PRAIRIE GROVE -- The last team standing from the 4A-1 Conference stood late Saturday afternoon holding a championship plaque above their heads.
Shiloh Christian scored a run in the sixth inning and defeated Clinton 4-3 in the championship game of the 4A North Regional Tournament at Rieff Field. Winning pitcher Connor Clark drove in the tie-breaking run with a groundout then reliever Josh Lantzsch worked out of trouble in the seventh to earn the save.
Shiloh Christian (12-10) will play Friday at 10 a.m. at Ashdown after receiving a first round bye for the Class 4A state tournament, which begins Thursday.
Pottsville claimed third place in the 4A-North Regional Tournament with a 4-1 win over Dover.
Play got off to a surprising start Thursday when Clinton beat Pea Ridge, the top seed from the 4A-1, 5-4 in eight innings. Pottsville beat Huntsville and Dover eliminated Prairie Grove before the Saints ended the skid with a 2-0 win over Ozark.
Shiloh Christian then advanced to the championship game with a 10-0 victory over Dover on Friday.
"It was flip-flopped last year when we sent three teams to the state tournament," Shiloh Christian coach Moe Henry said. "So, the 4A-4 was motivated when they came up, and that was something I talked to our boys about before our game on Thursday."
Luke Johnson had a double and single for Shiloh Christian, which used aggressive base running to manufacture runs. The Saints stole six bases, including two in the third inning that led to two runs.
"We're always looking to move runners when they get on base," Henry said. "That's our philosophy, whether it's stealing bases or bunting and running."
Shiloh Christian again received strong pitching, this time from Clark, a sophomore right-hander. Two batters reached against Lantzsch in the seventh, but he got a big out when he picked a Clinton runner off base with the potential tying run at third.
Lantsch then struck out Kannon Bradley on a low pitch to end the game.
Clinton^020^000^1^--^3^5^2
Shiloh Christian^102^001^X^--^4^8^2
Johnson and Lonnon; Clark, Lantzsch (7) and Butler. W - Clark. L - Johnson.
POTTSVILLE 4, DOVER 1
Pottsville grabbed an early 3-0 lead then used solid pitching and defense to hold on.
Second baseman Kyle Hudson turned in the play of the tournament with a runner at third to end a Dover threat in the fourth inning. Hudson dove and gloved a ball headed to center field, flipped to shortstop Mason Huie, who then threw to first base to complete the inning-ending double play.
Dover scored in the fifth inning before Pottsville padded its lead with a run in the sixth inning. Nick Hagerty earned the pitching victory for the Apaches.
Sports on 05/08/2016