Van Buren baseball denied back-to-back Arkansas high school state championships by Marion
BENTON — Marion scored seven runs, only one of them earned, in the opening inning to capture its first Arkansas baseball state title with an 11-6 win over defending 5A champion Van Buren on Saturday.
The Patriots put up the most runs allowed in the first inning this season by the Pointers in a 10-run inning for both teams that is the second-most for a first inning in Arkansas state baseball finals history. The most occurred in the 2011 2A final when Parkers Chapel and Junction City combined for 12.
On a bobbled ball by the second baseman, Missouri signee Gage Watson reached base before a walk put runners at first and second.
Following a strikeout, pitcher Chase Armstrong's long single off the center-field wall loaded the bases. An immediate balk brought home Marion's first run.
On an 0-2 count, Conner Taylor hit a chopper to first baseman Jackson Rotert, who didn't touch first but instead chose to throw home. The runner was called safe at the plate, making it 2-0 with one out.
Third baseman Matthew Kearney's sacrifice bunt added the third run, before a grounder to shortstop made it 4-0.
From there, ninth batter Kaleb Catt's triple to left-center drove in Luke Bullins, who had reached on the error from short, and Connor Brinkley, who came home from first after a walk.
Watson singled to shallow right, allowing Catt to score the seventh run.
Van Buren responded with three runs in the bottom half, with designated hitter Hayden Hurst drawing a bases-loaded walk and Breckin Waters driving in Presley Nichols and Rotert.
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In the top of the second, the Patriots put up four runs to expand the lead to 11-3, but senior Eli Gilreath (2-for-4, 3 RBIs) hit a second-inning two-run home run to straightaway center to make it 11-5. His double in the fourth trimmed Marion's lead to 11-6.
Van Buren had Devin Gattis starting on the mound but replaced him with Gilreath, who entered with a 1.82 ERA but allowed four earned runs in the second inning.
Senior Connor Brady, who pitched a 12-strikeout complete game in the 12-3 semifinal win over Batesville, threw five shutout innings and allowed only two hits.
"Devin has been our hottest guy down the stretch," Pointer coach Luke Weatherford said about his pitching decision. "Connor Brady threw really well in the last game; he just hasn't done it as much, but man, he pitched great today.
"We picked the wrong guy. We've got three good ones and picked the wrong one and heck, they did too, to be honest with you. Their second guy did a great job, but that's single-elimination baseball."
Marion senior pitcher Benjamin Gerrard threw 5⅔ innings, allowing five hits with the RBI from the double his only earned run.
Van Buren won its first state championship in 2021 with a 12-1 victory over Jonesboro in Class 5A.
You can follow Bryant Roche on Twitter @BRocheSports and you can email him at BRoche@gannett.com
This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Van Buren baseball denied Arkansas state high school repeat by Marion
