HUNTSVILLE -- Seth Brumley was dominant from start-to-finish Monday, May 11, as Pea Ridge routed Shiloh Christian 10-2.
The Blackhawks' big senior right-hander was just part of the reason he and his teammates drenched coach John King with a celebratory water jug bath after winning the 4A-1 Conference District Tournament crown.
Prep Baseball
4A-1 District Tournament
At Huntsville
Pea Ridge 10, Shiloh Christian 2
Pea Ridge^110^422^0^—^10^11^1
Shiloh Christian^002^000^0^—^2^6^3
Brumley and Cotton; Offenbacker, Bornhoft (4), Bandy (6) and Butler. W-Brumley, 4-0. L-Offenbacker. HRs-Pea Ridge, Holley (5).
Certainly Brumley (4-0) was masterful, allowing just six hits with eight strikeouts, including the final three Shiloh Christian batters in an efficient 100-pitch outing.
"It all starts on the bump," King said as water dripped off his cap. "He did a good job mixing it up, working it inside and outside."
The Blackhawks (20-4) also battered three Shiloh Christian pitchers for 11 hits. Pea Ridge hit well up and down the lineup, but the top of the order got the bats started. The top three hitters combined for eight hits as lead-off hitter Zach Davis was 3 for 5, two-hole hitter Nick Hardy was 2 for 3, and No. 3 hitter Garrett Easterling was 3 for 5 with two RBIs.
"The top of the lineup did set the trend today," King said. "Their pitchers were throwing strikes and we were pretty opportunistic to get hits and move runners over."
Pea Ridge earned the No. 1 seed for this week's 4A-North Regional in Dover, which was to start on Friday, May 15. The Blackhawks were to open the tournament at 10 a.m. against host Dover. Rain postponed the game until noon Saturday. The Blackhawks defeated Dover 7-5. There were slated to play Prairie Grove at 5:30 p.m. Monday, May 11.
The loss was the first for Shiloh Christian (11-2) against league teams this season after rolling through conference play unbeaten, including a run-rule win over Pea Ridge earlier this season.
On Monday it was almost all Pea Ridge. The Blackhawks got to Shiloh Christian starter Kord Offenbacker for a pair of runs in the first two innings, then knocked out the senior with a four-run fourth inning.
"They hit the ball very well," Saints coach Moe Henry said. "Kord threw the ball well, they just hit it. We tried to find a way for him to fight his way out of it, and he did some innings, but in the fourth they were able to really tack it on."
Shiloh Christian rallied to tie the game at 2-2 in the third inning as Reed Lowe crushed a double and Offenbacker singled. Both runners scored as Luke Bandy scorched a two-run single. The Saints came very close to actually delivering a bigger blow as Austin Connolly clubbed what at first looked like a home run, but the ball sailed just foul down the left-field line. Shiloh Christian never really threatened the rest of the way.
In the top of the fourth, Zaine Holley blasted a home run to left to give the Blackhawks a 3-2 lead and the momentum. Pea Ridge tacked on three more runs in the inning as Easterling and Brumley added RBI singles as did Blake Cotton for a 6-2 lead.
That was more than enough for Brumley.
Shiloh Christian was to open regional tournament play against Pulaski Robinson at 5:30 p.m. Friday. Prairie Grove and Gravette also will compete in the regionals.
Sports on 05/13/2015