By TODD TRAUB
Leader sports editor
Even in a “meaningless” game, it’s all about pitching.
Cabot beat Vilonia 9-5 on Tuesday in the Panthers’ non-conference, regular-season finale.
By agreement among the coaches and umpires, Cabot granted Vilonia an extra half-inning, the bottom of the seventh, so Vilonia could get a look at pitcher Drew Knowles, who gave up two walks, a hit and struck out one while allowing no runs.
Cabot used the opportunity to work out four pitchers in a tune-up for the state tournament, which started Friday at Arkansas-Fort Smith. The Panthers played Springdale Har-Ber in Friday’s first round.
Cabot coach Jay Fitch had no problem extending the game and letting Knowles get some work for Vilonia to prepare for the 5A State Tournament.
“I said ‘Hey, if Blue doesn’t care I don’t care,’ ” Fitch said.
Fitch was planning to start senior ace Cole Nicholson against Har-Ber and cross his fingers for a quick game. Graduation ceremonies were Friday night and Nicholson and his classmates were planning to play their early home to put on their caps and gowns.
“Hopefully if we win, we’re spending the night, so hopefully they’ll be coming back,” Fitch said. “So it’s going to be a busy day.”
Should Cabot advance it would play top seed and Central Conference champion Bryant at noon today with sophomore lefty Ryan Logan on the mound.
“It’s about getting a little work on the mound because like I told the kids, Nicholson can’t do it all himself,” Fitch said of Tuesday’s game.
Cabot is the No. 5 seed from the 7A-Central and Har-Ber, which thumped Cabot in an early season tournament game, is the No. 4 seed from the West.
“We played them early in the year in the Benton tournament,” Fitch said. “And we had 14 walks and three hit batters so you can imagine how that went. So they probably don’t think we’re very good.
“We’ll have Cole on the mound this time and we feel good about our chances when he’s on the mound.”
The Panthers offense appeared ready for tournament play Tuesday. Cabot scored in every inning but the unnecessary last one, with Bryson Morris, Tyler Carter, Brandon Surdam, Josh Goff and Tyler Cole all having multi-hit games.
Starter Chipper Morris left after two innings with Vilonia leading 3-2. Cabot scored twice in the third with help from an error and never trailed again to make a winner out of Jeffrey Brown, who worked three innings and held Vilonia scoreless while striking out four, walking three and giving up one hit.
Kyle Kaufman gave up two runs on three Vilonia hits in the sixth and Casey Vaughn worked around an infield hit and two walks to pitch a scoreless seventh.
“Chipper Morris was all right, he’s throwing a little bit better,” Fitch said. “Then we brought in some other young guys that have kind of struggled a little bit but our senior Brown, came in and did a good job.
“He pounded the zone pretty good and that made me feel good as far as the depth or our pitching.”
Morris was 3 for 4 with a run and two RBI; Carter was 3 for 5 with three runs; Surdam was 3 for 3 with two walks, two RBI and two steals, including a steal of home in the two-run third; Goff was 2 for 3 with two RBI and Cole was 2 for 5 with an infield hit on a sacrifice bunt attempt and an RBI single.
