By TODD TRAUB
Leader sports editor
Griffin Glaude pitched a complete game and helped himself at the plate as the Beebe Badgers won their first state baseball championship, beating Monticello 6-2 in the 5A final at Baum Stadium in Fayetteville on Friday.
Beebe won its first boys state championship in any sport since winning the state basketball tournament in 1941.
Glaude struck out 11 gave up four hits and walked two and added a two-run double.
The Badgers were making just their fourth state tournament appearance in baseball, though this year’s trip was their third consecutive. It was Beebe’s first appearance in a baseball final and their first trip beyond the quarterfinals.
The Badgers also reached the state tournament in 1999. Monticello has made 20 trips to the postseason but Friday was its first appearance in the championship game.
Beebe opened the scoring in the fourth when T.J. Sanders hit Adam Naramore and Dylan Bird singled Naramore in. The Badgers made it 2-0 in the top of the fifth when Bryson Scott double to right and scored on a single by Ryan Williams.
Glaude notched two more strikeouts and reached 79 pitches in the bottom of the fifth, then the Badgers posted a three-run sixth in which Glaude helped himself with a two-run double.
Sanders, hit Logan Ballew with one out in the sixth and Ballew later scored on a sacrifice fly. Scott walked, the Billies replaced Sanders with Sam Cason.
Glaude then hit a gapper that drove in both runners to make it 5-0.
Monticello’s leadoff hitter Brandon Matthews spoiled Glaude’s shutout in the bottom of the sixth with a home run over the left-center field wall. Byrd got the run back for Beebe with a one-out homer over the left-field wall to make it 6-1.
Byrd was 2 for 4 with two RBI and leadoff man Robert Scott was 1 for 3 with two runs.
Searcy played Lake Hamilton in the 6A state championship Friday night.
Please see Wednesday’s Leader for complete coverage.