News-Times Staff
FORDYCE - Smackover sewed up a share of the 8-3A conference crown on Friday, as the Bucks banged out 13 hits en route to a 13-2 win over Fordyce.
The Bucks (14-13) finished tied with Junction City for the league crown with each school posting 9-1 records in 8-3A play.
The Dragons will be the No. 1 seed for next week’s district tournament due to winning the tiebreaker on run differential.
The Bucks, who are the No. 2 seed, join the Dragons in having a spot in the regional tournament nailed down.
Beau Burson struck out 10 en route to a seven-hitter for the Bucks, who finished off the Redbugs in six innings.
A senior, Burson allowed two unearned runs, didn’t walk anyone and hit two batters.
Smackover methodically pulled away from the Redbugs, scoring two runs in both the first and second innings before upping their lead to 7-0 with a three-run third.
Burson helped himself with a sacrifice fly in the first and Brennan McKnight added an RBI single.
The Bucks took advantage of a miscue in the second, as Nick Impson scored from second on an errant pickoff throw before Weston Smith delivered an RBI single.
Smith, who also had an RBI single as part of a three-run sixth, went 3-for-5 with two RBIs.
Cade Schibler went 2-for-4, adding an RBI double in the third and an RBI single in the fourth.
Impson and Clay Stringer had run-scoring singles in the third for the Bucks.
Cody Smith had a multi-hit game of his own for the Bucks, finishing 2-for-4.
Nick Jennings, Tucker Evans and Burson also had one hit in the win.
Smackover returns to action on Monday when they host Hampton.
El Dorado 15,
Hope 0
HOPE - Five pitchers collaborated on a two-hit shutout for the Wildcats (10-12), who picked up a road win in a Class 5A-6A District 6 contest.
The Wildcats wasted no time in taking a big lead by scoring five runs in the opening inning.
Jacob Boshears, who scored three runs and had three RBIs, had the big blow, a two-run single.
El Dorado padded their lead with a six-run third, which was highlighted by Brennan Smith’s two-run single.
Daniel Johnson and Jackson Waldrum each had two RBIs in the win for the Wildcats, who had nine hits total.
Waldrum, Derek Jobe, Blake Cunningham, Johnson and Leighton Turbeville were the quintet of pitchers for the Wildcats.
They combined for eight strikeouts while issuing just one free pass.
El Dorado will host Sheridan on Monday.