Friday, June 10, 2011

SPORTS>>Centennial grinds out tough win

By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor

The Cabot senior American Legion team turned a great performance at the plate to pick up a good win Wednesday, beating the Conway Cougars 8-3 at the Brian Conrade Sports Complex.

The hosting Centennial Bank squad tallied 11 base hits from nine different batters to get the win and improve to 3-4 on the season. Dustin Morris and Jordan Castillow led the way with two hits apiece. Both of Castillow’s knocks went for extra bases, one a double and another a home run, while Morris’ two singles garnered a team-high three RBIs.

Cabot didn’t take the lead until the fourth inning of the seven-inning game.

Kyle Kaufman started on the mound for Centennial Bank and turned in a good performance. He gave up just four hits and two earned runs in his three-and-two-thirds innings on the mound. He gave way to reliever Jeff Brown, who shut the Cougars down for the rest of the game. He threw three and a third innings of no-hit ball, striking out six, while his teammates rallied to take the lead and get the win.

Cabot’s class AA team was also in action Wednesday, and is still looking for its first winof the season. It fell 8-2 at Hot Springs Lakeside in yet another road game, to fall to 0-4. The team picked up seven base hits, including two by Hayden Vinson and a triple by Grayson Cole that drove in Cabot’s two runs. It failed, however, to manufacture runs when it had other opportunities.

Head coach David Smith’s AA squad has only played one home game so far, and won’t play another one until it hosts Lake Hamilton on June 20.

Next week is a busy one for the Cabot programs. The junior and senior teams host Jacksonville at Brian Conrade Sports Complex, while the AA team plays at Heber Springs on Monday. Tuesday, the junior team hosts a doubleheader against Sheridan, while the AA and senior teams begin play in the Sheridan Wooden Bat Classic on Wednesday.