SPRINGDALE -- Rogers Heritage pitchers struggled to throw strikes consistently as the War Eagles started the season 0-3. Logan Easley changed that Wednesday afternoon and the result did, too.
The senior right-hander scattered only five hits, struck out 10 and walked just one to lead the War Eagles to a tough 2-1 win over Springdale High in 7A-West Conference baseball.
7A-West Baseball
Game 1
Rogers Heritage 2, Springdale High 1
Rogers Heritage^010^000^0^—^2^4^3
Springdale^000^100^0^—^1^5^3
Easley and Gates; A. Roach and B. Roach. W- Easley 1-1. L-Roach, 2-2.
Easley (1-1) allowed a one-out single in the bottom of the seventh, but struck out the final two hitters -- the final one with the tying run at third --to end the game.
"That's the best I've seen him," Heritage coach Mitch Cameron said of Easley, who has signed to play at Wichita State. "His stuff was good. His curve ball was good. He was able to throw both pitches for a strike and when you're in the zone and don't walk people, you're better."
"That's the thing. We were better because we didn't walk people. Our first three games, we walked 30-something guys. You can't win doing that. That sets the tone offensively and defensively. That's big."
Heritage (1-4, 1-1 7A-West) snapped a 1-1 tie in the top of the seventh as designated hitter Kaleb Gavin dropped down a safety squeeze bunt to score Dylan Qualls from third. Gavin also drove in the War Eagles' other run with two-out, RBI-double in the second inning for a 1-0 lead.
"That's a senior stepping up, doing what a senior should do," Cameron said of Gavin. "Big-time double and big-time safety squeeze."
Springdale (5-3, 1-1) tied it in the fourth with a one-out double by Ben Roberts and a two-out, RBI-single by Tanner Sargent. But the Red Bulldogs wasted a couple other scoring chances because they couldn't get a bunt down.
Michael Harrington bunted into an inning-ending double play with runners at second and third in the third. The Red'Dogs put runners at first and second with nobody out in the fifth, but Easley fielded Harrington's bunt and got the lead runner at third. He got the next two on an infield pop-up and a strikeout to end the threat.
Springdale coach Scott Johnson said his team failed to execute in key situations.
"When two good arms are on the mound, you've got to play defense and you've got to be able to get timely hits and execute bunts and that's what we failed in," Johnson said. "We made mistakes and they didn't."
"It's a tough game to lose, but you tip your hap to the other pitcher. You've gotta make plays when it counts."
Andrew Roach (2-2) was the hard-luck loser for Springdale. He allowed two runs on four hits, while striking out 11 and walking one.
Game 2
Springdale High 7, Rogers Heritage 6
The Red'Dogs snapped a 6-6 tie with a run in the top of the seventh to salvage a split of the doubleheader.
Roach, who finished 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored, led off the top of the seventh with a double, moved to third on a sacrifice bunt by Harrington and scored on a passed ball.
Dylan Rollins retired Heritage in order in the bottom of the seventh for the win. Easley's two-run single in the bottom of the sixth tied the game 6-6 as the War Eagles scored six times.
Bentonville High 5, Fayetteville 0
Jacob Williams held Fayetteville to two hits over 6.1 innings and helped his cause by driving in two runs as Bentonville knocked off the Purple'Dogs in the 7A-West opener for both teams in Fayetteville.
Williams provided all the cushion he needed when he belted a two-run double in the first inning. He then struck out four and walked only one in a 77-pitch performance before giving way to Ryan Kneeshaw, who completed the shutout.
Bentonville (2-2, 1-0) did the rest of its scoring after loading the bases in the third as Justin Hines drove in one run with an infield single. Bryce Davis drew a walk to force in a run, then Destyn Adkins was hit by a pitch and caused another run to score.
The two teams play again this afternoon at Bentonville.
Springdale Har-Ber 5, Rogers High 0
Blake Adams and Jack Lisle combined on a four-hitter to lead the Wildcats to the 7A-West win.
Adams scattered four hits over six innings, struck out four and walked two. Lisle then followed with a scoreless seventh.
Caleb Kimbel went 2-for-4 and scored a run in the win while Lincoln Rasmussen went 1-for-3 and drove in two runs for Har-Ber.
Grayson Lee led Rogers, going 2-for-3.
Van Buren 2, Bentonville West 1
Connor Catron reached on a two-base error and later scored the go-ahead run as Van Buren completed a 7A-West sweep over West at the Wolverine Athletic Complex.
Catron later stole third and scored on a ground out.
Van Buren took a 1-0 lead in the second, but West (3-3, 0-2) answered in the third when Joey Aden singled and later scored on Will Jarrett's single.
Hunter Mayes allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits through five innings and took the loss for West, while Kendall Thornton pitched the final two innings.
Sports on 03/16/2017