Pitching in his first varsity game of the season, Sylvan Hills junior starter Nick Fakouri limited Pulaski Academy to two hits in five innings Friday as the Bears earned an 8-1 victory over the Bruins in the 5A-Central District Tournament championship game in Sherwood.
Fakouri -- who was the Bears' starting pitcher in the 2016 Class 5A state championship game -- struck out three, walked four and hit a batter. He pitched around three errors and gave up no earned runs. Senior River Hunt belted a home run to lead the Bears' six-hit attack.
Sylvan Hills Coach Denny Tipton said Fakouri has been suffering from nerve damage, and he has spent the season as the Bears' top catcher.
"He's been throwing for about five weeks," Tipton said. "We've been trying to get him ready for [postseason play]. We've been saving him. We could have thrown him, and he threw five innings in a JV game last week. It's good to have him back."
Sylvan Hills (29-6) will be a top seed for next week's state tournament. The Bears will play Hot Springs Lakeside in the opening round. Pulaski Academy (21-14) will face White Hall in the first round.
Sylvan Hills negated the three errors by turning three double plays, one of which was started by Fakouri.
"All year long our best asset has been our defense," said Hunt, who was the winning pitcher in Tuesday's semifinal victory over Beebe. "[Tipton] has preached 'Throw strikes and let your defense play.' If we pound the zone and make people beat us by strictly getting hits, I think we'll be fine."
"I don't like that fact we made some errors tonight," Tipton said. "The key for us is to play good defense. Pitch well, play good defense, and we'll battle at the plate."
Senior Michael Coven, who drove in two runs, provided the Bears' first run with a double in the third inning. Coven also drove in a run with a fourth-inning ground out.
Gavin Glasgow drove in Pulaski Academy's lone run with a ground out in the top of the fourth inning to cut Sylvan Hills' lead to 2-1, but the Bears responded with four runs in the bottom of the inning.
Hunt's home run over the left-center field wall on a two-ball count off Pulaski Academy starter Layne Hatcher started the Bears' rally.
"I knew at 2-0 that he would be coming with a fastball," Hunt said. "I just did my best to square it up."
Kyle Clayton, who was 2 for 2 with 3 runs scored, broke the game open with a two-run single.
Pulaski Academy finished with two hits -- a leadoff single in the fourth by Will Osment and a leadoff single in the fifth by Mason Kolb.
LITTLE ROCK CHRISTIAN 6,
BEEBE 1
G. Allen hit two doubles and drove in two runs in leading the Warriors (18-11) over the Badgers (9-22) in the consolation game.
Trey Harris also had two doubles for Little Rock Christian, while Cason Tollett ripped two singles in a nine-hit attack.
Blaine Burge led off the game with a single for Beebe, but the Badgers did not get another hit until Bryson Halford's two-out double in the seventh.
Little Rock Christian will play Watson Chapel in a state tournament first-round game next week, while Beebe will play defending state champion Magnolia in its first-round game.
High school baseball regional scores and schedules
4A-NORTH
Dover
Friday’s results
Booneville 5, Huntsville 1
Pea Ridge 8, Dardanelle 4
Pottsville 17, Gravette 3
Shiloh Christian 4, Dover 3
Today’s games
Game 5 Pea Ridge vs. Booneville noon
Game 6 Pottsville vs. Shiloh Christian, 2:30 p.m.
Monday’s games
Consolation game, noon
Championship game, 2:30 p.m.
4A-EAST
Trumann
Today’s games
Game 1 CAC vs. Highland, 10 a.m.
Game 2 Harrisburg vs. Heber Springs, 12:30 p.m.
Game 3 Jonesboro Westside vs. SS Batesville, 3 p.m.
Game 4 Lonoke vs. Brookland, 5:30 p.m.
Monday’s games
Game 5 Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 10 a.m.
Game 6 Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4, 12:30 p.m.
Consolation game, 3 p.m.
Championship game, 5:30 p.m.
4A-SOUTH
Monticello
Friday’s results
Arkadelphia 6, Star City 0
Malvern 11, Hamburg 4
Monticello 4, Ashdown 3
Nashville 9, Warren 0
Today’s games
Game 5 Nashville vs. Monticello, noon
Game 6 Malvern vs. Arkadelphia, 2:30 p.m.
Monday’s games
Consolation game, noon
Championship game, 2:30 p.m.
3A-REGION 1
Greenland
Friday’s results
Charleston 7, Lamar 5
Greenland 12, Paris 2
Jessieville 3, Elkins 2
Game 3 Atkins vs. Mansfield
Today’s games
Game 5 Greenland vs. Charleston, noon
Game 6 Atkins vs. Jessieville, 2:30 p.m.
Monday’s games
Consolation game, noon
Championship game, 2:30 p.m.
3A-REGION 2
Harding Academy
Friday’s results
Harding Academy 10, Rose Bud 0
Harmony Grove 4, Cedar Ridge 0
Mayflower 9, Tuckerman 0
Game 4 Bald Knob vs. Glen Rose
Today’s games
Game 5 Harding Academy vs. Harmony Grove, noon
Game 6 Mayflower vs. Winner Game 4, 2:30 p.m.
Monday’s games
Consolation game, noon
Championship game, 2:30 p.m.
3A-REGION 3
Manila
Today’s games
Game 1 Clinton vs. Piggott
Game 2 Corning vs. Melbourne
Game 3 Riverside vs. Mountain View
Game 4 Valley Springs vs. Manila
Monday’s games
Game 5 Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, 10 a.m.
Game 6 Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4, 12:30 p.m.
Consolation game, 3 p.m.
Championship game, 5:30 p.m.
3A-REGION 4
Smackover
Friday’s results
Horatio 6, McGehee 3
Junction City 6, Centerpoint 3
Smackover 14, Fouke 1
Game 4 Genoa Central vs. Fordyce
Today’s games
Game 5 Horatio vs. Smackover, noon
Game 6 Junction City vs. Winner Game 4, 2:30 p.m.
Monday’s games
Consolation game, noon
Championship game, 2:30 p.m.
2A-NORTH
Palestine-Wheatley
Friday’s results
Buffalo Island 15, Hazen 5
McCrory 13, Salem 3
Palestine-Wheatley 3, East Poinsett Co. 0
Game 4 Sloan-Hendrix vs. Des Arc
Today’s games
Game 5 Buffalo Island vs. McCrory, noon
Game 6 Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4, 2:30 p.m.
Monday’s games
Consolation game, noon
Championship game, 2:30 p.m.
2A-WEST/CENTRAL
Pangburn
Friday’s results
Game 1 Magazine vs. England
Conway Christian 11, Hackett 1
Pangburn 2, Lavaca 0
St. Joseph 7, Danville 1
Today’s games
Game 5 Winner Game 1 vs. Pangburn, noon
Game 6 Conway Christian vs. St. Joseph, 2:30 p.m.
Monday’s games
Consolation game, noon
Championship game, 2:30 p.m.
2A-SOUTH
Magnet Cove
Friday’s results
Harmony Grove 24, Murfreesboro 6
Parkers Chapel 10, Mountain Pine 0
Poyen 8, Rison 6
Spring Hill 8, Magnet Cove 2
Today’s games
Game 5 Parkers Chapel vs. Spring Hill, noon
Game 6 Poyen vs. Harmony Grove, 2:30 p.m.
Monday’s games
Consolation game, noon
Championship game, 2:30 p.m.
1A-REGION 1
Harrison Parks
Friday’s results
Alpena 22, Bruno-Pyatt 0
Lead Hill 34, Deer 0
Omaha 14, Jasper 4
Shirley 11, Decatur 0
Today’s games
Game 5 Omaha vs. Shirley, noon
Game 6 Lead Hill vs. Alpena, 2:30 p.m.
Monday’s games
Consolation game, noon
Championship game, 2:30 p.m.
1A-REGION 2
Armorel
Friday’s results
Bay 10, Norfork 2
Mammoth Spring 12, Ridgefield Christian 2
Game 2 Viola vs. Rector
Game 4 Armorel vs. Hillcrest
Today’s games
Game 5 Bay vs. Winner Game 2 noon
Game 6 Mammoth Spring vs. Winner Game 4, 2:30 p.m.
Monday’s games
Consolation game, noon
Championship game, 2:30 p.m.
1A-REGION 3
South Side Bee Branch
Friday’s results
Midland 4, Wonderview 0
Nemo Vista 11, WS Greers Ferry 1
Game 2 Concord vs. Abundant Life
Game 4 Mount Vernon-Enola vs. SS Bee Branch
Today’s games
Game 5 Nemo Vista vs. Winner Game 2 noon
Game 6 Midland vs. Winner Game 4, 2:30 p.m.
Monday’s games
Consolation game, noon
Championship game, 2:30 p.m.
1A-REGION 4
Dierks
Friday’s results
County Line 12, Mineral Springs 1
Dierks 10, Mulberry 0
Kirby 16, Western Yell 0
Game 4 Scranton vs. Mount Ida
Today’s games
Game 5 County Line vs. Kirby, noon
Game 6 Dierks vs. Winner Game 4, 2:30 p.m.
Monday’s games
Consolation game, noon
Championship game, 2:30 p.m.
1A-REGION 5
Ouachita High School
Friday’s results
Hermitage 4, Trinity Christian 1
Ouachita 15, Hampton 0
Taylor 7 Dermott 0, forfeit
Woodlawn 10, Bradley 0
Today’s games
Game 5 Taylor vs. Hermitage, noon
Game 6 Woodlawn vs. Ouachita, 2:30 p.m.
Monday’s games
Consolation game, noon
Championship game, 2:30 p.m.
Sports on 05/06/2017