised I didn't make it at first, but I kind of had the feeling it wasn't going too well for me."
Cawthon said he knew he had a lot to improve on and went about working to do that for the following year.
Hankins and Beckmann were used primarily as pinch-runners last season, but veteran Pea Ridge coach John King pulled all three players aside when the season ended and told them this season would be their time to shine. All three have seized their opportunity.
Hankins is batting .422 with three home runs and 33 RBIs, Cawthon is batting .333 with 17 RBIs and Beckmann has four home runs and 29 RBIs to go with a .314 average.
"Even though coach King told us this would be our season, we still had to earn our spots," Beckmann said. "He said that nothing was guaranteed."
Hankins, who had not played high school baseball before moving to Pea Ridge, was used just a little more last season, seeing limited time at shortstop and as a base runner.
"I'm very proud with my performance this year," Hankins said. "I came in with my first season ever playing high school baseball, and I've been able to play at a high level but I know I can get better.
"I felt like coming into the season we had a lot to prove after losing so many seniors last year. I think we've proved a lot of people wrong."
Sports on 05/05/2016