Bulldogs move into 7A state semifinals
Posted on Sunday, May 11, 2008
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/nwat/Sports/65082/
NORTH LITTLE ROCK — Weston Harbaugh didn’t want it to end.
Fayetteville’s senior second baseman came up with two on, one out and his Fayetteville Purple Dogs down 2-1 in the bottom of the sixth. Harbaugh squared to bunt on the first pitch for a called strike. Harbaugh went hacking on the second offering, tagging a 2-run single to help give Fayetteville a 3-2 win over Van Buren in the quarterfinals of the Class 7 A State Baseball Tournament at Burns Park Saturday.
“ I knew they were going to pitch me away, because last time we played I hit a homer, ” Harbaugh said. “ They pitched me away and I just went with the pitch. I wasn’t nervous and I knew what I had to do but it a was a big relief to see that ball drop. ”
Fayetteville will face homestanding North Little Rock Monday at 4 p. m. in the state semifinals. The Wildcats blanked Fort Smith Southside 13-0 in five innings on Saturday.
Taylor Shaddy picked up the win with a complete game. Shaddy allowed two runs (one earned ) on 3 hits, struck out six and walk none to improve to 8-0 on the season.
Fayetteville (28-3 ) improves to 9-1 in 1-run games this season and has now won 13-straight contests over Van Buren (15-12 ).
“ I think the kids are just waiting to see if I drop dead after all these close ones, ” Fayetteville skipper Vance Arnold said. “ We got a hit from Weston in a situation where we were able to move some people over and he got a big hit. Taylor pitched well and their pitcher threw well. We were just able to come back and win it and showed a lot of poise in the end. ”
Van Buren right-hander Andy Loyd held Fayetteville scoreless through four frames and didn’t allow a base hit until the fourth. Loyd allowed 3 runs on 6 hits, walked two and struck out three to fall to 4-5.
“ They got a couple of timely hits late in the game, ” Van Buren coach David Loyd said. “ It was a well-played game on both ends and you just have to give them credit. Andy pitched about as well as he could and [Denton ] Branson carried us at the plate. I’ve been on both sides of this and I’m proud of the way we competed. ”
Matters didn’t look good for Fayetteville early.
Errors cost the Purple Dogs in the fourth. Van Buren’s Brandon Przybysz reached on a booted ground ball at short. Brandon Moore stroked a single to left and both runners advanced on a Brandon Titsworth sacrifice bunt. Clint Johnson lofted a shallow fly to right that was dropped, allowing Przybysz to race home for a 1-0 Pointer edge.
Branson walloped a Shaddy offering for a solo homer to left in the fifth for a 2-0 lead.
Fayetteville reached the board in the fifth on a clutch RBI single by Alex Miller. Scott McFall reached on an infield single down the thirdbase line and Miller came through with two outs on a 1-2 Loyd offering to cut the gap in half, 2-1.
Fayetteville rallied in the sixth to set up Harbaugh’s game-winning knock. Franco Broyles conked a single to shallow center and Shaddy sliced a looping single to left to bring up Harbaugh with one out.
Shaddy sat down the Pointers in order in the top of the seventh to close the door.