By GRAHAM POWELL
Leader sportswriter
Despite a slow start in the first game of a 6A East Conference doubleheader, Jacksonville dominated Little Rock Parkview in both games, winning 14-2 and 12-0 Wednesday at Kanis Park in Little Rock.
Jacksonville scored in the top of the first of game one, but managed to do so without a single base hit. Parkview provided a lot of help for the Red Devils in the opening inning as the Patriots committed three critical errors that allowed senior Jesse Harbin to score Jacksonville’s first run of the game.
Parkview (6-16, 0-12) gave Jacksonville (12-14, 6-6) another gift in the top of the third when Greg Jones hit a two-out blooper to second base, but the second baseman dropped the routine fly ball, allowing University of Arkansas signee D’Vone McClure to score from second to give the Red Devils a 2-0 lead.
Harbin got the start on the mound in game one, and did nice job of keeping Parkview at bay until the Red Devils settled into the game. By the top of the fourth, Jacksonville found its groove offensively and scored five runs in the inning. The Devils added three more in the fifth.
“The second game we played ok, the first game, not very good,” said Jacksonville coach Larry Burrows. “They (Parkview) gave us a chance by dropping some balls that should have been caught, but not our best effort in the first game.”
Parkview scored its first run in the fourth after Cole Jenkins hit a hard double down the third baseline that allowed J.T. Ward to score from second.
In the fifth, the Patriots had runners on first and third with one out when Harbin caught Michael Fitzpatrick trying to steal second.
During the rundown attempt between first and second base, Alex Butler took off for home and scored Parkview’s final run.
Jacksonville added four more runs in the top of the sixth to make the score 14-2. In the bottom half of the inning, Harbin struck out Joseph Scott to give the Red Devils the win. Harbin pitched all six innings, striking out nine while walking three.
McClure, Harbin, and Court-land McDonald all went 2 for 4 in game one, while David Williams, Derek St. Clair, and Jones had a hit apiece.
Jacksonville wasted little time putting Parkview away in game two, ending this one in five innings. The Red Devils scored three runs in the first, and eight in the second to jump out to a quick 11-0 lead.
Harbin scored the final run for the Red Devils in the bottom of the third after McDonald hit an infield single between third and short and beat out the throw to first.
The throw to first was late, and off the mark as the ball got past the first baseman, allowing Harbin to score with ease to set the final margin.
“The second game I thought we got focused,” Burrows said. “We executed a lot of good things and played good defense. Other than two third-called strikes with a runner in scoring position in the middle innings, and me messing up on one call, I thought we played pretty good in the second game.”
James Tucker picked up the win in game two, pitching all five innings and striking out two. McClure went 3 for 4 at the plate in game two and McDonald went 2 for 3. St. Clair, Tanner Burks, and Ragan Jones each had a base hit.
Jacksonville hosts Little Rock Catholic in a benefit game today at Dupree Park, and will play its final home game on Tuesday.
