SBLive Arkansas Super 7 baseball rankings (April 24)
By Kevin Bohannon | Photo by Braeden Botts/Conway Log Cabin Democrat
Postseason play is here for the lower classifications and playoff seeding in 5A and 6A will be determined over the next two weeks. A number of teams claimed conference championships last week, some for the first time in a decade.
6A
1. Rogers (20-2)
2. Cabot (15-5)
3. Conway (18-5)
4. Bryant (16-5)
5. Springdale Har-Ber (19-6)
6. Rogers Heritage (19-5)
7. Bentonville (13-10)
OUTSIDE LOOKING IN: Fayetteville (15-7) LR Catholic (12-7)
Rogers: The Mounties had three shutouts last week to bring their season total to 12. In their 11 conference wins, 9 of them have been shutouts, and they have only allowed six runs in 6A West play. Rogers can clinch the conference title with one win against Rogers Heritage this week.
Cabot: The Panthers started last week with a loss to Little Rock Christian. Warriors head coach Ronnie Goodwin said they were a caught pop fly away from winning the game. They did not let the loss affect them, however. In a much-anticipated rematch with Conway, the Panthers made sure there was no dramatic ending by winning 8-3. Cabot got key hits in pressure situations off Hugh Hill and the Conway bullpen.
Conway: Wampus Cats head coach Leighton Hardin knew running the table in the 6A-Central would be an enormous task. If there is a team that can battle back from a loss, it is the 2023 Conway Wampus Cats. They have winning streaks of nine and seven games on the season. Another seven-game winning streak puts them in the state championship game.
Bryant: The Hornets have had a good run since losing to Conway on April 11th. They’ve won four straight games including conference tilts against Jonesboro, Catholic and Central. The 13-1 win over Catholic raised eyebrows across the state. The Hornets pounded out seven extra base hits with Jace Ruffner and Grant Johnson having two apiece. Hank Penfield has been on a tear at the plate and behind the plate. The junior backstop is hitting .309 and has thrown out 37 percent of baserunners this season.
Springdale Har-Ber: The Wildcats have won five straight games and swept Southside last week by scores of 8-0 and 10-0. Ross Felder tossed a no-hitter in game one striking out 11 hitters. Offensively, Felder and Braden Sprague each had a double while Cole Carlton hit a homerun. In game two, Felder was 3 for 4 with a double and a homerun with three runs batted in. Jeff Zachry followed a triple in game one with a couple runs batted in in game two.
Rogers Heritage: Heritage got a much-needed sweep of Fayetteville last week. Dillon Askew went the distance allowing four hits in the 5-1 win in game one. Bennett Crafton, Jack Hamm, Josh Hinds, and Spencer Mounce knocked in runs in the 6-4 game two win. The War Eagles can secure the number two seed for the state tournament if they can beat cross-town rival Rogers this week.
Bentonville: The Tigers make their return to our rankings on the strength of four straight conference wins over Heritage and Northside. The Tigers have had a flare for the dramatic this season and last week was no different. Last week was no difference with a pair of one run wins over Northside. Bentonville did drop a non-conference game to Greenwood to end the week, but they are having fun right now and that makes them dangerous.
5A
1. Valley View (20-3)
2. Little Rock Christian (22-2)
3. Arkansas High (16-3)
4. Maumelle (16-7)
5. Greenwood (16-5)
6. Greenbrier (16-5)
7. Greene County Tech (17-4)
OUTSIDE LOOKING IN: Marion (13-6), Batesville (16-7)
Valley View: The Blazers have won 15 games in a row dating back to spring break. They remained undefeated in conference play by sweeping Greene County Tech last week by scores of 7-2 and 8-2. Lawson Ward blew game one open with a two-run scoring double. Eli Crecelius struck out 12 over 5.2 innings to get the win on the mound. Slade Caldwell went 6 innings in game two, also striking out 12. Jayde Taylor and Owen Roach homered in the game two win.
Little Rock Christian: Reece Tarini scattered six hits over six innings in a 2-1 win over Cabot. In the 19-4 win over Catholic, Charlie Carter went 4-for-4 with two home runs and six runs batted in. Tarini also had a three-run homerun and Clay Smith hit a grand slam.
Arkansas High: Ty Waid hit his 11th home run of the year in Friday night's 4-2 win over El Dorado. Earlier in the week, Waid tossed a two-hit shutout as the Razorbacks defeated El Dorado 4-0. Luke Paxton and Ryan Wardlaw continued to produce offensively going 6 for 13 combined in the series.
Maumelle: The Hornets finally gave up a run in conference play with an 8-7 win over Sylvan Hills. The Hornets had an easier time in the nightcap, winning 3-0. Razorback commits Tag Andrews and Peyton Lee have been dominant all season. Andrews 81 strikeouts to only 14 walks while Lee has 68 strikeouts to 18 walks.
Greene County Tech: The Eagles had some chances against Valley View, but they never could get a hit in key situations. They are currently tied for second place in the 5A East with Batesville and Marion. They do control their own destiny moving forward.
Greenwood: The Bulldogs had another good week ending it with a 3-1 win over Bentonville head coach Brandon Brewer said Mitchell was “lights out” in the complete game effort. Mitchell faced the minimum through five innings, only allowing three hits on the night. Grant Karnes continued his all-state caliber season going 2 for 3 with two runs scored. The Bulldogs have Alma this week followed by a showdown with Greenbrier on May 2nd.
Greenbrier: The Panthers went 3-0 last week sweeping Alma and beating Robinson in non-conference action. Kane Griffin had 9 strikeouts over 5.2 innings in a 10-1 win over Alma. Ty Ruby and Paxton Flagg knocked in two runs apiece in the 8-2 win over Robinson. Mountain Home comes to Faulkner County for a key 5A West doubleheader on Monday.
4A
1. Lonoke (20-2)
2. Stuttgart (13-3)
3. Robinson (15-8)
4. Brookland (14-10)
5. Pocahontas (10-5)
6. Morrilton (13-7)
7. Nashville (14-6)
OUTSIDE LOOKING IN: Ashdown (12-10), Arkadelphia (10-7)
Lonoke: Steele Eaves and Jaxson Ingle combined for 25 strikeouts in back-to-back shutouts over Robinson to clinch the 4A-5 conference championship. The junior duo allowed two hits each with Eaves not allowing a walk while Ingle walked two. Jonathan Lewis had a two out two run single in game one to set the final margin.
Stuttgart: The Diamond Birds came back down to Earth in a 3-1 loss to Hamburg. Hamburg ace Brent Holland struck out 12 hitters and only allowed two hits. The Ricebirds rebounded nicely with a 13-9 win over Warren. Stuttgart has clinched the 4A-8 conference title with two games left against Crossett and Monticello.
Robinson: The Senators proved they could hang with Lonoke even without four starters. Coach Isaac Dulaney knew it would be an uphill battle against Steele Eaves and the Jackrabbits, then things got worse when starting pitcher Spencer Watson left the game after 10 pitches. Dulaney’s team never gave up, and that is why they have a chance to play Lonoke a couple more times down the stretch. Connor Grisham was lights out in the second game against Lonoke going the distance allowing three hits and one unearned run.
Brookland: Brookland has won five straight games since their loss to Pocahontas. They won the 4A-3 regular season championship and will now be guaranteed a berth in the 4A-East regional tournament no matter what happens at the district tournament this week.
Pocahontas: Pocahontas lost their only game of the week to Harding Academy by a score of 3-2. The Redskins finished in a three-way tie for second place with Highland and Westside in the 4A-3 conference. The 4A-3 district tournament is up next.
Morrilton: The Devil Dogs celebrated their 4A-4 conference championship with a win over Harding Academy to end the week. Sophomore righty Caden Meeler struck out 14 batters in the clinching 1-0 win over Clarksville on Tuesday. Meeler is 6-0 on the season with 75 strikeouts and only 7 walks. Meeler has allowed one earned run in 36.1 innings this season. Junior Luke Carner has been almost as good with an earned run average of 0.42 in 33.1 innings pitched.
Nashville: Nashville dropped a 1-0 heartbreaker to Arkadelphia last week. Carter Babb stole home in the top of the seventh to give the Badgers the lead. The Scrappers hold a one-game lead over Arkadelphia for the 2nd seed in the 4A South regional next week. They can also win the 4A-7 conference and get the number one seed with wins over Camden Fairview and conference leader Ashdown.
3A
1. Harding Academy (15-7)
2. Elkins (20-3)
3. Camden Harmony Grove (21-5)
4. Booneville (14-5)
5. Genoa Central (15-1)
6. Melbourne (14-2)
7. Rose Bud (14-8)
OUTSIDE LOOKING IN: Walnut Ridge (17-9), Rivercrest (15-1)
Harding Academy: Harding wrapped up another conference title for head coach Shane Fullerton with an 11-1 win over Pangburn. They came up short against Valley View and Morrilton, 3-2 and 7-6. This team has played the same caliber schedule as years passed but not as many games. Fullerton planned it this way to make sure his team is peaking at the right time.
Elkins: Elkins captured the 3A-1 crown officially with a 16-0 win over Green Forest. It was a big moment for the Elks skipper Hunter Corbell as he collected his 100th win in his young career. Dizzy Dean tossed a no hitter and drove in two runs in the win. The Elks lost a barnburner to Shiloh Chirstian 13-12 in 8 innings to end the week.
Camden Harmony Grove: The Hornets scored 53 runs in their three wins last week. They clinched the 3A-8 title with a 13-1 win over DeWitt. Mason Morgan struck out seven over five innings of work. Braden Brown was 3 for 4 and Caleb Johnson knocked in two runs with a double.
Booneville: Booneville saw their 10-game winning streak come to an end with a 9-7 loss to Mansfield. Crazy things can happen in nonconference play late in the season, but Mansfield is playing good baseball. Earlier in the week, Booneville got an 11-3 win with Brooks Herrera tossing a complete game with nine strikeouts. He helped his cause by going 2 for 2 with a home run.
Genoa Central: The Dragons dropped their first contest of the season to Prescott 5-4 last Monday. They did bounce back with a 6-2 win over Haskell Harmony Grove to clinch the 3A-7 conference championship. The 3A-7 district tournament is up next for the Dragons as they prepare for regionals next week.
Melbourne: The Bearcatz wrapped up the 3A-2 conference championship beating Walnut Ridge 5-4 for their sixth straight win. Melbourne is 14-2 overall and will be the number one seed next week in their regional tournament.
Rose Bud: The Ramblers have lost four of their last five games but there is a silver lining according to head coach Taylor Cooper. “We needed today, we needed to have a little fun,” he said. Cooper was referencing his team’s 7-3 loss to Episcopal on senior night where his kids relaxed a little and some bench players got to take the field for the love of the game. The Ramblers are still dangerous in the postseason. They are guaranteed a spot in next week’s regional tournament and their seeding will be determined by their finish in the 3A-6 district tournament this week.
2A
1. Woodlawn (22-3)
2. Carlisle (17-6)
3. Episcopal (13-6)
4. SS Bee Branch (19-7)
5. Mansfield (16-4)
6. Horatio (19-8)
7. Greenland (17-3)
OUTSIDE LOOKING IN: Bigelow (7-3), Riverside (17-5)
Woodlawn: Woodlawn outscored three opponents 36-7 last week. The Bears are rolling right now and are tied for the most wins in the state. They have clinched the 2A-8 conference title with games against Ouachita and Junction City scheduled this week.
Carlisle: The Bison have won 10 straight games since spring break, and they have done that by taking it one game at a time. Carlisle won its first conference championship in a decade with a 4-1 win over Palestine-Wheatley last Friday. They will be the number one seed in the 2A Central regional tournament next week.
Episcopal: The Wildcats have won 12 straight games, and it doesn’t matter who is next on the schedule, this team feels like they have the confidence to beat anyone in the state. Head coach Eddie Stephenson said his group took the challenge of saying, “We’re going to be the group that competes to win state titles at Episcopal.” They took the momentum from the end of last season and carried it over to this year which has included the first baseball conference title in school history.
SS Bee Branch: The 2A-2 conference championship was clinched with a 9-3 win over Sloan-Hendrix last Monday. The six-game winning streak came to an end with a 6-3 loss to 4A Southside Batesville but that will not stop the Hornets moving forward. They will be the top seed in next week’s regional tournament.
Mansfield: A conference championship and a win over 3A Booneville has the Tigers primed for the postseason. Mansfield defeated Lavaca 3-2 to clinch the conference title and put a cherry on top with a 12-0 win over Mountainburg last Friday.
Horatio: The Lions defeated Murfreesboro 8-5 to clinch the 2A-7 conference title. Horatio scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning and was led by Rylie Williamson going 2 for 3 with two runs scored. They will go for their 20thwin of the season in a rematch with Mansfield on Monday.
Greenland: The Pirates had a light week due to inclement weather. They beat 4A Berryville 7-6 and Hackett 14-4. They will take on 4A-1 champion Farmington on Monday before heading to their regional tournament next week.
1A
1. Taylor (15-4)
2. West Side (15-3)
3. Viola (14-6)
4. Mount Ida (10-7)
5. Norfork (13-3)
6. St. Joseph (9-5)
7. Scranton (11-6)
OUTSIDE LOOKING IN: Armorel (10-2). Nemo Vista (11-9), Midland (12-7)
Taylor: The Tigers made a statement in their ninth straight win by scoring the most runs in a game this season with a 27-5 win over Lafayette County. Taylor already has the 1A-7 conference championship wrapped up, but they will play Hampton and Bearden this week as they prepare for the 1A South regional tournament next week.
West Side: Head coach Shane Davis had great expectations for his Eagles last season but it’s his 2023 team that is playing championship baseball at the right time. After opening the season with a 3-2 loss to Norfork, the Eagles got their revenge and a share of the conference title with a 10-2 win over Norfork last week. The Eagles avenged an early season loss to Violas as well with a 10-1 win.
Viola: The Longhorns have been battle-tested this season. They had four errors in the 10-1 loss to West Side. Braden Williams did have nine strikeouts over 5.1 innings allowing only three earned runs. By my calculations, the Longhorns will be 2nd seed in next week’s regional tournament even though they were conference tri-champions.
Mount Ida: The Lions had a wild week with wins over Murfreesboro and Poyen. They won a shootout with Murfreesboro by a score of 17-16. Later in the week, pitching and defense was much better in the 11-1 win over Poyen. The Lions will have a chance to redeem themselves and win the district tournament this week after finishing 2nd in the regular season to Mineral Springs.
Norfork: The Panthers did accomplish one of their goals this season. They are conference champions, and they don’t care that they must share it. Head coach Ethan Davis has his team focused on the next goal which is the regional tournament. In an 11-0 win over Concord last week, sophomore Coty Foster had a complete game shutout. Senior Ike Barrow hit the longest homerun of his career in his final swing at Norfork.
St. Joseph: The Bulldogs beat Wonderview 3-0 last Tuesday giving them their second win over the Daredevils this season and a conference championship. Nemo Vista did split with the Bulldogs, so it is a shared title, but St. Joes is playing their best baseball of the season right now with outstanding pitching a defense. The Bulldogs are not strangers to the state championship game and know how to get there.
Scranton: The Rockets didn’t score 24 runs, but they did wrap up the conference title with an 8-1 win over County Line last week. They dropped a 4-0 decision to 3A Paris earlier in the week. The Rockets have the offense to make some noise in the postseason. They have scored 10 or more runs eight times this season.
