BENTONVILLE -- Senior Caleb Wilson made the most of his first varsity start on Tuesday afternoon.
The right-hander kept Conway off-balance for most of the afternoon to help lead Bentonville to a 3-1 win over the Wampus Cats in the Best Sports Classic at the Tiger Athletic Complex.
Wilson retired the first two batters in the top of the seventh, but Conway responded with three consecutive hits and pulled within 3-1.
Levi Bennett then came on and retired Reed Hughes on a flyout with the tying runs on base to end the game.
Bentonville coach Todd Abbott loved the work he got from Wilson, who was a junior varsity player a year ago.
"I couldn't be more proud of Caleb Wilson," Abbott said. "He's a senior and earned a varsity uniform this year. He threw two innings against Cabot last week and then to go out pitch the way he did today. He did an awesome job.
"He's put in his time, gets after it and works hard every day. He took advantage of an opportunity today."
Wilson scattered eight hits -- three in the seventh -- and allowed the one run in 6.2 innings, while striking out seven and walking only one. But he stranded six Conway base runners through the first six innings -- four in scoring position.
The Tigers (1-1) scored single tallies in the fourth and fifth innings thanks to wild pitches by Conway starter Drew Freyaldenhoven. Sawyer Price pushed Bentonville's lead to 3-0 with an RBI-single in the bottom of the sixth.
Price and Payton Allen had two hits each for the Tigers. Allen also scored two runs. Sam Stroth went 3-for-4, while Cameron Leach went 2-for-4 and drove in Conway's lone run.
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Freyaldenhoven and Snyder; Wilson, Bennett (7) and Golden. W-Wilson. L-Freyaldenhoven. HRs-None.
Rogers Heritage 15, Huntsville 1
Vance Tobol went 2-for-2 and drove in five runs to lead the War Eagles to the big win.
The War Eagles scored five runs in the first and 10 in the second to take command. Tobol hit a three-run home run in the first and added a two-run single in the second.
Reid Renfrow and Jeb Brown added two hits each. Brown drove in three runs and scored three times.
Ben Pollock earned the win allowing a run on two hits over five innings of work. He struck out eight and did not walk a batter.
Shiloh Christian 3, Conway 1
Walker Williams and Sean Rhodes combined to allow just one run, despite giving up 11 hits, to help the Saints earn the win, their second over Conway in three days.
Williams picked up the win, pitching four scoreless innings and also drove in a run. He scattered five hits, struck out seven and walked three. Rhodes pitched the final three innings for the save, allowing a run on six hits while striking out three and not walking a batter.
Marcus Brown went 2-for-2 with a double, a walk and 2 RBIs for Shiloh Christian (5-1). Drew Dudley added two hits and scored twice.
Sports on 03/11/2020