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Arkansas High is counting on home field advantage to play a role in a run in the state tournament.
The Razorbacks, with eight seniors, host the 6A state baseball tournament starting today through Saturday.
“We bid on the state tournament because we had high expectations for this team; we definitely haven’t fulfilled those expectations,” AHS coach Layne Berry said. “We wanted to win conference, but the ultimate goal was to win a state championship. Now that it’s at our home field, we feel like we have a little advantage over some teams. We get to sleep in our own beds at night, which is huge.”
Arkansas High, which finished sixth in the South, opens with Marion, the second seed from the East, at 10 a.m. today.
Berry will give the ball to either Patrick Flanagan or Hunter McGilberry to pitch today. Austin Harmon will catch, Brayden Ward will be at first base, Lavert Paxton at second, Barden Warner third, and Trevor Cox shortstop. Depending on the the starting pitcher, Jalon Moss or Cameron Jones will play left field, Moss or McGilberry in center, and Brady Chattaway in right field. Jones or Steven Boyce will be the designated hitter.
“People would ask me at the first of the year how we were going to be, and I would say, ‘we’re going to be pretty good,’” Berry said. “We finished as a sixth seed. People still as me ‘ how are y’all doing?’ And I still say, ‘we’re going to be pretty good.’ When it all clicks we’re pretty tough.
“Things just haven’t gone our way a lot all year. We’ve lost a bunch of close ball games. We haven’t hit the ball well consistently. When we put it all together we can play with anyone in the state. Hopefully, being at home will give us a little confidence and momentum, and then we’ll see what happens from there.”
Against Benton—the South’s No. 1 seed—the Hogs went nine innings and stranded 12 runners in a 1-0 loss.
Berry is expecting that type of intensity on the home field this week.
The tournament schedule will follow the same format Friday, with semifinals at noon and 2:30 p.m Saturday. The 6A championship game will be Saturday, May 23 at 3 p.m. at Baum Stadium in Fayetteville, Ark.
Today’s games
10 a.m.-Arkansas High vs. Marion 12:30 p.m.-Lake Hamilton vs. Greenwood 3 p.m.-El Dorado vs. Searcy 5:30-Pine Bluff vs. Alma Byes-Benton, Russellville, Sheridan, Jonesboro