We have an absolutely spectacular afternoon picture perfect at a packed house at Beer Stadium in Conway for the three day baseball championship between Harding Academy and River Crest.

It is great to have you along with us this afternoon.

Kyle Knuckleball and Kevin Bohannon.

And it's going to be interesting today because we're either going to have a three peat Kevin in Harding Academy or a team in the Colts looking for their first ever state title.

They've been here seven years and a second three tenure here, so a sixth title and seventh in That guy has been around a very, very long time.

Good look at Bear Stadium and should be an absolutely picture perfect afternoon.

Let's take a look at how River Crest got here.

They will be the visiting team today.

And for River Crest, it began with a narrow eight seven win over Mayflower, followed by a shutout win over Charleston and then another shutout win over central Arkansas Christian to make it here to the title game.

And Kevin for River Crest, a slugger to watch is Kevin Morris and he is hitting in the third in the to hold a day for the Colts and Kevin Moore is quite the player to watch.

Let's take a look at how Harding Academy got here and this is a Harding Academy team that is used to playing here.

They began with a shutout win over Walnut Ridge.

And then for Harding Academy, a41 win over Boonville, followed by a ten five win over Bismarck to make it here to match up against River Crest.

And boy, the player to watch.

Kevin.

It's easy.

It's Kade Smith for Harding Academy.

We will see him on the mound.

You see him warming up out there.

You'll see him in a Razorback uniform next season.

Absolutely.

Kate Smith, two way player going to Arkansas next year.

Like you mentioned, you got to toe the rubber today, but he is a hitter at the plate for 94 is his average on the season get this Kyle his ops on base plus slugging percentage is over 1500 That's unbelievable in high school baseball he's got seven home runs and leads the team with 44 RBI.

Yeah he's the Undateable number one guy for this team and we'll talk a lot about what he brings.

Certainly a guy you may see as a two way player in college.

That certainly is hope and that's something we'll get into is you see Harding Academy, a powerhouse.

The two time defending state champs.

They've won for the last five, 17, 18, 21 and 22 seven finals appearances, all since 2008.

Shane Fullerton has quite the program in Searcy for River Crest.

Meanwhile, the first state title game appearance since back to back appearances in oh eight and oh nine, they have never won a state championship, just 13 state tournament berths dating back to 1979.

Take a look at the weather picture.

Perfect day.

And here's the batting order for the riverside.

It'll be Austin Elrod, Kevin Morris, Connor Vaughn, Ian McLain, Jackson Kilburn, Joe Lewis, Ralph Jacob.

Actually batting seventh.

Ashton Cage batting eighth and Kieran Morris batting ninth.

They certainly have a tall task ahead of them.

Kate Smith, as we mentioned, is quite the player move from third base to center field this season and we will dive into his story as just a picture perfect day here in Conway.

We had a little rain last night.

We are ready for this one though.

It'll be Harding Academy and River Crest when we come back.

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Except for first pitch.

A fantastic crowd on this superb afternoon here in Conway and Bear Stadium.

It should be a lot of fun for the three AA championship broadcast, 11 of 12 between the baseball and softball games on this weekend of champions here in Arkansas.

PBS Sports privileged to be along with you for this one couple great coaches there, Shane Fullerton and Stephen Elrod.

And Kevin, you and I were on the field before.

I don't think there's two more coaches in America than these two guys right here.

Yeah, it may have been the situation.

Call of the duck.

Everything calm on top of the water and everything's just going 90 to nothing below knee underneath.

So yeah, I talked to Coach Elrod.

He went through their routine this morning.

They went to Zaxby's, ran a little late, but they got to Conway about 1130 and then Coach Fullerton.

Always cool, calm demeanor going in one of the most fierce competitors in high school baseball.

And I think anybody out there in the coaching fraternity would agree with that as well.

Kate Smith that we've talked about just a little bit here, an 85 pitch complete game in the opening round win over Walnut Ridge for Harding Academy, and he'll get the start on the mound for the Wildcats.

He has a chance to perhaps play two ways.

That's certainly his hope in college.

So he moved from third to center field this season when he's not pitching because the outfield is in play for him at the next level.

If he's going to be a two way guy and talking with hog hitting coach, Hey Thompson, this takes off the wear and tear certainly of his arm.

Yeah, definitely.

You know, throwing across the infield whether at shortstop third base you say think of Cayden Wallace came up he was a two way got Greenbrier he was 90 to 93 on the mound really good change up but of course his hitting tool and hit for power were his best two tools.

And Kate has the arm to play right field.

And I think, you know, when he was a ninth grader at 15, he was clocked at 85 from the outfield.

So just like you'll see today, he'll work in the upper eighties, 86 to 88 really good slider changeup combo and it just the hit tool it's going to be hard to keep him out of the lineup.

I know he wants to pitch at the next level as well but I could see him definitely playing the corner outfield spot for the Hawks, the Harding Academy team that was 15 and seven in mid-April.

Then their big three arms, Kate Smith, Levi Lange and Tyler Hoover got hot.

It's the first meeting between these two teams this season as you two teams start to head out here to Harding Academy, taking the field.

River Grass coach Stephen Elrod said This is the best team we've played this season.

He knows it's a tall task and I think it's fair to say, Kevin, that the key to this one might be if you look at the statistics for Kade Smith and he pitches how he is certainly capable of pitching get river grass score enough runs in this game.

Yeah, you and I were talking before the game as we were headed out to the field that if River Chris can get three or four runs, that's going to be really good for them because they're going to need probably at least five in my opinion.

So Kate Smith is pitching the best of his career right now, talking to assistant coach Chad Elvedi.

He's filling up the zone.

Kade is a real big threat strike thrower.

So he's not going to walk very many.

You're not going to get very many free passes against this Harding team.

So they need River Christine to take advantage of that, hopefully get a couple of hits and string them together to get a run across early.

It's a River Crest team that is 21 and three.

They were 11 and 1 to 3 three eight this season.

Very young team.

Once senior for juniors, for sophomores, for sophomores.

They had a chance to do something that no team in program history has done, and that is win a state championship for this program at Northeast Arkansas.

Kyle River.

Chris has beaten everybody, every team that they've played this year.

Of course, they split with Harrisburg during the regular season.

Then they lost to Gosnell in the regional and district tournament.

So they've beaten everybody they've played this season.

One thing with Harding Academy, they have not lost to a Class three A-Team since 2018.

That's something that.

Yeah, it is something.

Let's take a look at Harding Academy defensively.

We've mentioned Smith on the mound plenty.

It'll be Baker catching him around the infield, Levi laying.

And then how about the Hoover brothers up the middle?

Kyla Hoover and Camp Hoover at short and second game and Harris at first Hanley in left Cam Pryor at center and Hawks in right Love.

When you see a couple brothers in the middle in field Yeah they play off of each other and I've seen them in the middle before they're one year apart.

You know, Kyler, being a junior, just committed to Harding University last month, and Cam has really taken to his older brother this season and it's fun to watch that double play combo with the middle.

Well, was only maybe an hour and a half ago that UK wrapped up its season on this very field with a win over eastern Kentucky to finish their season and win the series in a way we go at 411 on a Saturday afternoon and the first pitch from Smith is a bit high to Austin Elrod, the left fielder and the only senior in this lineup, a 312 batting average.

Kade Smith pounding the zone right there.

He's going to start out the interesting to see how he pitches river Chris LAMB at the first time through the river Chris has been very aggressive early in count so far this postseason see if they jump on Smith early Smith delivers bit low.

You also walk the pitching mound earlier today.

Yeah we were talking about how slick it can be if you don't have those molded cleats on and it's a little bit of an adjustment.

And Coach Elrod stated that he's played on a lot of turf this season, so hopefully his pitchers will get after it all the ground but foul here.

We saw it in the Woodlawn and Palestine Wheatley game last night.

And that game, by the way, is a reminder Luke Harding Academy's the two time defending state champs.

But you never know what's going to happen in these games.

That's exactly right.

You know, Palestine Wheatley, you know, making their first appearance last night, they had only been to the semifinals twice, but they look like they belong.

Last night, Jacob Hickman on the mound threw a complete game, limited Woodlawn to two hits.

So, you know, anything could happen in this great game.

Smith had offers from Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Kansas State, and that pitched just missing upstairs.

He committed to the Razorbacks two weeks after his offer in the summer following his freshman season.

Yeah, I was at the game that Coach Hobbs saw him and offered him there, but we were playing the number one team in 18 you that season in the Nation.

Good pitch right there.

Just felt Elrod fouled it back but Hobbs offered shortly after that in Oklahoma State and like you said Oklahoma was in the mix role and Fanning, who is at Austin Peay right now, was the recruiter for Oklahoma State and they were on him heavy.

So Smith went with the hogs in the end.

Good job, Elrod Staying alive.

The battle here to begin this one, Smith worked in the top of the zone right there.

Elrod worked it to a full count right here.

And Smith can throw all three of his pitches in any count.

That's the thing about him.

Three, two.

Again, good breaking ball in there.

Strikeout number one, all that really good curveball right there.

And I say three pitch makes but he's got a good four pitch mix there You saw the 12 six curve right there.

He's got a good slider that's got good horizontal movement really has really good bite to it.

He can snap it off at the end, but really good 12 six curveball by Smith right there That'll bring up Keelan Morris Kevin Morris and the lefty watch his ball one upstairs.

You know one thing Harding Academy coach Shane Fullerton said too is Smith is pitching well emphasis on pitching it's not just velocity.

Yeah and K could probably get a little bit more if he needs to pops this one up into left field.

Hanley gets called off by Tyler Hoover.

Yeah.

Calhoun He can cover a lot of ground out there.

He's All-State receiver for Harding Academy out of the slot.

Had a phenomenal state championship game against Malvern.

He's just he's a quarterback on the field so if he calls for it nine times out of ten, he's going to get it.

And so here's Connor on the pitcher Vaughn is a UCLA commit as an outfielder and the future Trojan Jack swing he went for 50 batting average 6.41 on base percentage leads the team in walks 21 runs 34 and extra base hits 15 doubles on the season.

Yeah, any time in high school baseball if you can get double digit doubles so to speak, especially at 15, you're going hard out of the box every time.

Basically a double in more than half the game.

That's right.

A little bit outside.

Smith Really filling it up with the fastball right now.

I would be surprised to go to change up one two right here work it off the plate swing and miss three up, three down.

To begin this game goes river crest and here comes Harding Academy.

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Let me take you for a ride on the big slide.

Let's go.

Here come the two time defending state champion Harding Academy Wildcats in the bottom of the first inning.

Let's take a look at their starting lineup.

A bunch of guys with high averages.

This is a very difficult lineup to work through for Harding Academy.

It'll be Tyler Hoover to lead things off, followed by Levi Lange and then Kade Smith.

Isaac Baker is a 500 hitter.

He's followed by Henley, Harris, Hoover, Byers and Hawks.

So Tyler Hoover, the shortstop to lead things off here for Harding Academy, sends this one to left field, and that is going to be caught by Kyren Morris.

Take a look at the defensive alignment now for River Crest.

And defense has certainly been key for them this year.

Morris Elrod and Kevin Morris left right the outfield.

It will be Coburn, Joe Lewis, Ralph at short, Cagle at second actually at first, McLain behind the plate.

And he's catching the feature Little Rock Trojan, Connor Vaughn on the mound and the first pitch to Levi LAMB Vaughn working the fastball right there a little TJ max and has really good sync right there at the end.

But Levi Lange hit over 500 last year and hitting over 400 again this season.

Just a phenomenal hitter.

He's going to northwest, north west Mississippi Community College next season.

Oh, to pitch from Vaughn to Lange gets a hold of this one into center field.

Elrod comes in, finally found it and makes the catch out.

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So now Kate Smith batting for 90 for a605 on base percentage 1988 slugging absurd numbers as ball 116 doubles seven home runs 44 RBI 30 runs I keep going yeah Vaughn really nibbling around the zone right there That first pitch curveball to Smith.

He really wanted to get that in a state title game.

Vaughn Working quickly.

This is skied into foul territory.

Vaughn runs over and makes the fantastic catch falling backward.

So three up, three down those Harding Academy.

We head to the second squirrel's game.

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One, two, three.

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A great place to watch the game out there.

Just beyond the outfield.

Perch.

Shaping up for what should be a couple of good games to round out.

Our weekend of champions here in Arkansas.

PBS Sports B be Little Rock Christian at Valley View in the five champions.

Yep.

Following this one as Ian McLain, the catcher will lead things off here for River Crest in the top of the second inning.

Both teams went 1 to 3 in the first McLain for 42 average.

In fact, one of three colts with a batting average above 400.

And the pitch from Smith Jess Missy and just a little low down right there.

But back to McLain real quick.

He's got seven doubles on the season 31 RBI and he's getting on base at a clip of 522 on the season.

It's no wonder when you start looking at the statistics of how these two teams got here.

I mean, there are just some absurd numbers in these two lineups.

Absolutely.

You know, between both teams.

I think you have eight combined that are over 400 on the season.

Definitely some good hitters have popped up into left field.

Catch will be made there by Tyler Hoover.

One away.

Definitely strategy early on by both pitchers to pitch up in the zone because the wind is blowing in today.

Kyle we saw that out there and the balls are going to get out of here.

Maybe you can wrap it around the left field corner or the right field corner down there, left handed hitter.

But you see that right there.

Kade Smith Working up in the zone.

Carter lay off then it's got to get late.

Rising action to it and you're going to get a lot of pop flies with that Here's Jackson Kilburn first pitch swinging on the ground.

That's a fair ball.

Bounces off the left field wall.

Kilburn is headed to second.

He'll be in there sliding safely as the ball heads all the way over to first.

And it's the first baserunner of the game.

River crest for the runner in scoring position.

Well errant throw right there was on the bag I think it would have got Kilburn laying it bounced a little further away from Langdon when he thought left fielder comes in and gets it in with a good throw might have gotten Kilburn But now another look, a sophomore.

You know, we've talked about how much foul territory this is and how wide the foul territory can be, but that was right there too, that it sort of caromed off of.

That's right.

It kind of kicked back towards the field of play right there instead of going into left field like it usually does at a smaller court.

So here's Joe Louis Ralph, the shortstop, sophomore.

Ralph has been one of the Colts leading pitchers this year.

He's got 88 strikeouts on the year for River Crest.

May see him later in the game if Bourne has to come out.

All main team as well Joe Louis, Ralph one really good pitch right there by Smith working at the knees again like we talked about last night in the two eight game, Smith can work all four quarters up down in and out there.

Nice job laying off of that.

You know, the amazing thing about this River Crest team, the story of their season, is they have not played a home game.

They are in the middle of building new facilities for the softball and baseball teams on their campus off I-55 there in northeast Arkansas.

And we talked to Coach Elrod before the game.

He admitted, hey, it has been a headache all season.

I mean, on the one hand, these guys are battle tested, but here's what they've done.

They've played, quote unquote, home games that ECP and Osceola, they have practiced on neutral sites, to put it lightly.

They've practiced mostly on turf.

For example, they had a football field at home which may help them in this one.

But amazing to get here without playing a quote unquote home game.

Damn, who did a catch?

They're out number two.

Yeah.

Practicing on turf in and I'll go ahead football turf did they practice on a pit river press is a little different from what they're playing on but you get a feel for how the ball is going to hop.

You can feel the read, the spin on the ball.

Five balls.

It's about the same no matter where you're at.

But picking up the spin, if you get a really good top spinner that comes at you, it gets on you really quick on that turf.

Coach Elrod told us they have had five actual practices on an actual baseball field.

This is Jacob actually the first baseman.

That is stunning.

Yeah.

Now, the facilities, when they finish them.

Yeah.

Be gorgeous.

Five and a half million dollars is what.

I think you said there were baseball softball right there.

He's got two indoor hitting tunnels.

In the meantime, a team without a home, actually, and just going out of play.

Baseball, such a sport of routine to not know exactly who you're going to play.

Your next, quote unquote, home game is something.

And make it to the state championship.

That's exactly right.

And, you know, they played 24 ballgames this season.

You know, think a little bit more than half would be at home.

But but really funny in 98, it means we played one road game and we and we played 31 games.

So that's a yeah, that's a dream.

Yeah, it's totally backwards.

But we're playing against Bob on Stuttgart's field.

We're not ready.

They didn't have lights, so if we played doubleheaders, they came to Mills that year, which is very odd year.

Needless to say, we won just missing Smith.

Not really given the in giving in right here.

We're not leaving anything over the plate for actually don't want to give up that that first run of the game that's Luis another sophomore in this team it's been a little bit of a theme we've seen young teams making it here.

He draws the walk Take a look here First walk allowed, now ready to break.

Yeah, we talked about it earlier in the game that free passes were not going to be something that Kade Smith gives up much of.

So River Chris needs to take advantage of it when they get him in first and second right here.

Two outs, big hit to get one in.

It's just missing outside to Ashton Cagle, the second baseman, and they're going to take a mound visit right here.

At least makers going to go out and talk to their fans.

Good fortune right there settling down.

And don't be surprised if he gets back in the zone right here with his Offspeed Curveball slider working just to get that feel for the fastball.

You early mound visit the top of the second play.

The amazing thing by the way, about Cade Smith.

He has a chance to be a seven time state champion.

He has three in football.

He was the MVP, by the way, as a quarterback in 2021, one in basketball and two in baseball.

And, oh, by the way, he plays golf to Saint 14 right there looking for his sixth state title.

Of course, they started started back party academy baseball back in the oh seven season.

They went to the oh eight finals that got their first state championship.

This one hard hit to left its chance foul.

Yeah.

They now have six known state title games good fortune been there for five of them and was he was the coach at Harding University before coming back to Harding Academy looking for the sixth state title right here.

So I thought for a second was going to land fair certainly would have scored one he'll is on second actually on first for river crest swing and a miss cargo did a really good job of getting on that high fastball.

We've seen a lot of pop flies early in the game.

A really good pitch right there by Smith on the outside corner Good 12 six action.

One, two.

With two down.

He got a curveball right where he wanted it.

And river crest strands, too, in this scoreless game.

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You're looking at some future Wildcat, some colts out there way to the bottom of the second inning.

It's four, five, six for Harding Academy.

Isaac Baker, the catcher, leading things off here, a 500 hitter, 600 on base percentage six seven, slugging 25, RBI 27 runs and ten doubles for the sophomore catcher on the ground.

A short playing to hop the throw the first time.

What a way They talk about Isaac Baker right there.

It was really tough.

He had some big shoes to fill.

And Storybook Love, Arkansas Player of the Year, Gavin Elvedi, who's at Corner State right now, the pitcher and catcher.

But Baker's done a tremendous job of filling in for Elvedi this season at 500.

Good Here's to in your Hendley the left fielder Jack Swing went around and a little anxious right there in that first at bat and first at bat jitters out the way coach folds and teaches the film the two strike philosophy of up up and up.

So in two strikes you'll see the party academy hitters move up on the plate, up in the box and up on the handle.

This one all the ground to short.

Once again, Ralph goes over to actually two down Mr.. Hello, Vaughn.

He's retired the first five Wildcats that he's faced first baseman David Harris really smooth actions right there at shortstop by Joe Louis Ralph you could see that you see the arm strength 88 strikeouts on the year.

You definitely see the arm strength there looked really smooth and fluid at short this Cain and Harris.

Cain and Harris coach Fulton mentioned the other day has been a pleasant surprise this season for the Wildcats and moved to first midway through the season and the sophomore adapted quickly hit the ball pretty well.

He was actually sick during the semifinal.

They had to pull him a good to see him healthy and playing the pitch.

Amon did a really good job of attacking the zone right here and, you know, talking about having to come out of the game.

Coach Lawson said the depth he sees into right field going to be tough.

Yeah, we certainly seen the depth for sure.

For Harding Academy, although the first six batters retired for the Wildcats so far.

So we remain scoreless as we head to the top of the third.

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One love here in Morris, the left fielder, the nine hole hitter, a 356 batting average on the season and the one to him he skied into center Cam Pryor moving over and calls everyone off to make the catch top of the order.

Now Austin Elrod, the left fielder these are two pitchers Kevin They work with the tempo.

Yeah, they worked pretty quick last night.

We had a little delay and they were worked through get pitchers off the cards.

But these two pitchers are rolling right now.

No rod pot looking to begin the game 312 batting average for the lone senior on this river crest team.

A lot of good young talent in the state of Arkansas.

We've seen it all the way through the first five ballgames.

And I tell you how the talent in northeast Arkansas, I mean, you think of River Crest, you think of River Crest, you think of football first.

It's almost.

Yeah, but there's a northeast Arkansas flavor to these two games we're going to see.

We'll see Valley View a little bit later in our last game.

But the northeast Arkansas baseball talent.

Yeah, Gosnell had a really good run.

They were the number one seed out of that regional this one into shallow right field.

The catches made four out of the three in talk about Jonesboro had moved up they had been in the state finals so it's Mark Dobson doing a really good job at that program.

They were down a little bit this season, Valley View, they've been on a run of late with Josh Allison making their third straight state title appearance on their second title in three seasons.

It's just just about every classification has somebody in northeast Arkansas that challenge for a state championship this season.

This is the right fielder Kevin Morris White out to short in his first at bat Harding Academy in River Crest.

It just feels like they play meaningful football games every single season.

I mean these are these are and certainly a lot of these guys do play football.

So these guys are used to playing each other in a lot of sports, hard hit ball right center field.

PRYOR It's going to go over his head.

He tracks it down and plays it into second.

And that's where Kevin Morris will start.

It's the second double of the game for the Colts.

Really good swing right there about Morris.

You could see the athleticism and the power, really good top hand strength right there for Morris was able to line that ball out instead of hitting it in.

Of course, he hit it in the air, but he didn't get under it too much.

And that's a shot right there it is.

With the wind coming in.

We mentioned how hard it is to hit it out of the ballpark, especially today.

Yeah, the power alleys are playing about a good 30, 40 feet longer.

So it's three in the power alleys.

You got to get it a good 400.

You can get it to the wall now.

Carnarvon, the pitcher batting for 5641 on base percentage you see the dimensions there first pitch swinging in the second time through the lineup, seeing how it looks like Smith is going back to the breaking ball a little bit more, his fastball heavy the first time through the lineup.

Kyle So keeping these guys on their toes as he works his way back to the lineup.

Two base hits in this game both doubles that once fielded his first four out number three great play right there by the big man at first base.

Keenan Harris stuck about it.

He smothered that really good hard hit ball jumped right on him And so they strand one more they stranded three in this game we remain scoreless.

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Our Arkansas PBS student all star is Dizzy Dean, a junior pitcher from Elkins with a 4.0 GPA.

He is attending college to pursue a career as a football coach.

Congratulations to Dizzy Dean, our Arkansas PBS student, all star.

I know the question every year is going to ask.

Yes, he is related to the dizzy dean that played for the Cardinals.

It was going to be my first question.

This one out to left field here.

And Morris moving over into foul territory and runs into the wall.

It's seven, eight, nine for Harding Academy, who has been retired in order so far.

This is game Hoover.

The second baseman, will be followed by Brody, Myers and Parker Hawks.

Really only way you can tell Cam and Kyler Hoover apart is their jersey number close by.

Their batting stance is the same.

The swing is really the same pitch.

Got a really flat path to it.

They can generate a lot of backspin, gets a hold of this one nice stop to prevent it from going into the outfield, but it will be a lead off base hit for Cam.

And for the first time in this game, run a reward for the Wildcats.

And you mentioned it last night, Cal, you'll get to see how Vaughn works down the stretch here.

Hoover will way off the plate to get the ball.

It was in the other batter's box.

It goes back to the two strike approach we were talking about earlier with Coach Fullerton up, up and up, able to work that outside into the batter's box.

So here's Brody Myers.

We'll see if the first hit of the game leads to any offense for Harding Academy.

Big time coach wrote in and said that the bottom of his lineup has done a really good job of flipping it back over for the big hitters up top for Hoover, Lang and Smith, that was key during their state tournament run.

Let's see if they can do it today.

Myers You've got to pitch upstairs, fouls it away, not oh, pick off the temp right there by Vaughn.

Not much of a one that wasn't his best one on the ground.

That is a fair ball in the left field corner stopping at second is Hoover and Myers is a boy and Harding Academy is threatening here in the bottom of the third.

Myers Take advantage of the pitch location right there.

The catcher was set up off the plate in the other batter's box like it was against Hoover.

Vaughn missed it by a little bit, Came in right there and Myers making pay for it.

And so now Parker Hawks, the nine hole hitter, the right fielder, squares up, lays down a bumped down the first base side that goes down.

We talk about the home run totals, the batting average totals.

But one thing this Hardy Academy team can do, they can play the opportunistic baseball.

A lot of people call it small ball.

I referred to it as opportunistic baseball.

They're going to take advantage of every opportunity they can to put the ball in play.

I know they work on Bunny every single day in batting practice.

Hawks is a junior, began the year at first moved to the outfield.

He's brother Bentley Hawks as a freshman.

He has a great future.

Yeah.

Parker Hawks had a really good state tournament.

Coach Toldson talking about it in our meeting the other day, just stepped up big at the right time.

The nine hole hitter in the lineup, Cal, is usually the second lead off that, like we talked about, can flip the lineup over.

Good finishing talking to him right here Got to get that bunt down got him Imagine that in a really big situation right here for hawks.

First two runners aboard for Harding Academy here at the bottom of the third, Parker Hawks facing it.

Oh, to count.

No, that one hit him.

Bases loaded.

So now get that back.

Yeah.

Good job by the replay booth right there.

Getting it right on the helmet.

Here is that was the sound?

Yeah.

And so Donovan, who retired the first six Wildcats, he faced, now has bases loaded top of the order, Tyler Hoover.

And that one gets away.

Not deep enough.

The runners will hold a big opportunity right there.

McLain, let it go to the eight holes.

They call it came.

Hoover had a chance to take it right there.

The ball kick away far enough.

Tough to see back there in the shade as well.

Cal, having coached on this field, you really can't tell how far the ball is because the depth perception with the shading.

Tyler Hoover at 375 hitters for 74 on base percentage 594 slugging three years in the leadoff spot for Harding Academy and a Harding commit he is staying home that is as close as you can go yeah Harding University of course coach Paul Simmons and football and then took our doctor Dr. Patrick McGarvey and baseball they taking advantage of Harding Academy being out there you see Stephen Elrod what a job he's done at navigate this river Crest team to the championship.

Only three losses on the season for this Colts team.

So what does he say to volunteer?

Get back in the zone, Get to where you were in the first two innings.

There's no pressure.

I here to pitch to whoever swung on on the ground, finds the gap and gets it.

The last two runs are going to score as the throw goes wide and it's a to nothing Harding Academy lead really good job by Tyler Hoover right there not doing too much gassy his first at bat kind of swung out of the shoes but right there just puts the ball in play hit it where it's pitched Great job for Tyler Hoover to find the six All right there Look at that.

Not over the plate there and finds the gap And so Hoover aboard gets to second Parker Hawks over to third.

Oh and a big swing get a miss from Levi Lane Levi laying is a hitting machine and he is finally healthy Pops this one up and it's going to get out of play for 68 batting average.

Just a superb leader and his arm has gotten healthier.

He's grown.

Northwest Mississippi Community College commit six home runs, 45 RBI.

A big part of this Harding Academy team Good eye inside.

Yeah.

He's dealt with nagging injuries the last two years.

He's had Tommy John surgery already so yeah he was a little rock Trojan commit had some injuries, sends this one into center field.

Elrod will get under it with nobody out Hawks will tag in coming from third in fact both runners advance and it's three nothing Harding academy good to start hitting right there by Levi Lange and get the ball deep enough and you've seen right now these Harding Academy base runners are going to take advantage of Kevin Morris in right field has the strongest arm so in center field left field they're taking advantage of those extra bases right now.

Timely hitting in the setting for Harding Academy.

Here's Kade Smith, the pitcher.

And that one gets behind him.

But it may have hit him either way.

One comes in to score for nothing.

So Harding Academy you the bases loaded with nobody out gets all three runs in and adding one more there it's for nothing Smith kind of kicking himself right there he knew that was the pitch to stay on and drive.

He can work it to both power and he's not a pull hitter.

He's all fields hitter right here and he knows he could have got one to right center gap right there.

And now if you're born to recenter, nobody on base.

You got to reset.

Got one out, nobody on get back in the zone ball.

And actually this is the second time to face Harding academy faced them last year in the first of the regional and he walked Smith go to see runner here for Harding Academy to be number five Jack city Isaac Fraker his older brother Jimmy City won a state title with Harding Academy Hellboy Braun was losing his deal right here, right now.

Carl second hit batter of the Inning.

That one got running right into him.

So Isaac Baker, a ball who, by the way, is the 500 hitter is cleanup.

There's a good chance, 50% chance he may have award regardless.

That's exactly right.

And we talked to Coach Fortune the other day and he's like, look, you can't replace a Gavin Elvedi.

And I kind of brought it up Moneyball reference.

So how do you replace him in the aggregate, especially on the mound with Hoover laying, of course, had a couple other younger guys to do it, but Baker's done a really good job of filling in behind the plate, so the threat continues here.

Daniel Hanley, the left fielder, with a chance to add to this four run inning for Harding Academy.

Now one gets away.

Both runners will advance.

McLain have a tough job right now picking it up out of the hand behind the plate that a couple of balls kick off the mitt right here.

So it's kind of one of those things, Cal, we talk about here in football season, Classic Academy, how they beat you, beat the team before they get on the field because the aura about it.

Hanley into left center and the catch will be made by Kyren Morris out number two meantime Run comes home score five nothing Harding Academy rating first baseman Katy Perry and ninth batter in this inning is Cain and Harris.

The first baseman never hurts to bat around right here gets a hold of this one into center field.

Elrod makes the catch four out Number three not bad for Harding Academy.

Go puts a five spot on the board.

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Challenge Goal.

Let me take you for a ride on the baseline.

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Mason will write his staff, do a phenomenal job videoing our championship games.

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It takes a big team to pull this off and it's a lot of fun to be with them.

Top of the fourth we go five nothing Harding Academy Lead and Ian McLain, the catcher leads things off here for River Crest Smith working quickly and playing looking to make up for the couple of pass balls last inning like you said hitting for 42 on the season got 31 RBI seven doubles How nice if you're Cape Smith the Yeah pitch with a five nothing lead he's had the luxury of doing that this season course they've played some really good come test Valley view twice Little Rock Christian Smith has thrown in a lot of those games you see not yet mentioned the umpires but here they are It's Dennis Marshall who you see there calling balls and strikes scheme sense at first and Janie Smithson at third second baseman Kent Hoover with the kicks.

The umpiring crew today is out of northwest Arkansas.

Lot of good experience.

Deion Sanders has been to the finals before.

I know Jamie Smithson did a really good job two years ago for a state call in under Justin Yates.

So really good experience crew on the field today.

We've talked a little bit about Kate Smith, but so last summer he's coming off partially torn PCL and a sprained ankle, as you see Jackson Kilburn swing through that one and a broken bone in his hand as well.

Plus, listen, short on time, he made the decision to give up playing football and focus on baseball.

And Coach Fullerton told us, you know, we have a culture of encouraging guys to play multiple sports.

He said.

K not playing football shocked him more than not playing basketball, but certainly he knows baseball is.

His future.

Yeah, basketball being the sport in between.

And that was really kind of kid's third sport because he was the quarterback for the academy while 2021 MVP.

Exactly.

So that was big.

And I know they replace in this season with the super sophomore, but it allowed Smith to get healthy.

You know the helmet bone injury last year he couldn't he was out for 1011 ballgames so it was really good to kind of get a fresh body going into the season one to pitch in a good job for Kilburn to stay alive.

Smith is really kind of over through his fastball right here.

Been really good with the Offspeed the curveball slider have been working well, but it's kind of over throwing the fastball and not over throwing it.

He's Palin's zone.

I'm not sure with Dave Van Horn his plans are for him, but it is hard to play two ways for sure.

In college you just don't see.

Yeah, the last one was something that really nobody's ever only of course he's pitcher in the Nationals organization right now swing and miss for the strikeout number four on the game Smith kind of shaking his head right there It's funny because I know what he's thinking I've been on the field with the young man like, what?

Can I just do that every time?

And he he's his biggest critic and like most of us on the golf course.

Exactly.

So, you know, when he was coming up, I compared him to Caden loss because of the build the bat and everything.

But the work ethic is just the same.

The curveball in there with Joe Louis, Ralph, he's going to work hard no matter what.

And like we were talking to Coach 14 the other day, whether it was playing three sports or one, he was going to get his work in no matter what, which makes me think he can do be a two way player at the next level.

Eventually you got to settle on one way.

We see inevitably now focus on pitching with the Nationals has had some success at the Major League level.

Ethan Bates, who went to Arkansas as a two way, never got to do anything on the mound and now is a two way player for Louisiana Tech.

So just got to get the work in shot right back to the pitcher.

Soft toss to first to retire the sign 123 Goes river crest you're the Centennial Bank state Baseball championships on Arkansas.

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79 Hitters for Harding Academy.

That's Camp Hoover punching this one into left field.

It gets down for a leadoff base hit for the Wildcats.

He scored five in the last frame to take his five nothing lead in this three eight championship game.

Hoover now two for two On the day he started it last inning, I started the hitting, started the scoring.

So they put up another crooked number right here.

Cal can make the short work.

This is Brody Myers.

Now the game Hoover, by the way, playing with his brother, looked forward and told us he had Tyler go at it like cats and dogs.

Just that natural competitiveness.

It was funny, he mentioned that the other day, Kyler I coached him in summer ball last summer and him and Cam would always travel with him.

You know, we were usually at the same complex and they would they were their biggest cheerleaders as well, and that was big for them.

Feels like we have 19 sets of brothers in this game yet Hawks, Hoover, Morris, one, two down another good crowd.

We've had fantastic crowds.

There's one thing Coach Harlan was talking about.

He loved to see the community support.

You see a coach tip for all the teams that come out here, that one is high.

Two and two great and perfect weather to.

We have had some weekend of champions where sitting on metal bleachers is not so fun.

This one is lined to the left.

It's a fair ball.

He gets down, being waved home is Hoover, but he will stop at third.

And so back to back base hits the lead things off here for Harding Academy in the bottom of the fourth.

It's a double for Myers and Brody Myers really good two strike approach right there.

We talked about it earlier.

Right.

Coach Bolton has these guys programed every time they choke up on the bat, gives them better coverage.

He went after it right there.

So, Joe, looks like we're maybe making a pitching change right here to see if he can get something different going.

It was a slow walk out there that would lead you to believe that.

Raven battled early on.

Don't have anybody warming up the bullpen right now, but I know Joe Louis Ralph is their other top pitcher.

It looks like that's who they're going to be going with.

I'm on the bump right here.

All right.

So we do have a pitching change.

Vaughn headed to the outfield.

Joe Louis Routh, the shortstop, will be on the mound and will step aside when he gets warmed.

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New pitcher is Joe Louis Ralph a sophomore and come in to face the nine hole hitter Parker Hawks swinging on the first pitch and fouls it away.

Joe Louis Ralph, 45 and two thirds innings pitched 84 strikeouts to 22 walks and 1.23 ERA.

So Vaughn battled early in this game, retired.

The first six batters faced.

But boy, this game went awry in the third for him.

Yeah, we really talked about it last night earlier this game pitchers are different when they have runners on base.

He retired the first six and when they started getting baserunners on it just kind of something changed.

Three innings pitched.

Five hits.

One walk.

Swing and miss.

Two and two.

It's like Ralph's got a little more velocity here.

And I know the Hardy Academy team.

They've seen some of the best pitchers in the state so far this.

So the velocity won't bother them.

They may jump on it a little bit better.

The tough Harding Academy lineup one through nine, but it's especially tough if you face 912 to begin things here and on cue, Parker hops out to right field balls in for a basic run is going to score to make it six nothing Wildcats.

Brody Myers advances to third as Cam Hoover comes in to score.

Yeah, no outs right there.

Myers didn't push the envelope too much.

He he wanted to see the ball down.

He kind of hesitated right there.

That's why they didn't score the second run.

So now the top of the order.

Tyler Hoover, leadoff man, one for two, throw down to second and aim standing safely.

He's Parker hops.

I was just about to say we got a first and third situation here it's been the first one we've had all day to see what kind of defensive play they had and they just threw it back to the pitcher.

LAUBACH To take it with indifference, Tyler Hoover, the consummate leadoff man.

Three years of that spot for Harding Academy.

He is quick as a catcher to now.

I mean, he may not have the top and speed of some leadoff hitters, but he is very quick, really, really good feet, just a junior.

He will likely be back in that position next year.

Absolutely.

One thing we talked about earlier, Cal, the top three hitters in this order, they all have more base on balls than strikeouts this season.

You know, I think.

Hoover That's right.

That's worth repeating.

That's insane.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Hoover's only struck out nine, not ten times outstanding plate discipline for the top three hitters in this lineup.

Hoover swinging over three 1000 away.

Hoover getting back within himself right here and try to do too much right there.

Of course, Ruth, we talked about the velocity hit a little run, a little arm side run on that kind of got up and in on Hoover's hands right there.

So a full count now on the ground and gets through another runs good a score hawks with a stop at third as Myers comes in and it's a seven nothing guarding academy lead we talked about this the flat back path of Hoover earlier in the game with Kyler and Cam.

We look at the replay right here look at that swing flat, drove it down the line.

Great swing by Hoover coming out of the box.

So the Wildcats with still nobody out have added two more in the city and now Levi Lange that one gets away.

It's going to allow a run to score from third and it's eight nothing.

Harding Academy river crest with a lot of pressure right here in the first and third situation again and it was almost automatic that Taylor Hoover was going to be still in second right there.

The ball just got away from.

We didn't have a play.

And so Hoover advances to second Levi Lange.

Oh, for two with an RBI and the SAC fly last time.

And as we mentioned earlier, he had over run a little over 500 last season, just a pure hitter in this Wildcat lineup.

Lange and Hoover, by the way, they started playing together when they were seven years old.

And that one dribbles into center far enough for Hoover to slide in safely to third.

So the play unraveled for river grass, and it's just after the first two inning, six up, six down the last two innings.

They've just kind of spiraled out of control right here.

The river seemed a little injury right there.

They did.

He did he grab his hand for a second look like it?

And, you know, these young men that haven't played on turf before, not the normal, you know, sliding zone that you have.

So may roll your hand up on the bag sometimes.

And that's why we tell these young men, you don't have to slide headfirst.

They'll slide it first.

You got to hit and throw with those hands shook off this coaches they're tough kid.

I'm super coming out of a state championship game see the slides back in there even takes a second for him to see that the ball gets by before he runs.

I think he did slide back into it.

No, If the ball got him or if he kind of jammed it up right there, that's why he kind of paused, hesitated before he got up and ran.

Levi Lange and Shane Thornton calls a superb leader.

And by the way, we congratulate coach Shane Fulton.

His daughter was playing in the finals for soccer yesterday, and Harding Academy won their third straight, beating Episcopal three nil.

As Lane goes down on strikes, it's the first time Harding Academy has struck out in this game.

Yeah, I remember working the baseball across training camps for coach Shane Fullerton back in 20 1213.

She'd be out there kicking the soccer ball around the outfield and it's, you know, was my age a little bit.

Her high school winning state championships until three straight for the soccer and little soccer for Harding Academy and their baseball team poised to do the same here.

This is Kade Smith 041 with a walk Katie round up round Roundup scoring in that five run third inning Joe Louis Ralph right there winning the strike The Aiden McLain kind of the pitch took him out of the zone right there That's tough to do.

The permit goes below the knees the umpire is not going to give it.

And I know some of these young men are used to water strike zones and the state championship.

It's going to be a true we're struck a true strike zone than what you see during the regular season.

And you mentioned the key in this game for river Grass.

I mean, do they have enough pitching to go toe to toe with Harding Gap?

Right.

You're starting to see the depth right here at Harding Academy.

And they got three ball and they're getting the Ralph and you just got to throw strikes right here and let your defense work for you.

Lang and Tyler Hoover are behind Kade Smith as far as pitching goes for Harding Academy.

Those are two guys who could be number one guys on a lot of teams pitched pretty well.

Absolutely.

They rely on Hoover in the regional.

And then he came back and had a sterling performance against see that pitch right there?

Just a little outside It was on that on the way to the batter's box.

So get caught by the umpire right there.

But yeah, Hoover had a, you know, complete game performance set up Lang for the semifinal game against Bismarck three one pitch foul Smith's play.

And by the way, he says when he gets to Fayetteville's to be roommates with another pretty good player in the state Ty Wade Texarkana.

Yeah.

Todd Wade, 13 home runs the season of course, Arkansas high, got to the semifinals, lost to Little Rock Chris in trouble before But what a year by Ty Wade.

He threw eight plus innings in that quarterfinal win over Batesville that went ten innings, 32 pitches inside.

He walked him.

Well, the first walk allowed from Joe Lewis round out coming off the strikeout, too.

Yeah.

You're going to have a courtesy run right here in the five is going to be Jack city back to the third first and third and of the inning right here and coach shameful to know that that 10th run on first base right there is really important right here if they want to get out of this game in five innings still just one away in this inning Harding Academy has added three more.

Here's the catcher, Isaac Baker upstairs throw down to sack Well won't even throw He'll be covering second and he saw that right There was a couple of different ways you could play it in the first and third situation.

You can throw it back to the pitcher, you can pump fake go to third base or you can throw through.

And it's both.

The situation dictates everything right there.

Kyle So we'll take a look at it right off this pitch.

Well, sophomore catcher getting a hold of this one finds the gap in the right field scores one and it's nine nothing scores to in fact, ten nothing Harding Academy.

Baker did a really good job inside out in that pitch.

We talked about the arm side run a Joe Lewis route.

He did just enough to get the barrel to it and drop it in for a hit.

Really good job right here, about right there.

Look at that.

Get the barrel to the poles on the inside part of the plate count.

And he got the barrel to Smith and Hoover.

Both scoring record that all important 10th run.

The other run rule for our viewers out there is ten after five in high school baseball in the state of Arkansas.

So already academy maybe looking to tack on a few more right Dan suddenly river crest down to their final three outs.

That's right.

Daniel Hanley pops this one up right back to the pitcher's mound.

Much needed outnumbered two.

Here's a look at what we were talking about earlier.

And here's the sportsmanship rules.

Yeah, those are softball.

Yeah.

After five inning after five complete innings and the home team is ahead by ten runs or more.

And during the regular season in college, if you have a rainout or anything four and a half innings if the home team is ahead.

So that's the sportsmanship rule for the triple-A.

So for the second time in as many innings Keenan Harris steps in as the ninth batter for Harding Academy, I two innings in a row that they sent all down to the plate courtesy runners Cade Pryor at first base right now for Isaac Baker.

Well how about we're on the verge of seeing here for Harding Academy, the defending two time state champs.

They've won four the last five.

They're on the verge of winning five of six seven finals appearances.

This program all since 2008.

And that was the, I believe, the second year coach Dennis Ryan Long Tom Harding Academy coach got the baseball program program started back and they got to finals right away.

One thing, Carl, you saw the long set by Joe Louis Ralph the pitch before on the one one count or the one to count there is a pitch clock in high school baseball.

Actually, it's not enforced anywhere.

We were talking about this the for a state tournament, all male chatter on a charter with Dan Burrows and John Hannon that.

There's a 22nd pitch clock.

And just like the batter, just like in college baseball, not enforced.

But if they could, they could enforce the pitch clock right here.

But we haven't seen any situations where that would be called in right.

It would be a little bit of shock to the fans out there for sure, where you see the shot clock at basketball now added Arkansas high school.

Yeah, that that's a good thing.

Fantastic.

That's a great thing for high school basketball.

What?

More than a few teams pass around four pointer Smith and it's a walk and you see Joe Louis Ruth just sort of raise his hands in frustration and the 10th batter in the setting will be Cam Kruger.

I think you can do up in out of the zone for sure right there and it's you know it's above the belt.

Usually you're looking at the bellybutton down to the hollow, the kneecaps for strike zone game.

Hoover is two for two of this game.

Look out and buzz the tower there a little bit.

Apparently his hand is okay, by the way.

Yeah, I think that was Kyler can't right Yeah Clemson playing smooth second base so far this this year and his innings been so long it will melt your brain Good pitch right there on the other third by Ralph coach Shane forward and told us to He's trying to slow things down and rest and remove the pressure this week for his guys.

Yeah that's one thing you know the last few seasons Coach Fortune you know they've played 32 games this year.

It was it wasn't an anomaly for them to play 3738 games in him.

Max out the schedule against the toughest teams in the state.

So now them getting here with 32 is in the season for these Wildcats gets a hold of this one into right field the catch he's made out number three but it's a ten nothing Harding Academy lead which means the river crest is down to its final three outs as we head to the top of the fifth at the Centennial Bank State Baseball Championships on Arkansas.

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We never got to start.

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Dave, we're driving Conway, Griffin, Leggett proudly serving our communities and central Arkansas since 1930 6789 batters for grass starting with Jacob actually the first baseman who walked in his first at bat facing the great Kade Smith, fouls this one away river gress needs one run to keep their season alive and send this game to a six inning and Smith entered this inning that was his 59th pitch of the game so he's still got a lot left in the tank.

He has held River Crest to two hits.

He's allowed one walk.

He has struck out four in this game, then pitch into contact quite a bit more this season, letting his defense work that one of the things that coach Shane Forbes and talked about this season becoming a better picture, evolving as a pitcher, not just a thrower, naturally lays off that one.

That's been fun to watch.

Kate Smith You know, sometimes you hear a lot about a certain player who attracts a lot of attention and you don't always see their best stop as actually since this one to short the throw the first one away.

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Here's Ashton Cagle, the second baseman caught looking at his first at bat.

This is the fifth inning.

These guys are just seeing Smith for the second time.

That's exactly right.

This is the culmination of Kade Smith's career right here.

Caught.

What a catch.

They're in foul territory.

Hotel John Elway, hotel accommodation and sponsorship for the 2023 Arkansas High School State Baseball and Softball Championship broadcast provided by Hilton Garden Inn at 805 Amity Road in Conway and the Home to Suites at 820 Building Drive in Conway.

So Karen Morris the last hope here the nine hole hitter for river crest gear and the younger brother Kevin good side he's got a bright future in here really fast on the ground to third the throw across the diamond and that'll do it Here comes the dogpile for Harding academy three straight state champions.

What a run by the Wildcats issues finishing at 26 and seven seven and overall in state championship game now that's coach Fullerton's sixth state championship as the head coach from the Harding Academy Wildcats Great thing to see for these young man they have now won five of the last six state championships Harding Academy River Crest watching nothing to hang their head about.

Quite the season for them quite the celebration bit of relief there for Harding Academy total domination from the Wildcats.

A ten nothing win.

We'll come back to the trophy presentation to wrap this one up in Conway.

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For more helpful oral health tips and information, visit WW w dot delta dental r dot com High fives and handshakes for Harding Academy playing all season with a target on their back yet again and they complete another dream season for the Wildcats.

They are now the three time defending state champions.

They have won it all in 2017, 2018, 2021, 2022, and now 2023.

Total domination in this one.

Let's show you how it happened.

And this was just absolutely impressive.

23 from Harding Academy, as you see the trophy presented there to River Brass and the three state runner up.

Pick that one back up by 55.

This is a team that did not play a home game on their own field this season.

And yet made it all the way here to the state championship.

Quite the job they're from River crest and now the trophy to Harding Academy because three state which may as well be called Titletown at this point in Searcy Oh yeah two years ago they had the sweet baseball basketball and football.

It's relief to a certain extent more than anything when you win three straight, isn't it?

Yeah, absolutely.

Coach Fulton, as we saw before the game, the nerves are always there like they were for Coach Richardson last night.

Like you said, they've had a target on their back the entire season.

They went wire to wire as a number one team, so they lived up to it and state champions once again for the Harding Academy Wildcats.

All right, let's see how this one happened.

And boy, it was a tight game through the first couple innings between these two and then it all unraveled for River Crest.

In the third, you saw River Crest.

They never really challenged Kate Smith, But how about Harding Academy all over the starting pitcher Vonn taking advantage of every miscue, batting around in the order in the third, scoring five in that inning to lead five nothing and they add to it in the fourth batting around plus one again, you see the celebration there from Brody Myers.

This was total domination in this one.

Harding Academy adding five more in the inning and taking advantage of every miscue.

And now in the fifth on the ground to third, that does it there.

And you love seeing that Dogpile celebration as Harding Academy celebrates your state tournament MVP for class three is Carla Hoover for the Harding Academy Wildcats.

Hoover had that shutout.

He had a complete game performance against Boonville in the quarterfinals.

And then today, just played a superb shortstop, came out, went two for three, scored two runs, great job by Kelleher with the junior who will be back next year in the leadoff spot, no doubt.

Yeah, it could have been Kate Smith.

Could be anybody for this Harding Academy team.

Congratulations to the Wildcats.

Boy, are you and I looking forward to this next game, the final game of this weekend of champions here in Conway, Little Rock, Christian and Valley View should be an excellent one.

You're going to want to tune in at 7:00.

So little 90 minutes from now, We can't wait for this five eight championship tonight.

Until then, for Kevin Hand in our Arkansas PBS Sports Brew, I'm Kyle Deck Obama saying congratulations to Harding Academy and so long for just a little while