BENTONVILLE — Blake McCutchen had four hits to lead a 15-hit attack and power Cabot into the Class 7A state championship with a 14-4 victory in 5 innings over Bryant on Saturday.
Cabot (24-7) will play Springdale Har-Ber at Baum Stadium in Fayetteville next weekend.
“Our kids, they could taste it today,” Cabot Coach Ronnie Goodwin said. “I told them, ‘Cabot is going to be in a state championship and win one one of these days.’ … And now we’re one step closer and hopefully we have one more good game in us.”
Bryant (19-11) grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the first, bu the Panthers scored three runs in each of the first three innings and four more in the fourth. Eric Larsen’s line drive landed just inside the left-field line to end the game in the fifth.
“The credit goes to our players,” Goodwin said. “We tell them every day that we have a road map of how to get there — it’s up to them to get up and go.”
All nine Cabot starters had at least one hit. McCutchen, who Goodwin called a “catalyst” at the top of the order, had three runs and three RBI. Clayton Gray was 3 for 4 with 3 RBI and 2 runs. Houston King and Evan Hooper each drove in two runs and Dillon Thomas had two hits.
Goodwin said the game “felt a lot closer than the score indicated’” because Bryant had 10 hits. The Hornets were led by Coby Greiner, who was 3 for 3 with 2 RBI. Jake Wright and Logan Chambers had two hits apiece.