Risley, Taylor pace Alma
By Kevin Taylor
Alma Schools
The 5A-West baseball and softball race can be a little unnerving when it comes to conference doubleheaders.
Sweeps are good.
Tuesday, after dropping the first game, 7-2, Alma junior Eli Risley pitched into the sixth inning of the Airedales’ 4-2 victory - keeping them in the early mix just two games into the 14-game 5A-West slate.
Michael Taylor homered and Branson Brogan and Brayden Driscoll provided clutch RBI hits as Alma improved to 3-4.
The Airedales host Siloam Springs in two weeks.
Two of the other three conference doubleheaders ended with splits as well, with Van Buren and Greenbrier splitting a pair and Russellville earning a 2-1 win over Greenwood in the second game of their set following the Bulldogs’ 10-1 victory in Game 1.
Mountain Home (6-1, 2-0) took both games against Siloam Springs, 11-0 and 14-14.
Taylor smacked his first-career Airedale homer to open the second inning. Camden Curd doubled and later scored on a wild pitch to make it 2-0.
Brogan’s RBI single scored pinch-runner Carson Curd with the third run, and Driscoll’s ringing double gave the Airedales a 4-2 lead in the seventh.
Risley got two quick outs to open the sixth before allowing a hit and walking a batter. Brogan came on and struck out Peyton Reese to end the inning.
Harrison got two runners on with two outs in the seventh when Brogan struck out Cooper Graham to end the game.
Brogan (1-0) lowered his earned run average to 3.50. Risley, who has logged a team-high 13 innings, saw his earned run average drop to 3.31.
TRACK
The Alma Airedales girls and boys track teams competed at the Alma Junior Relays on Monday.
The group of Hamir Thibodeaux, Daniel Rodriguez, Chase Parker, and Dallas Perkins placed first in the 4X100 relay with a time of 48.64. Thibodeaux was second (47.54) in the 300 intermediate hurdles, and Perkins was third (25.34) in the 200, fourth in the 400, and sixth in the long jump.
Rodriguez was third (19.24) in the 110 hurdles and Thibodeaux was fifth. Rodriguez was sixth in the 300 hurdles.
Rodriguez, Conner Langston, Josh Huckey, and Jeremiah Whitaker placed second (1:44.59) in the 4X200 relay. Whitaker, Isaac Wald, Cole Newton, and Grady Farmer paced Alma to a fifth-place finish in the 400 relay event.
Isaac Cluck, Brian Ocanas, Levi McCollum, and Adam Wells finished sixth in the 3,200 relay. Farmer was fourth in the 400 and Josiah Stallings placed fourth in the 1,600 meter run.
Kadee Wise, Jaeli Morris, Bentley Vaughn, and Olivia Whipple paced Alma’s 800 relay team to second place (1:58.42). Whipple was third (29.12) in the girls’ 200 meters.
Whipple, Wise, Morris, and Vaughn led the Lady Airedales’ 400 relay team to a third-place (56.3) finish. Whipple was also fifth in the 100 meters.
Alma’s Zoey Kangas, Rebecca Gillingham, Kenidee Bovee, and Ragen Shepard posted a fifth-place finish in the 3,200 relay.
SOCCER
The Alma Airedales’ track team dropped a pair of decisions to Siloam Springs on Tuesday in 5A-West play.
The boys fell to the Panthers, 7-1. Elliot Recinos accounted for Alma’s goal on a penalty kick late in the first half which pulled the Airedales within two (3-1) at intermission.
Eddie Tate had 15 saves in the goal.
The Lady Airedales (2-4, 0-2) dropped a 9-0 decision to Siloam Springs.
Alma travels to Russellville on Thursday.
SOFTBALL
The Alma Lady Airedales’ softball team dropped a pair of games to Harrison on Tuesday in 5A-West play.
The Goblins won the first game, 15-2, and took the nightcap, 12-0.
Alma (0-7, 0-2) resumes conference play on March 26 against Siloam Springs.