By Will Gilbert
Sun-Times Sports Editor
Heber Springs’ Post 64 Angels didn’t just win the Zone 3 Tournament. They dominated it like they have most opponents throughout the season while compiling a record of 19-2, including 10 wins by the run-rule.
Post 64 had to play all seven innings against its three zone tournament opponents but still didn’t receive much of a scare as they defeated Stuttgart, Brinkley and Conway NBMC by a combined 15 runs. However, Conway gave the Angels a relatively good game in the finals on Monday night before falling, 8-5. Emerging out of the losers’ bracket, NBMC would have had to beat Heber twice to claim the title.
“The tournament went just how I envisioned,” said Post 64 Coach Bobby Brock. “When we have all of our players here we are tough to beat. Our boys stayed focused through some tough situations. Against Conway, Caleb [Brock] and Janssen [Wiedower] made the two defensive plays of the tournament.”
“Caleb and Josh [Klapp] went through some tough times when they were younger. They took some hard losses in Legion when they were younger and kept with it so I was really proud to see them win a championship.”
Conway took an early lead and rallied late but the Angels never trailed after the second inning. Facing Tanner Rockwell, NBMC scored two runs on three hits in the top of the first.
Andrew Beck beat out an infield single on a slow roller to shortstop to get Conway going but Chris Rega popped foul to Lance Fires at first base. Kirby Powell ripped a single up the middle and Wade Beck sliced an RBI single down the right field line that scored Andrew Beck as Powell advanced to third.
Wade Beck swiped second base, which drew a high throw that allowed Powell to score as Conway took a 2-0 lead before Rockwell notched his first of six strikeouts through six innings. With two down, Jacob Calloway flied out to Janssen Wiedower in right field, leaving Wade Beck stranded at third.
Post 64 cut its deficit in half by scoring a run on one hit in the bottom of the first off Calloway. After Josh Wilkerson flied out to Andrew Dather in center field, Caleb Brock reached on an error and Rockwell pulled a single through the hole on the left side.
Chas Tamburo lifted a sacrifice-fly to Dather in deep center, which pushed Brock to third. With runners at the corners and an 0-2 count on the batter, Rockwell intentionally got hung up between first and second long enough for Brock to score from third as the Angels pulled within one at 2-1 heading into the second frame.
Rockwell retired Jackson Hogue on a groundout to Brock at second to start the top half but Tyler Ratliff and Dather each drew free passes. Andrew Beck followed with a dribbler back to the mound that Rockwell handled and took the force on Dather at second. With runners at the corners, Brock made an incredible diving play to his left from his second base position and got the out while robbing Rega of an RBI and base hit.
Heber took the lead for good with two runs on two hits in the bottom of the second. Calloway plunked Josh Klapp and Tyler Reese to begin the frame and both moved into scoring position on a passed ball but Calloway responded with a strikeout.
Fires knocked home Klapp with an RBI groundout to Hogue at second and Janssen Wiedower followed with an RBI single through the hole on the left side that plated Reese, giving Post 64 a 3-2 advantage.
Wilkerson scorched a single past third base but Calloway avoided more trouble by getting Brock on a groundout to Lance Nail at third base.
Rockwell seemed to find his groove in the top of the third with the help of solid defense. Conway went down in order as Powell grounded out to Reese at third before Wiedower ran down a line drive to deep right field off the bat of Wade Beck. After Wiedower saved an extra base knock, Rockwell used a filthy breaking ball for a strikeout.
Calloway pitched around a single and error in the bottom of the third. Rockwell flied out to Rega in right field for the first out before Tamburo poked a seeing-eye single through the hole on the right side. Klapp reached on a fielding error then Reese grounded to Nail, who stepped on third base to force Tamburo. With two on and two down, Michael Ludwig flied out to Dather, who made the catch near the 380 mark on the outfield fence.
Still leading 3-2 entering the top of the fourth, Rockwell worked around a leadoff walk drawn by Calloway. Rockwell fired back with a strikeout but Calloway took second on a wild pitch before Rockwell got Ratliff on a groundout to Reese at third. With two away, Dather chopped out to Klapp at shortstop, leaving Calloway stranded in scoring position.
Fires led off with bottom of the fourth with a single past shortstop and into left center but he was caught trying to swipe second by catcher Andrew Beck. Calloway used a curveball for a strikeout and got Wilkerson on a groundout to Wade Beck, who made the play deep in the hole from his shortstop position.
Andrew Beck lined a single down the left field line to start the fifth inning but Rockwell retaliated with two strikeouts as he seemed to reach back and find a little extra on his fastball. Meanwhile, Andrew Beck advanced to second on a wild pitch and nearly scored when Wade Beck roped a single to right field but Wiedower saved a run by hosing Andrew Beck at the plate from approximately 200 feet out. Tamburo’s sweep tag completed the exciting play, which preserved the Angels’ 3-2 lead.
Post 64 gained some breathing room by scoring three runs on four hits in the bottom of the fifth. Brock belted a single through the hole on the right side to begin the frame then Rockwell roped a single up the middle as Brock sped around to third, which drew a throw as Rockwell hustled into second on the fielder’s choice.
Tamburo delivered a 2 RBI double to deep right center that plated Brock and Rockwell as Heber’s lead grew to 5-2 before Klapp lined out to Ratliff in left field. With one out, Reese drove home Tamburo with an RBI single to right center but Calloway finally got out of the inning when Ludwig and Fires flied out to Dather in center.
Leading 6-2, Rockwell struck out the first batter of the sixth but Calloway drew a full-count walk and took second on a passed ball before Hogue bounced out to second, which advanced Calloway to third.
With two out, Ratliff slapped an RBI single down the first base line that scored Calloway as Conway pulled within three at 6-3 before Rockwell took care of a bunt from pinch-hitter Ashton Robinson.
Heber added two insurance runs on two hits in the bottom of the sixth. After Wiedower popped foul to Powell at first base, Wilkerson reached on a two-base throwing error and Brock looped a single into shallow center field.
Both runners moved into scoring position on a wild pitch, then Rockwell lifted an RBI, sacrifice-fly to right field that scored Wilkerson as Brock took third. Tamburo smashed an RBI single to left field that scored Brock as Post 64’s lead grew to 8-3, causing NBMC to relieve Calloway with Rega, who induced Klapp into a fly-out to Calloway, who moved to right field.
Klapp relieved Rockwell to start the top of the seventh and Conway continued to scrap, scoring two runs on two hits. Andrew Beck drilled a double down the left field but Klapp countered with a strikeout before Powell laced an RBI double to deep right field that scored Andrew Beck, leaving Conway with an 8-4 deficit.
After Powell advanced to third on a passed ball, Wade Beck’s RBI groundout to Brock at second scored Powell, leaving Heber with an 8-5 lead. Down to its final out, Klapp finished off NBMC by retiring Nail on a pop-out to Brock, who made the play in shallow right field from his second base position.
Coach Brock saluted NBMC on their solid play. “NBMC surprised me. They really came on at the end of the season and became a good team. They might be able to surprise some people at state.
“I felt we actually had a little slump at the plate. At this state tournament in Harrison, everybody better be on top of their game. If we start peaking at the right time we can be competitive.”
Joining Heber at state will be Conway NBMC and Brinkley from Zone 3, Sheridan, Lake Hamilton and Hot Springs Lakeside from Zone 4 and Pocahontas and Harrison out of Zone 2.
The Angels open first round, double elimination bracket play with Sheridan at 2:30 p.m. in Harrison.
Heber Springs, Ark. —
