By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
The Cabot baseball team maintained a perfect league record and a two-game lead in the 7A-Central with a 5-0 win over Fort Smith Southside on Tuesday at Brian Wade Conrade Field.
Brett Brockinton turned in a fine performance on the mound, giving up just three base hits over seven innings of work for the win.
Blake McCutchen got the Panthers off to a good start stroking a 0-2 pitch down the third-baseline for a leadoff double. He advanced to third on a passed ball and scored on a sacrifice grounder to Denver Mullins for a 1-0 Cabot lead.
Evan Hooper got a short rally started with one out in the second inning with his own double to left. He moved to third on a sacrifice grounder by Caleb Harpole, and scored on an RBI single to right field by Kyler Franks.
No one scored in the third, but got back-to-back singles by Dillon Thomas and Houston King to start the bottom of the fourth.
Duncan hit into a fielder’s choice that got King thrown out at second and left runners on the corners. Hooper walked to load the bases before Eric Larsen hit a two-RBI base hit to left field to put the Panthers up 4-0.
After a pitching change, two hit batters and an error in the bottom of the sixth scored Duncan to set the final margin.
Thomas was the only player in the game with multiple hits. He went 2 for 3 while McCutchen and Hooper each hit for extra bases. King, Larsen and Franks got one base hit each.
Brockinton finished with five strikeouts and two walks.
Southside (6-14, 1-8) got one hit each by Mac Moody, Jake Melton and Matt Schilling.
The Panthers (17-6, 9-0) hold a two-game lead over North Little Rock while Conway and Bryant are 6-3.
