By Jason Avery
News-Times Staff
On Wednesday, El Dorado began a three-game homestand that could go a long way towards determining their seeding for the 6A West Conference Tournament.
If their performance on Wednesday is any indication, the Wildcats’ fans could be in for a treat, as El Dorado scored 11 runs in the first inning en route to a 16-2 win over Hot Springs in a 5A-6A District 6 contest at the El Dorado-Union County Recreation Complex.
Jacob Boshears delivered the big blow, belting a three-run homer near the scoreboard in left-center to highlight the frame.
The Wildcats (16-5, 5-2), who sent 15 men to the plate, took advantage of five walks and a hit batsman in the frame. An error and a balk also led to a pair of runs.
With one out, Boshears walked and stole second, and Chase Webb drew a free pass to put runners at first and second.
With the defense not paying attention between pitches to Micah Haney, Boshears stole third to put runners at the corners.
Webb then stole second, but the throw was cut off and Boshears quickly began to retreat back to third.
However, the throw to nab Boshears sailed over the head of third baseman Elias Parker for an error that allowed Boshears to score and Webb to take third.
Haney later walked, and a balk allowed Webb to score and Haney to take second.
Haney was later thrown out trying to steal third, but the Wildcats loaded the bases after Derek Jobe was hit by a pitch and Brennan Smith and Noah Gaul drew walks.
Jared Rhodes followed with a grounder to third that was misplayed for an error that brought home Jobe and Smith to make it 4-0.
Evan Chandler was then hit by a pitch to reload the bases, and Leighton Turbeville followed with the inning’s first hit, a double down the right-field line that scored pinch runner Christian Webb and courtesy runner Reed Stone to push the lead to 6-0.
With runners at second and third, the stage was set for Boshears, who drilled his aforementioned three-run homer to left-center to give El Dorado a 9-0 edge.
Chase Webb started the rally anew with a walk, then stole second and scored when Haney’s fly ball to right was misplayed into a double.
Jobe then belted an RBI triple to center to cap the scoring in the frame.
The Wildcats scored a run in the second on Westdan Owens’ pinch-hit RBI single, and three in the third with Stone hitting an RBI triple.
El Dorado scored its final run in the fourth on a bases-loaded walk to Hunter Stringer.
The Trojans scored their runs in the third with DeAnte Sanders scoring on a balk and Ben Slate crossing the plate on an error.
Turbeville picked up the win, working two hitless innings. He walked one and struck out three.
El Dorado will host Lake Hamilton this afternoon at 4:30 p.m.