Page 31 - RVO Diamond Roundup March 2017

RIVER VALLEY & OZARK EDITION OF THE ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE BASEBALL & SOFTBALL REVIEW | SUNDAY, MARCH 19, 2017
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HEBER SPRINGS PANTHERS
Panthers seniors hungry for state tourney appearance
BY SAM PIERCE
STAFF WRITER
he Heber Springs baseball team has not made it to the state tournament in six seasons, and head coach Jay Bise said his seniors are itching to end that streak.
“One of our strengths this season is that we actually have some seniors,” Bise said. “Last year, we didn’t have any. And our seniors are hungry to get to state, and they will be unhappy if we don’t get there.”
Last year, Heber Springs finished fourth in the conference with a 13-6 overall record, losing in the first round of the regional tour- nament. All but one starter returns for this season.
The Panthers have already played two games this season, including a shortened game against Greenbrier.
“Batesville beat us 9-2,” Bise said. “We didn’t hit the ball well, and we had some untimely errors.
Conference: 4A-2
Coach: Jay Bise
Assistant coach: Dusty Combs 2016 record: 13-6
Mascot: Panthers
Returning starters: Pierce Mitchum,
Andrew Bradshaw, Sam Lee, Jacob Bremmon and Brandon Loethen
“We played 4 1/2 innings against Greenbrier, and after being tied at 0 after three innings, I took my starter out, and we were down 6-0 when the tornado warnings came.
“That Greenbrier team is very good.”
Returning this season is senior pitcher and outfielder Pierce Mitchum, who has already signed with Arkansas State University-Jonesboro.
“He runs very well and has a solid glove in the outfield,” Bise said. “I will expect him to throw some innings for me, and he swings it pretty well.”
Senior pitcher Andrew Bradshaw has been
HEBER SPRINGS BASEBALL
MARCH 24 ............. SOUTH SIDE BEE BRANCH MARCH 27 ....................... HARDING ACADEMY MARCH 30 .................................. RIVERVIEW* MARCH 31 .............................@BAPTIST PREP APRIL 3 ............................... @CEDAR RIDGE* APRIL 6 ....................................@ROSE BUD* APRIL 7 .........CENTRAL ARKANSAS CHRISTIAN APRIL 10 ..................................... NEWPORT* APRIL 13 ............................ MOUNTAIN VIEW* APRIL 17 ...................................BALD KNOB*
*DENOTES CONFERENCE GAMES
looked at by a few people but hasn’t committed anywhere, Bise said.
“He will also play first base,” the coach said.
HEBER SPRINGS continued on 32VV
WILLIAM HARVEY/RIVER VALLEY & OZARK EDITION
Heber Springs junior pitcher Jacob Bremmon makes a delivery during early-season action.
HEBER SPRINGS LADY PANTHERS
Lady Panthers off to a solid start this season
BY SAM PIERCE
STAFF WRITER
The Heber Springs Lady Panthers are off
to a good start this season, having won three of the four games they played in a tournament in Louisiana.
“We defeated some good-quality opponents. and we are looking forward to the rest of the season,” first-year head coach Dusty West said.
West was the assistant under former head coach Chip McDonald for two years before be- ing promoted to the same role once McDonald left to be the head basketball and softball coach at Calico Rock.
“Having been here, we have a good feel for each other,” West said. “They know how I operate. The first game of the season and my first as head coach here, there might have been some nerves.
“But it was real comfortable, and I think we fit real well.”
The Lady Panthers finished 16-11 and 8-0 in conference last season. They lost to Ozark High School in the first round of the state tournament.
Conference: 4A-2
Coach: Dusty West
Assistant coaches: Chad Johnson
and Trey Miller
2016 record: 16-11
Mascot: Lady Panthers
Returning starters: Tess Temple,
Toni Bryant, Hailey Vaughn and Abbi McBroome
The Lady Panthers have 14 players return- ing from last season, including eight starters and six seniors.
“Our biggest strength is going to be our pitching and our defense,” West said. “We have a four-year starter at pitcher [in Tess Temple] and a really solid defense behind her.
“We also have some speed and athleticism on the base paths.”
West said Heber Springs is not going to overpower anybody at the plate, but “we are going to be fundamentally sound.”
“We are going to bunt and do a lot of things with our speed,” West said.
The coach said Temple throws a lot of
HEBER SPRINGS SOFTBALL
MARCH 27 ....................... HARDING ACADEMY MARCH 30 .................................. RIVERVIEW* APRIL 3 ................................. @CEDAR RIDGE APRIL 4 .............................................. BEEBE APRIL 6 ....................................@ROSE BUD* APRIL 8 .......... HEBER SPRINGS TOURNAMENT APRIL 10 ..................................... NEWPORT* APRIL 11 ..................................... @LONOKE* APRIL 13 ............................ MOUNTAIN VIEW* APRIL 14 ........................................ QUITMAN APRIL 17 .....................................BALD KNOB APRIL 20 .......................................@CLINTON APRIL 21 ................................@CLARKSVILLE
*DENOTES CONFERENCE GAMES
different pitches and locates them well. “She is not going to blow anything by anyone, but she is going to outsmart them,” West said.
“She is definitely our leader and the captain.”
LADY PANTHERS continued on 32VV
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