In its first year of American Legion competition, Rose Bud certainly improved throughout the season. However, not enough to win a game in the Zone 3 Tournament as Stuttgart blanked the Razorbacks 10-0 on Friday night and Conway NBMC edged them 5-4 on Sunday.
Versus Stuttgart, Rose Bud had trouble making contact against pitcher Parker Frizzell, who plays high school ball for DeWitt. Stuttgart’s right-handed pitcher only allowed one hit and struck out 13 batters through five innings.
The Razorbacks gave Frizzell a little trouble in the top of the first after he struck out the leadoff batter. Bill Wilson was hit-by-a-pitch and Blake Gray poked a single through the hole on the right side but Wilson was gunned down at third by right fielder Dontrell Brown. Frizzell induced Nik Adcock into a fly-out to Jon Curtis in deep left field, leaving one runner stranded.
Nik Adcock, Rose Bud’s starting pitcher, worked out of a jam in the bottom of the first after Logan Ward roped a double to deep left field. Adcock retired Zac Steinmetz on a fly-out to Matt McRae in center and got Brown on a pop-out to CJ Farris at second. Ward advanced to third on a wild pitch but was stranded when John Godwin popped out to Justin Wilson at shortstop.
Frizzell fanned the first batter he faced in the top of the second but Josh Pratt and Tanner Adcock drew consecutive walks and moved into scoring position on a wild pitch. But Frizzell responded with two straight strikeouts, leaving two Razorbacks stranded in scoring position.
In the bottom of the second, the Ricemen broke the ice with three runs on three hits. Trevor Freemyer slapped a single past third base to get Stuttgart rolling, then Frizzell slammed a double to the gap in left center.
Aaron Lockwood smashed a 2 RBI triple off the fence in right field that scored Freemyer and Frizzell, giving Stuttgart a 2-0 lead. Curtis followed with an RBI groundout to Justin Wilson at shortstop, which plated Lockwood.
Trailing 3-0, Adcock retired Morgan Ragland on a groundout to Bill Wilson at second and got Ward on a groundout to Justin Wilson, who made the play from deep in the hole at shortstop.
Frizzell struck out the side in the top of the third but Adcock held the Ricemen scoreless as well in the bottom half. After Steinmetz popped out to Justin Wilson at shortstop, Brown reached on a two-base throwing error before Godwin flied out to Logan Gray in left field. With Brown still on second, Adcock retired Freemyer on a fly-out to McRae in center.
Frizzell struck out the side for the second consecutive inning in the fourth and Stuttgart added three insurance runs in the bottom half off relief pitcher Bill Wilson. Frizzell poked a single down the first base line to get the Ricemen started and he moved around to third on a wild pickoff before Lockwood drilled an RBI single up the middle that scored Frizzell.
Catcher Blake Gray gunned down Lockwood attempting to steal second but Curtis worked a walk and Ragland beat out an infield single. After Ward walked on four pitches, a series of throwing errors allowed Curtis and Ragland to score as the Ricemen lead grew to 6-0.
Tanner Adcock relieved Bill Wilson before Ward was caught stealing home and Brown popped out to Farris at second, ending the fourth.
For the third straight frame, Frizzell struck out the side in the fifth and Stuttgart run-ruled the Razorbacks with four runs in the bottom half. Godwin bounced out to Bill Wilson at third and Freemyer grounded out to Farris at second for two quick outs before Stuttgart mounted a rally, starting with a single to right field off the bat of Frizzell.
Lockwood walked and Curtis reached on a throwing error that allowed Frizzell to score as Stuttgart’s lead grew to 7-0 before Ragland was plunked. After Lockwood scored on a wild pitch, Ward laced a 2 RBI single to left field that scored Curtis and Ragland, giving the Ricemen a 10-0 victory.
On Sunday, Rose Bud bounced back with a solid performance against Conway NBMC but fell, 5-4. Conway took a 2-0 lead on the top of the first inning but the Razorbacks battled back with a run in the bottom of the second when Nik Adcock singled and scored.
NBMC added two more runs in the third frame or a 4-1 lead but Rose Bud refused to go down quietly, as they battled back with a run in the bottom of the fourth when Blake Gray reached on an error and scored.
Conway added a much-needed insurance run in the top of the fifth when Wade Beck scored on a wild pitch. Trailing 5-2, Rose Bud pulled within one run as Tanner Adcock reached on an error and scored on an RBI single to right field off the bat of CJ Farris.
Farris eventually scored on a wild pitch as the Razorbacks pulled within one at 5-4 but Beck slammed the door by pitching two scoreless frames as NBMC squeaked out a one-run victory, which ended Rose Bud’s season.
