By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
The Centennial Bank A Team, one of two junior American Legion teams from Cabot, went 1-1 in a two-game outing Monday at the Cabot Sports Complex. The Centennial Bank squad bounced back from a terrible defensive game that resulted in a 10-3 loss to Poyen, to beat Mount Vernon 7-3 in the nightcap.
In the early game, Cabot committed nine errors, resulting in eight of Poyen’s 10 runs being unearned. Poyen scored first in the top of the second inning after two errors followed a leadoff double.
Cabot answered in the bottom half when Parker Ashcraft hit a leadoff single to right field and Evan McCoy’s fly ball to center field was dropped. Poyen then took the lead for good with four runs in the third on two base hits, a walk and three errors.
Cabot then got three base hits and scored two runs in the bottom of the third. Coy Lovercheck, Austin Calhoun and Jacob Caswell each singled. The A Team was sitting pretty for a big inning with runners still on second and third with only one out, but bad luck came into play.
Calhoun was caught stealing home after a wild pitch careened off the brick backstop and right back to the Poyen catcher. Zach Eveleth then grounded out to end the inning and the promising rally.
Three base hits and an error led to three more Poyen runs – only one was earned – in the fourth inning. The visiting team got a walk and another batter reached on an error before a two-out triple and a single set the final margin.
Game two went much better for the home team. Eveleth had a no-hitter going through three innings against Mount Vernon as his team built a 3-0 lead.
Caswell singled to start the second inning for Cabot, and advanced to second when the Blackhawk center fielder misplayed the bounce. Eveleth then singled to put runners on the corners, setting up a disastrous defensive series for the nightcap visitors.
A pick-off throw to first was way wide of the mark, allowing Caswell to score easily from third. Eveleth made it all the way to third as the Mount Vernon right fielder threw the ball aimlessly to the infield, rolling to the third-base dugout.
When the catcher went to retrieve the ball, no one covered home and Eveleth sneaked in to give Cabot a 2-0 lead.
Centennial Bank added a run in the bottom of the third after Lovercheck was hit with one out. He stole second base and scored on an RBI base hit to left field by Braylen Moore.
The visitors’ bats started to come alive in the fourth inning and the Warhawks tied the game.
After getting the leadoff hitter to ground weakly back to the mound, Eveleth’s no-hitter was broken up with a single to right field. Two walks followed to load the bases before Peyton Lasley hit a two-run single to left field.
Eveleth hit the next batter to load the bases again before Lovercheck took the mound.
He walked in the tying run before getting a strikeout and a 6-3 grounder to end the rally.
Cabot did not score in the fourth inning, but posted four runs in the fifth as time ran down to seal the victory. The rally started when Moore was hit and Calhoun walked with one out.
Caswell then got his second base hit to drive in one run. With two outs, Eveleth hit an RBI single for a 5-3 lead. Evan McCoy then provided the highlight of the night with a two-RBI triple over the head of the left fielder.
Caswell went 3 for 6 in the two games combined to lead Cabot offensively. Eveleth and Moore went 2 for 5. Lovercheck, Ashcraft and McCoy each had base hits.
The Cabot A Team (3-15-1) will travel to Conway to face Vilonia at 6 p.m. tonight, and will again host Mount Vernon at 6 p.m. Thursday. It’s back on the road on Friday for a doubleheader at Searcy.