Valley View continues run to title game
CLASS 5A BASEBALL
VALLEY VIEW 10, VAN BUREN 0
HARRISON — The Valley View Blazers made a quick run to the Class 5A baseball state championship game.
Valley View recorded its third straight run-rule victory at the state tournament with a 10-0 win Saturday over Van Buren at Equity Bank Sports Complex.
Valley View (30-2) will play Maumelle (19-11) in the championship game next week in Conway at the University of Central Arkansas. Dates and times for championship games will be announced by the Arkansas Activities Association on Sunday afternoon.
Valley View earned its fourth straight trip to the championship game.
“These seniors have been unbelievable,” Valley View Coach Josh Allison said. “I’m excited every time we go back. I don’t take it for granted, but for them to go four straight years is pretty special.”
On Saturday, Valley View scored seven runs on triples by Slade Caldwell and Jade Taylor along with seven walks in the fourth inning to take a 9-0 lead.
A sacrifice fly by Hudson Hosman in the fifth inning scored Dax Webb, who tripled into the right-field corner, to enact the mercy rule and end the game.
Valley View beat Beebe 12-2 in the first round and Russellville 11-1 in the quarterfinals.
“I’m proud of the guys for battling through and taking everybody’s best shot,” Allison said. “We never panicked. Like we say, the dam finally breaks and we broke through in the fourth today.”
Valley View took a 2-0 lead in the first inning on a run-scoring double by Webb, then an error for another run.
The Blazers had baserunners in the second and third innings, stranding two in each, before the fourth inning.
“It was a matter of time,” Allison said. “That’s what we kept telling them, that it was just a matter of time before it happens. We had two guys on every inning and were right there.”
Caldwell’s triple scored Taylor, who led off the inning with a walk. Five walks later, Taylor came around again and tripled home three runs.
“It was a fight, it was a battle,” Allison said. “I still thought we had pressure every inning, we just didn’t get the big hit. Once we ran their pitcher out of the game, we capitalized with Taylor busting it open with the bases loaded.”
The Pointers had chances early against Eli Crecelius but couldn’t take advantage.
“They put themselves in position to throw their No. 1 pitcher on the third day,” Van Buren Coach Luke Weatherford said. “Anytime you can do that, that’s a huge advantage. We knew coming in that we were going to have to play really well.”
Hudson Gardner and Matthew Nichols had consecutive hits for Van Buren in the second inning, and Peyton Pschier added a base hit in the third inning after Billy Cain and Ian Rowe walked.
MAUMELLE 8, LAKE HAMILTON 3
The Hornets will play in their first baseball state championship game.
Maumelle scored four runs in the second inning and coasted to the win.
Blaize Ward, Peyton Lee and Nick White had consecutive singles to highlight the second inning for Maumelle.
Ward’s single scored two runs, while Lee and White followed with base hits, all with two outs, for the early 4-0 cushion.
Lake Hamilton scored an unearned run in the bottom of the inning, but Maumelle answered with two more in the third inning.
Rodger Claret and Chandler Eubanks also had consecutive singles to push the Hornets up 6-2.
Lake Hamilton added a run in the fifth, but Maumelle again answered with two runs in the sixth when Claret stole home on the front end of a double steal, and Lee doubled home a run for an 8-2 lead.
C.J. Cooley earned the win, going 4 1/3 innings and allowing just three hits and an earned run. Eubanks finished off the win in relief.