By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
The Cabot Centennial Bank senior team started hot and won its first two games in the Sheridan Wood Bat Classic this week, putting itself in good position for a pool win and the opportunity to play in Sunday’s final tournament round.
Cabot is looking for its third Wood Bat Classic championship in four years, after winning the crown in 2008 and 2009.
The two wins in pool mark four straight for Centennial Bank, which coach Jay Darr attributes primarily to a change in approaching the plate.
“It’s really that simple,” Darr said. “We had the pitching to win games before this streak. Our defense has also gotten a little better, but we still have a long way to go. The main thing is that our hitting approach has really, really improved.”
Cabot started the event Wednesday beating Hot Springs Village 5-4, then handled Sylvan Hills 8-4 Thursday night.
After the Bruins took an early 1-0 lead in Thursday’s game, Cabot tied it in the second, and the bats came alive in the third.
Cabot tied it when Dustin Morris singled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Dylan Wilson.
Things didn’t start well for Cabot in the third, with the first two batters going down in order. An error, a balk and three straight base hits pushed three runs across the plate.
Justin Goff reached on an error in left field, moved to second on a balk and scored an RBI single by Matt Evans. Morris got another base hit, and both base runners scored on a two-RBI hit by Wilson to give Cabot a 4-1 lead.
Centennial added to the lead in the fourth with consecutive base hits byCasey Vaughan and Kyle Kauf-man.
Sylvan Hills scored in the fourth when an infield hit to shortstop was beat to first base. A stolen base and a sacrifce grounder moved the runner to third. Another sacrifice grounder scored the runner and pulled the Bruins to within three..
They would get no closer.
Cabot added three more runs in the fifth and sixth innings.
Evans got on base in the fifth and scored on a sac fly to centerfield by Morris. Morris then picked up two more RBIs in the sixth when his single to center scored Goff and Bryson Morris.
Sylvan Hills tried to rally in the top of the seventh. Ryan Brisco started the inning with a base hit. An error at short allowed Brisco to score. A walk loaded the bases and another walked scored a run.
Dustin Morris finished the game with three, three RBIs and two runs scored on four at bats. Evans went 2 for 3 with two runs scored while Wilson picked up three RBIs.
Kaufman got the win on the mound for Cabot. He went six and two-thirds inning, giving up six hits and three earned runs.
Tyler Erickson came in to strike out the last batter for the save.
The win was the fourth in a row for Cabot, which improved to 7-4 on the season.
Centennial played its final pool game last night against Pine Bluff National Bank, with a chance to move into Sunday’s tournament round.
