The best head coaches are those who aren’t afraid to take on tough non-conference competition early in the season, regardless of the sport. They know it prepares their teams for the grind of the conference schedule and readies them for even tougher competition in the postseason. It’s worked well for Lady Bulldogs’ Head Coach Clay Reeves, who just led his team to yet another state championship in basketball. In his short time at Greenwood, Diamond ‘Dogs’ Head Coach Chad Mercado has implemented a similar strategy, and this season is no different.
His Bulldogs’ baseball team is off to a tough start against mostly Class 6A competition. The Diamond ‘Dogs have lost four of their first five games after starting their season on the final day of February. Their lone win was over Gravette, a Class 4A school. After a rainout last Saturday, they opened 5A West conference play on Tuesday of this week at Russellville. Mercado will then take his team on a spring break trip to Gulf Shores, Alabama, for a tournament next week.
“We scheduled tough opponents like that intentionally,” said the coach recently. “With only a handful of games before conference play, our goal is to compete against the best we can find so we can be prepared on Tuesday nights (league doubleheaders). With several young guys in the lineup this year and blending them with our basketball guys, as well as our more established seniors, we want them to see challenging hitters and pitchers, so it becomes something they're accustomed to.
“Our goals are always the same, so whatever it takes to get there, we're going to be ready and willing for that challenge,” continued Mercado, who is starting his third season as GHS head coach. “As for the basketball guys, by and large, they've done a fine job of prepping their arms and their swings to jump in and help as soon as possible. We're still getting them rolling, but they're contributing right away and that will continue to grow as we move forward.”
Springdale Har-Ber
Opening day for the Bulldogs was Monday, February 28th, on the road at Springdale Har-Ber. But the GHS bats were silenced by the Wildcats’ pitching staff in a 4-0 shutout. Starter Cooper Dossett went four scoreless innings before being relieved. Greenwood’s only hits came off the bats of seniors Bryce Morgan and Luke Brewer, both harmless singles.
Sophomore hurler Austin Mitchell got the start for the Bulldogs, completing four innings while giving up just two runs on two hits. However, he did issue five walks while striking out six Wildcats’ hitters. He was relieved in the fifth by sophomore Brady Pettigrew, who pitched into the sixth inning before being replaced by senior Jake Baxley.
Pettigrew was largely effective, retiring four of the five hitters he faced, but free passes undid Baxley, who walked four in one inning of work and was charged with two runs, though he allowed no hits. Both Pettigrew and Baxley fanned two batters each. On the bright side, the GHS defense was flawless behind all three Bulldogs’ hurlers.
Gravette
Greenwood’s first home game was the next day against the Gravette Lions, with the Bulldogs notching a convincing 9-3 victory behind the starting pitching of sophomore Aiden Sockey and good relief work by Brady Pettigrew. GHS bats banged out seven hits, including a pair of doubles and a triple while the defense committed just one error.
The winning pitcher, Sockey threw 64 pitches, 41 of them for strikes, yielding four hits and issuing two walks with five strikeouts over four frames. Pettigrew pitched three scoreless innings, fanning three Lions’ batters while allowing two hits and one walk for the extended save. All of Gravette’s runs were earned.
At the plate, the Diamond ‘Dogs were led by sophomore leadoff hitter Braden Skaggs with two hits, including a triple, plus two walks, reaching base four times. He also drove home a run and swiped two bases. The top six batters in the GHS order were very productive, accounting for all seven hits in the win.
Bryce Morgan had a single, an RBI, and a walk, scoring twice, the exact same stat line produced by Luke Brewer. Austin Mitchell had a double and was hit by a pitch, scoring twice, while Brady Pettigrew singled home two runs and reached base twice by error. Junior Weston Pschier knocked in two more runs with a double and was also hit by a pitch.
Sprindgale
The following Friday, March 4th, the Bulldogs hosted the other team from Springdale. But those “other” Bulldogs were ungrateful guests, stealing a 4-2 victory over Greenwood. Three GHS pitchers toed the rubber that day, led by junior starter Aiden Kennon, fresh off the basketball team, which limited him to just three innings of solid work on 50 pitches, allowing one hit and no runs while fanning three hitters and walking one. He was followed by senior Jay Wright and Austin Mitchell.
Also a basketball player, Wright was roughed up in his first outing, surrendering three runs on three hits and a walk while throwing 57 pitches and striking out four. Mitchell relieved in the seventh inning and closed out the game with one frame of work, giving up a pair of hits before stranding them on base by fanning the other three batters he faced. Wright was saddled with the loss. Once again, the GHS defense was perfect.
Offensively, the Bulldogs cracked three hits, two singles and a double, but were largely unable to take advantage of the six walks issued by Springdale pitching and their one defensive error. Austin Mitchell, Brady Pettigrew, and junior Harrison Adams accounted for Greenwood’s three hits, with Mitchell and Aiden Sockey scoring the ‘Dogs’ two runs. Mitchell and Bryce Morgan were credited with solo RBIs.
Ft. Smith Southside
The two Sebastian County rivals played on March 7th at Greenwood with the Mavericks sneaking back to Fort Smith after an 8-7 victory. Brady Pettigrew opened on the hill for the Bulldogs, throwing 71 pitches in 4.2 innings of work. He gave up three hits and two runs, walking two and striking out eight Southside hitters. He left the game with a 3-2 lead.
Pettigrew was relieved by Aiden Sockey, who finished the game and ultimately took the loss. The sophomore hurler threw 58 pitches, yielding five hits, five base-on-balls, and six earned runs. Ten of the game’s final runs were scored in the last three innings of play. The Southside starter also went four frames before being relieved in the fifth.
Remarkably, the home team scored seven runs on just four hits with only one of those being for extra bases. But six walks by Southside pitchers and five Mavericks’ errors led to Greenwood’s seven runs, all unearned. Bryce Morgan and Braden Skaggs both had hits, with Skaggs driving home two runs with his double and Morgan plating one run on a single. Skaggs scored twice and Morgan once. Both players reached base three times. Harrison Adams added a pair of singles and an RBI. Austin Mitchell also drove home a run. The Bulldogs also stole four bases in the contest.
Fayetteville
Last Tuesday, March 8th, the Diamond ‘Dogs traveled into Razorback Country to take on the Purple ‘Dogs of Fayetteville, dropping a 6-1 decision. Austin Mitchell pitched all six innings for Greenwood, allowing just two earned runs on six hits and two walks. He tossed 97 pitches, 68 for strikes, and fanned three Fayetteville batters. Unfortunately, Greenwood’s usually reliable defense committed three errors, including one by Mitchell, allowing four unearned runs to score.
With the sticks, the visiting Bulldogs didn’t make much noise on just three hits, all singles, while Fayetteville pitching threw strikes and issued just one base-on-balls. Bryce Morgan, Aiden Kennon, and junior Dawson Holt accounted for all the GHS hits. Morgan was also credited with a run batted in. Fayetteville’s starting pitcher went all seven innings.