State title Saturday
CAC baseball falls to Gosnell, 6-2; Maumelle faces Valley View on Sunday; State championship soccer roundup
Maumelle-Valley View moved to Sunday
The 5A state championship game between Maumelle and Valley View will be 2 p.m. on Sunday.
The game had originally been scheduled for Friday night but was postponed and rescheduled due to heavy lightning in and around Conway.
The game will be televised on Arkansas PBS beginning at 2 p.m. and is the final state championship to be played. Tickets from Friday night’s game will be honored on Sunday.
Live stats from the game can be found at aaa.statbroadcast.com.
3A Baseball: Gosnell 6, CAC 2
CONWAY — Central Arkansas Christian had its chances on Saturday in the 3A state baseball championship game but there’s no joy in Mudville as the Mustangs lost, 6-2, to Gosnell.
The Mustangs season ended at 18-6, while Gosnell finished the year at 26-8.
After giving up four runs in the second inning, CAC was staring at a 5-0 deficit going into the bottom of the fourth and still hadn’t gotten a hit.
That changed. CAC loaded up the bases to start the inning, and then Caleb Cook scored a run but hit into a double play. Then, the bases were loaded up again after Grayson Willson walked. It didn’t matter as Lane Bourne’s flyout ended the inning.
CAC scored another run in the bottom of the fifth and the lead was cut to, 5-2, and CAC had some hope.
Gosnell added another run in the top of the 7th inning before CAC got its last chance and the Mustangs delivered with bases loaded and no outs.
Jack Bingenheimer, CAC's designated hitter, hit the ball sharply to left field where it looked like it dropped between the Gosnell players, but the Pirates, playing some heads up baseball, fired the ball to second base. AFter some discussion between CAC coach Hayden Cruce, and some disagreement, the umpires ruled it had been caught and that the throw to second was good for a force out to make it a double play.
CAC's Mason Welsh was the Mustangs last hope and he struck out looking.
CAC left a total of 10 players on base in the loss.
Gosnell’s Trent Middleton was named the game’s Most Valuable Player and also got the win as the starting pitcher for the Pirates. CAC’s Caleb Cook took the loss.
Game sketch
Score: Gosnell 6, CAC 2
Key to the game: CAC gave up four errors in the game, with two in the second inning where Gosnell took a 4-0 lead and essentially put the game away.
Play of the game: While CAC had some runners, they were unable to get those Mustangs home as 10 were left on base.
MVP: Trent Middleton, Gosnell pitcher and infielder
For stats from the game, click aaa.statbroadcast.com
Scenes from State Championship Saturday.
Soccer roundup
3A boys championship: Green Forest 4, CAC 1
Conway — It was sunny and hot on Saturday afternoon for the 3A boys soccer championship at UCA’s Estes Stadium.
It wasn’t the outcome Central Arkansas Christian was looking for as Green Forest maintained its perfect season with a rousing, 4-1, win against the Mustangs.
Green Forest finished the year 19-0-1, while CAC drops to 15-4-2.
Green Forest’s Milton Ortiz was named the match’s Most Valuable Player, who had two goals for the Tigers
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3A girls championship: Episcopal Collegiate, CAC
Conway — This post will be updated.