Page 14 - TR_RVO_HSBaseball_Softball_2020

14SS
THREE RIVERS EDITION/RIVER VALLEY & OZARK EDITION OF THE ARKANSAS DEMOCRAT-GAZETTE DIAMOND ROUNDUP
SUNDAY, MARCH 22, 2020
BRADFORD BASEBALL
APRIL 2 ....................................... BRINKLEY* APRIL 6 ........................................ MIDLAND* APRIL 7 ...............................ABUNDANT LIFE* APRIL 13 ...................................@BRINKLEY* APRIL 14 ....................................... CONCORD APRIL 16 ....................................@MIDLAND* APRIL 20 ...................................... AUGUSTA* APRIL 23 ....................................@AUGUSTA* APRIL 24 ....................................... @LONOKE
*DENOTES CONFERENCE GAMES
BRADFORD SOFTBALL
APRIL 2 ....................................... BRINKLEY* APRIL 6 ........................................ MIDLAND* APRIL 7 ...............................ABUNDANT LIFE* APRIL 13 ...................................@BRINKLEY* APRIL 14 .....................................@NEWPORT APRIL 16 ....................................@MIDLAND* APRIL 20 ...................................... AUGUSTA* APRIL 21 ................................... @HILLCREST APRIL 23 ....................................@AUGUSTA*
*DENOTES CONFERENCE GAMES
SEARCY LIONS
Searcy senior Kyle Burton prepares to throw a ball to first base at a practice. Head coach Matthew Davis said Burton is the team’s best power hitter. Last year, he averaged .304 with a .418 slugging percentage.
Searcy senior Blake Goldman attempts to catch a fly ball.
Sophomore Daniel Perry is “probably the most athletic kid that we have on the baseball team,” Davis said.
“He has a good strong first step and an accu- rate arm,” the coach said. “He does a good job of putting himself in a good position. He covers the ground well and is smart about where we are going with the ball. ... He is a real blessing for us to have defensively.”
Perry, who also plays defensive back for the Searcy football team, was moved into a starting role last year around spring break.
“Once he got there in center field, the elevation of the defense was something that could not be ignored,” Davis said. “He naturally lifted up everybody around him and gave our pitchers a little bit more faith.”
Davis said one of the biggest games to watch this year is the team’s conference double-header against Jonesboro on May 5.
“We have a lot of returning pieces coming back from last year, not just from a solid group of juniors and seniors, but we have about five sophomores who saw significant playing time as freshmen,” Davis said.
“It is the most experienced and versatile lineup that we have had in about three or four years,” he said. “We are going to have to let the defense play solid to keep runs off the board, and we will also need to be smart at the plate in our pitch selection and not allow pitchers to dictate the at-bats,” Davis said.
SEARCY BASEBALL continued from 13SS He takes the time to study his craft, which is
a rare thing for a kid his age.”
Leonard has already signed with the
University of Central Arkansas in Conway. “UCA has been after him for a couple of years now,” Davis said. “He is excited, and we
are excited for him.
“It is a chance to get up there and make
an immediate impact. He will be a player that UCA is really happy to have.”
Davis said senior Kyle Burton is the team’s best power hitter. He averaged .304 a year ago with a .418 slugging percentage, including 4 doubles, a triple, a home run and 12 RBIs.
“Fundamentally, he’s really worked hard to improve the small things,” Davis said. “He is up there at 7 a.m., or anytime the cages are open. And he is there with a purpose to improve those fundamentals of his swing and is very conscious of what he is trying to do.”
Burton also works as a middle relief pitcher, making 13 appearances last year. He had an ERA of 4.41 with 25 earned runs, 21 strikeouts and 17 walks. Burton has received interest from Lyon College in Batesville and some out-of-state colleges. The coach said Burton is “generating a lot of buzz on his own.”
Sophomore Owenn Marino made seven ap- pearances last year and finished with an ERA of 4.29 with 9 earned runs, 16 strikeouts and 8 walks.
PHOTOS BY STACI VANDAGRIFF/THREE RIVERS EDITION
Since 1957
We understand the effort it takes to be the BEST!
501-268-8623 1-800-233-7378
1001 South Main St.
Searcy www.pestcontrolbyadams.com