PRAIRIE GROVE -- Dakota Cowens came close to a no-hitter and that was more than enough to lead Ozark past Prairie Grove 4-1 on Wednesday in the Jarren Sorters Memorial Tournament at Reiff Park.
Cowens (4-0) allowed just two singles and struck out eight in a dominant performance.
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Cowens and Phillips; Fidler, Hutsell (6), Jentzsch (7) and Allen. W-Cowens, 4-0. L-Fidler, 1-1 . HRs-None.
"When he's been good this year it's when he gets ahead of the batters," Ozark coach Brett Stone said. "He was locating his fastball early and just getting ahead and getting ground balls and letting his defense work."
Cowens also helped his cause at the plate with a pair of RBI singles in the first and third innings that gave Ozark (10-1) a 2-0 lead. His single in the first inning scored lead-off batter Eddie Graham, who led off the game with a four-pitch walk and stole second. In the third, Cowens plated Dougan Phillips, who hit a one-out triple into right-center.
That was all the run support the senior Ozark right-hander needed on a cool, cloudy day. A first inning walk was the only blemish for Cowens until there were two outs in the fifth inning when Prairie Grove designated hitter Michael Hutsell laced a single up the middle.
"He was real good through five, I thought," Prairie Grove coach Chris Mileham said. "It was the fifth before we saw any decline in his action. He was tough."
Ozark tacked on two more runs to build a 4-0 lead heading into the seventh inning when the Tigers (6-4) put together a rally. Clay Fidler led off the seventh with a walk and Austin Jentzsch also drew a walk, prompting a mound visit by Stone to settle Cowens down.
Cowens struck out Cole Speed, but a fielder's choice and an error allowed Fidler to score from third before Cowens ended the game with a pop-up.
"He's a senior, one of just two on the team, and he's been a leader for us," Stone said. "He knew this was a big game for us against Prairie Grove. He stepped up and brought his 'A' game today.
The tournament will wrap up today with three more games. Gentry will take on Booneville at 11 a.m., followed by Pea Ridge vs. Ozark at 2 p.m., and the nightcap will feature Prairie Grove against Bentonville West at 5 p.m.
Bentonville West 13, Gentry 2
The Wolverines won their second game in the tournament, run-ruling Gentry in five innings.
Jason Gloeckler was 2-for-2 and drove in three runs for West. Jaron Jenkins added a double and Hunter Mayes tripled for the Wolverines. Will Jarrett allowed two runs and struck out seven over four innings to earn the win.
Peyton Wright was 1-for-2 with an RBI for the Pioneers.
Pea Ridge 8, Booneville 7
Will Feemster squeezed the winning run across in the bottom of the seventh inning as the Blackhawks edged Booneville in the nightcap.
Hayden Holtgrewe smacked a one-out triple in the seventh, and Feemster got the squeeze bunt down to score the game-winner. The Blackhawks trailed 7-4 in the sixth inning before rallying for three runs to tie the game at 7-7.
Jakota Sainsbury earned the win for the Pea Ridge (8-2), pitching 2 1/3 innnings.
Sainsbury had three hits for Pea Ridge, and Holtgrewe added two hits. Chandler Tidwell had a two-run single.
Other Games
Charlotte (N.C.) Christian 9, Rogers Heritage 0
The War Eagles managed just three singles in a loss to the North Carolina team on Wednesday at the Hall of Fame Classic in Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
Alex Nowak manageed a single and a walk for the War Eagles (1-7). Landen Clines took the loss, allowing four runs (all earned) on eight hits in five innings. He struck out three and walked two.
Farmington 10, Sylacauga, Ala. 1
Tyler Gregg hit a two-run double and a two-run homer to lift the Cardinals (10-4) to a victory at the Gulf Shores (Ala.) Spring Break Classic on Wednesday.
Trenton McChristian picked up the win after allowing one run on three hits in four innings. Kelton Price struck out five and allowed one hit in three innings of relief.
Quartz Hill, Calif. 8, Fayetteville 4
The Rebels (7-5) rallied for four unearned runs in the final two innings of a sloppy game at the Pride Classic in Phoenix, Ariz., on Wednesday. The teams combined for nine errors, including six by Fayetteville.
The Bulldogs (3-8) evened the score up at 4-4 with a run in the third and three more in the fourth inning.
Hayes Cox doubled to leadoff the third and later scored on a sacrifice fly by Logan Carr. Jeff Sinacore highlighted the fourth with an RBI single that scored Barrett Banister, who reached on a leadoff double.
Luke and Jacob Davenport didn't allow an earned run while pitching the final four innings in relief.
Fayetteville 10, Surprise (Ariz.) Valley Vista 0
Miller Pleimann pitched a one-hit shutout and struck out 10 in five innings for the Bulldogs (3-7) in a late Tuesday game at the Pride Classic in Phoenix, Ariz.
Pleimann, a 6-foot-3, 175-pound junior, threw 49 strikes in 76 pitches, including 9-of-17 first-pitch strikes.
Sinacore hit a three-run triple and Carr had a two-run single to lead Fayetteville's offense, which was aided by five Valley Vista errors.
Montgomery (Ala.) Trinity Presbyterian 4, Bentonville High 2
A two-out error allowed Trinity Presbyterian to score the decisive runs Wednesday as Bentonville lost its final game of the Gulf Shores Classic at Orange Beach, Ala.
The Tigers (4-6) scored their runs in the second inning on a bases-loaded error, but Trinity Presbyterian tied it in the third and added two more in the fourth.
Austin Garrett, the fourth of six Bentonville pitchers used, took the loss.
The Tigers return to 7A-West Conference play Tuesday at Van Buren.
Sports on 03/23/2017