Page 6 - TR Diamond Roundup March 2017

6SS
SUNDAY, MARCH 19, 2017 | THREE RIVERS EDITION OF THE ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE BASEBALL & SOFTBALL REVIEW
CABOT PANTHERS
Injured starters make room for development
BY MARK BUFFALO
STAFF WRITER
The Cabot Panthers hope to improve off
last year’s appearance in the Class 7A quarterfinal round, where they lost to eventual state champion Bryant, 4-0.
Cabot finished the 2016 season at 19-10 and 10-4 in the old 7A/6A East conference. The Panthers beat Rogers 4-0 in the first round of the state tournament.
This year, they will compete against only Class 7A schools in the 7A Central, which includes Little Rock Central, Little Rock Catholic, Bryant, Conway, North Little Rock, Fort Smith Northside and Fort Smith Southside.
“This is the toughest schedule we have played with the change in conferences and this nonconference schedule,” Cabot coach Ronnie Goodwin said.
Cabot’s nonconference slate includes in- state games with Russellville, Bentonville, Watson Chapel, Searcy and Newport. The Panthers will also play games against Oxford, Mississippi; Memphis University High School; Collierview, Tennessee; and Bolton High School of Arlington, Tennessee.
Cabot returns seven starters from a year ago. They include junior third baseman Dillon Thomas, senior shortstop Blake McCutchen, senior catcher Denver Mullins, senior outfielder Caleb Harpole, senior outfielder Eric Larsen, senior second baseman Bobby Joe Duncan and senior outfielder Evan Hooper.
However, two of those starters — Larsen and Hooper — are injured as the season starts. Also, Cabot’s top pitcher, Logan Gilbertson, and infielder Bobby Joe Duncan, who injured
Conference: 7A Central
Coach: Ronnie Goodwin Assistant coaches: Cody Perrin
and Craig Nyborg
2016 record: 19-10
Mascot: Panthers
Returning starters: Dillon Thomas,
Blake McCutchen, Denver Mullins, Caleb Harpole, Eric Larsen, Bobby Joe Duncan and Evan Hooper
a wrist, were still playing basketball at the start of the season.
“We need to get our team healthy,” Goodwin said. “With Duncan hurting his wrist in basket- ball, that’s not looking good for us. Hooper is still in a walking boot, and Larsen is in a back brace. Those are three position players we were counting on. We’re kind of a skeleton crew right now.”
Goodwin said this is how a roster gets developed.
“You hope that the people in the stands understand what’s more important this time of year — finding out who can do what for you for when you get into conference play,” he said. “I tell our team all the time: It’s not about how well you are playing in February or early March. It’s how well you are playing at the end of April and early May. You really want to peak in May. You want to do enough work to get into the playoffs. The most important thing is not being undefeated in nonconference games.”
Goodwin said the baseball season, for him, is divided into three seasons — the preseason nonconference games, the conference games and postseason play.
“You put a lot of guys out there to see who can do what,” Goodwin said. “You have the
CABOT PANTHERS
MARCH 20-22 .........@MEMPHIS TOURNAMENT MARCH 27 ........................... WATSON CHAPEL MARCH 28 ......................................CONWAY* MARCH 29 ................. @NORTH LITTLE ROCK* MARCH 31 ................................LR CENTRAL* APRIL 4 ........................................ @BRYANT* APRIL 5 .................................@SYLVAN HILLS APRIL 6 ..........................................@SEARCY APRIL 7 ..................FORT SMITH NORTHSIDE* APRIL 10 ........................................@SEARCY APRIL 11 ................... @NORTH LITTLE ROCK* APRIL 12 .............................. @LR CATHOLIC* APRIL 14 .......................................... SEARCY APRIL 18 ................FORT SMITH SOUTHSIDE* APRIL 19 ...................... NORTH LITTLE ROCK* APRIL 21 ..................................... @CONWAY* APRIL 24 ....................................... NEWPORT APRIL 25 ............................... @LR CENTRAL* APRIL 27 ................................ @LR CATHOLIC APRIL 28 .........................................BRYANT* MAY 1 .............................................. SEARCY MAY 2 ................. @FORT SMITH NORTHSIDE* MAY 5 ..........................NORTH LITTLE ROCK*
*DENOTES CONFERENCE GAMES
conference season as your second season. If you can do enough work there, you can have your third season — the postseason. The postseason should never be pressure. The pressure is getting there.”
The coach said the team’s best hitter is Mullins, who had three home runs and 21 runs batted in a year ago. He had a selling percentage of .593. He batted .360 with six doubles and
MARK BUFFALO/THREE RIVERS EDITION
Cabot senior shortstop Blake McCutchen takes a throw during a practice earlier this season.
three triples. He only struck out 11 times in 100 plate appearances.
Goodwin said his team’s best fielders are senior middle infielder McCutchen and senior outfielder Evan Hooper. Senior Brett Brockington has the best arm.
Senior Logan Gilbertson, who also plays basketball, is the team’s best returning pitcher. He was 4-2 a year ago with 65 strikeouts in 48 2/3 innings pitches. He walked 24 batters. He had a 2.30 ERA.
Goodwin said his team has several college prospects, including Hooper, Mullins, Brockington, McCutchen, Dillon Thomas, Dylan Billingsley, Conner Linton, Zach Morris,
PANTHERS continued on 7SS