HARRISON–Following a tough-luck 3-2 loss to Sheridan on Friday, Heber Springs responded with a 19-0 drubbing of the Northeast Arkansas Cyclones of Pocahontas on Saturday in an elimination game at the American Legion (AA) State Tournament at Jack Williams Field.
“The boys had fun,” said Coach Bobby Brock. We enjoyed out time up there. Win or lose our boys stuck together and it was a great team atmosphere.”
The Angels pounded out 18 hits as Tanner Rockwell and Josh Klapp combined for 11 RBI while Klapp and Josh Wilkerson held the Cyclones to only two hits during the five-inning rout. Rockwell bashed two homeruns–a 3-run shot and 2-run bomb and Klapp added a 2-run dinger and a pair of two-run singles for a team leading 6 RBI.
Post 64 got started in the top of the first against Pocahontas starter Curtis Durham when Wilkerson used his speed and a spirited head first dive to beat out a wide throw from shortstop, reaching on the error.
Caleb Brock ripped a single up the middle before Rockwell drilled his first home run over the right center wall. His 3-run shot scored Wilkerson and Brock, giving Heber a 3-0 lead. Chas Tamburo stroked a single up the gut and Klapp lined a double down the left field line before Tyler Reese drew a walk, which loaded the bases.
Pocahontas evaded further trouble as catcher Trevor Doe picked Tamburo off third, Lance Fires popped out to Jack Baltz at shortstop and Brett Boister popped foul to Doe, who made the catch near the backstop.
In the bottom of the first, Klapp pitched around a one-out single. After Baltz popped foul and Tamburo made a good running grab down the first base line from his catcher’s position, Kurt Light looped an 0-2 delivery into right field for a base hit.
Light swiped second but he was stranded when Klapp fired back with two straight strikeouts.
Heber added four runs on three hits in the top of the second. Janssen Wiedower lined out to Thomas Kingsland in right field to begin the inning but Wilkerson followed with a double down the left field line.
Brock roped an RBI single to center field that scored Wilkerson then Rockwell walked on four pitches before Tamburo reached on a hard-hit error. With the bases jammed, Klapp belted a 2 RBI single to right center that plated Brock and Rockwell as the Angels’ lead grew to 6-0.
Durham plunked Reese to reload the bases but Pocahontas’ pitcher got Fires on a high pop-out to Colten Simpson at second then he recorded a strikeout.
Klapp continued to cruise in the bottom half as Doe bounced out to Rockwell at shortstop and the Angels’ hurler notched another strikeout before Simpson pulled a single to left field. Klapp retaliated with his fourth strikeout, ending the second frame.
Heber added four runs on three hits in the top of the third. Wiedower scorched a double down the third base line and into the left field corner to lead off the inning, then Wilkerson reached by error, once again using his blazing speed to beat a wide throw to first from shortstop. Wiedower scored on a passed ball but Brock grounded back to Durham before Wilkerson scored on another passed ball, pushing Heber’s lead to 8-0.
After Rockwell grounded out to Spencer Thielemeir at third, Tamburo walked and Klapp smashed a 2-run homerun over the center field fence.
With Post 64 leading 10-0, Baltz relieved Durham and was greeted with a single past second and into right center off the bat of Reese. Baltz got out of the inning when Fires bounced out to Thielemeir at third.
In the bottom of the third, Klapp retired the Cyclones in order as pinch-hitter Jordan Johnston popped out to Rockwell at shortstop, Fires made a running grab in foul territory in which he initially dropped the ball before recovering with a diving grab near the tarp. Klapp finished off the inning with his fifth strikeout.
Already leading 10-0, Heber exploded for seven runs on six hits in the top of the fourth. Pinch-hitter Max Galt walked on four pitches to lead off the top half then Wiedower slammed an RBI double down the third base line, which scored Galt from first base.
Wilkerson smashed a single to center field and Brock reached on a throwing error that allowed Wiedower and Wilkerson to score as Post 64’s lead grew to 13-0. Rockwell scalded a single past shortstop and Tamburo drilled a single to left field, causing Pocahontas to relieve Baltz with Simpson.
Klapp greeted Simpson with a 2 RBI single to left field that scored Brock and Rockwell then pinch-hitter Nathan Martz reached on a throwing error that plated Klapp, extending Heber’s lead to 17-0.
Simpson evaded further damage as Galt bounced out to Thielemeir at third and Wiedower grounded into a 6-4-3 twin killer.
Klapp sat the Cyclones down in order in the bottom half. Reese made a solid play from third on a sharp one-hopper and Martz made a good pick at first for the first out then Bo French popped out to Martz at first and Doe bounced out to Brock at second.
In the top of the fifth, the Angels added two runs on two base knocks. Wilkerson flied out to Aaron Higginbotham, who made the play in the left center gap from his left filed position to begin the top half.
After Brock worked a walk, Rockwell delivered his second homerun, this time a 2-run shot that landed at least 40 feet over the center field wall. Leading 19-0, Tamburo poked a single to right field but Simpson notched a strikeout and got Reese on a groundout to shortstop.
Wilkerson relieved Klapp in the bottom of the fifth and worked around a two-out error. Klapp made a smooth play ranging up the middle, taking a possible infield hit away from pinch-hitter Hunter Gates and Wilkerson struck out the next batter but Durham reached by error before Wilkerson slammed the door with another strikeout.
Heber improved to 20-3 with the victory and moved into the losers’ bracket semifinals to play the Harrison McDonalds’ Big Macs.
