By RAY BENTON Leader sports editor
The Cabot senior American Legion team went 1-1 this week since losing the championship game of the Sheridan Wood Bat Classic on Sunday. The senior Centennial Bank squad lost 3-2 to Clarksville on Tuesday, then traveled to Searcy on Wednesday and picked up a 5-2 victory.
The team was scheduled to play Thursday in Jacksonville in the Gwatney Chevrolet Senior Invitational, but that first-round game was rained out.
In Wednesday’s victory, Cabot picked up nine base hits while allowing just three, and bookended five scoreless innings with a one-run first and a four-run seventh.
Blake McCutchen, Brian Tillery and Michael Crumbly all had two base hits. Tillery, hitting in the three hole, also had a double and the game’s only two RBIs.
Brodey Schluter, Rail Gilliam and Jack Broyles each had one base hit.
Brett Brockinton got the win on the mound, pitching six and one-third innings. He gave up two hits and one run, but it was an unearned run, as Cabot committed three defensive errors. The errors came despite very few balls being put into play. Brockinton finished with 13 strikeouts to just three walks.
Dylan Billingsley got the save by recording the final two outs. He gave up one hit and one unearned run with one strikeout.
In the loss at Clarksville on Tuesday, Cabot picked up six base hits, two more than its host, but still lost thanks partly to four more fielding errors.
Caleb Wilson pitched all six innings for Cabot, and pitched well. He allowed only one earned run while striking out five and walking two. Cabot was facing a tough pitcher as well, and struck out 13 times.
Caleb Harpole led Centennial Bank offensively with two base hits, including a triple, as well as one run scored and one RBI.
McCutchen, Broyles, Tillery and Gilliam had one base hit apiece. Gilliam record Cabot’s other RBI.