The Greenwood Bulldogs have been busy since we last checked in with them after week one of the new season, winning four-of-six games overall in the last two weeks. But more importantly, they opened 5A West conference play with a pair of wins over longtime rival Alma. They are now taking advantage of spring break to play in a tournament at Little Rock in which they will face Lake Hamilton, Valley View, and Robinson High School from Little Rock. The tournament starts on Thursday and concludes Friday.

The Diamond Dogs have enjoyed recent victories over Mena, Greenbrier, and Alma (2), while dropping games to Benton and Fayetteville. After their tournament appearance in Little Rock this week, they will return to conference play at home against Russellville on Monday, at Russellville on Tuesday, then travel to Rogers on Friday for more non-conference play. The Bulldogs are presently 6-3 overall pending the outcome of this week’s tournament games.

Mena

On Monday, March 10th, the Bulldogs traveled south down Highway 71 to Polk County to take on the Bearcats of Mena, located in the heart of the Ouachita National Forest, and it was a very fruitful trip. Greenwood broke out their whooping sticks and battered Mena pitching for 12 hits and 13 runs in a 13-2 five-inning mercy rule victory. Senior Mason Moore was on the hill for the visitors and went all five frames, allowing three hits and two runs, both earned. He struck out seven Mena hitters.

After a scoreless first inning, the Bulldogs exploded for six runs in the second, five more in the third, and two in the fourth to lead by a baker’s dozen (13-0) before the Bearcats finally scored twice in the bottom of the fourth inning. Neither team scored in the fifth before the game was halted due to the 10-run sportsmanship rule. Both teams committed an error, but Mena’s miscue led to three unearned Greenwood runs.

At the dish, three GHS players had multiple hits. Shortstop Brady Morgan had three with an RBI while Scott Holland and Wyatt Frye had two hits each. Frye had a round-tripper with two teammates on base in the top of the third inning for three RBIs. Others with hits included Jayden Campbell with a hit and two RBIs, Jaxon Cole with a hit and three RBIs, Brayden Brewer with a hit and two RBIs, Cooper Webb with a hit and RBI, and Aaron Taylor with a hit and RBI. The Bulldogs were also issued six walks by two Mena pitchers.

Benton

The tables were turned the following day when the Diamond Dogs traveled to Central Arkansas to face the Benton Panthers, a possible playoff matchup in the 5A state tournament later this spring. Unfortunately for Greenwood, the result was less than desirable, an 8-0 shutout in favor of the Panthers. Benton scored three runs in the third inning, two in the fourth, and three more runs in the fifth in route to a seven-inning victory. Two Benton pitchers kept the Bulldogs’ bats silent with three hits.

Catcher Ty Holt, centerfielder Zack Zitzmann, and pitcher/first baseman Aaron Taylor had Greenwood hits. On the pitching side, GHS hurlers Aaron Taylor, Carter Koch, Maddox McCalip, and Brayden Brewer toiled on the mound with Taylor getting the start and going 3.2 innings. A Greenwood error led to two unearned runs for the Panthers.

Greenbrier

After licking their wounds for two days, the Bulldogs returned to Central Arkansas and defeated a different group of Panthers from Greenbrier, 4-0. The Bulldogs scored a pair of runs in both the third and sixth innings, while starting pitcher Cooper Webb and reliever Jake Gigerich kept the enemy bats in check, giving up just five hits and two walks. Webb went five innings. Greenbrier was a member of the 5A West as recently as last season before conference realignment moved them to the 5A Central, adding Farmington to the 5A West.

At the plate, the Bulldogs made the most of their four hits and four walks in a light hitting game. Ty Holt, Zack Zitzmann, Cooper Webb, and Scott Holland had the four knocks, while Jayden Campbell, Holt, and Jaxon Cole (sac fly) had solo RBIs. Holt, Zitzmann, Webb, and Brady Morgan all scored for the Bulldogs. Ty Holt had an RBI double in the third and later scored on a wild pitch for Greenwood’s final tally in the sixth inning.

Alma

In keeping with the new home-and-home format in conference play, the Bulldogs hosted the Airedales last Monday, March 17th, and scored a walk-off run in the bottom of the seventh inning to squeeze out a 5-4 victory. Both teams had seven hits in the contest and neither defense impressed with three GHS errors and two by the visitors. The Diamond Dogs bunched together three runs in the bottom of the third inning, then added another in the fifth to lead 4-1. But the Airedales rallied with three runs of their own in top of the seventh inning to knot the score at 4-4 before the GHS heroics in the bottom half.

Three Greenwood pitchers toed the rubber with starter Mason Moore pitching 5.2 frames before being relieved by Jake Gigerich and Cooper Webb. Moore gave five hits and one run with two walks and eight Ks. Gigerich allowed one hit and two runs with two walks and a strikeout. Cooper Webb gave up a hit and an unearned run. Two Alma pitchers allowed seven Greenwood hits and issued four walks, but all the Bulldogs’ runs were earned.

Cooper Webb was the only GHS swatter to get two hits. Jayden Campbell, Ty Holt, Jaxon Cole, Aaron Taylor, and Brayden Brewer all had solo hits, while Campbell, Holt (2), and Brewer had runs batted in. Cole and Webb both had doubles, and three GHS batters were struck by pitches. The Bulldogs also struck out seven times and Zack Zitzmann stole a base. After Monday’s home victory, the two teams reconvened on Tuesday in Alma, resulting in another narrow GHS win.

Last Tuesday’s contest was even closer than the day before, a 2-1 Greenwood victory behind the strong pitching of Aaron Taylor, who went the distance. The sophomore hurler allowed just two hits and an unearned run in notching the conference win. Neither team scored through the first six innings, as the Alma starter matched Taylor pitch-for-pitch. But the Bulldogs scored two unearned runs in the top of the seventh then held on in the bottom half for the one-run victory.

Jaxon Cole, Cooper Webb, Aaron Taylor, and Wyatt Frye had hits for the Bulldogs, all singles. With two outs and the bases empty in the seventh, Taylor and Frye singled, followed by a walk to Jayden Campbell to load the bases. Pinch runner Parker Branton then scored on a passed ball by the Alma catcher before another error by the third baseman allowed Frye to score. A single and an error allowed Alma’s run to score in the bottom of the frame.

Fayetteville

After sweeping their longtime rivals last Monday and Tuesday, the Bulldogs hosted the Fayetteville Purple Dogs last Thursday in what turned out to be a wild one in non-conference play. Both teams scored three times in the opening frame and the visitors added a solo run in the fourth and two more in the fifth for a 6-3 lead. But Greenwood roared back in the bottom of the sixth with seven runs to lead 10-6 going into the last frame, with the game seemingly in control.

But a once-in-a-lifetime half-inning by Fayetteville helped the Purple Dogs snatch victory from the jaws of defeat, scoring 13 runs before the GHS defense and pitching staff could put out the fire. The visitors finished with 17 hits to seven for Greenwood. Six of the first seven Fayetteville batters had hits to lead off the seventh, including a double and triple.

With two outs, the game was tied at 10-10 before an intentional walk loaded the bases. Amazingly, three consecutive Fayetteville hitters were struck by pitches, forcing home three additional runs. A walk followed, then another hit batsman, another walk, a single, and another walk before the third out was made.

Six GHS pitchers worked in the game, led by Cooper Webb’s four inning start. He gave seven hits and six runs, five earned, with a pair of strikeouts. Brayden Brewer went 2.1 frames and allowed seven hits and four runs, all earned. Parker Branton did not record an out and gave two runs on two hits. Lawson Leath got one out without giving up a hit, but gave a walk and was charged with two earned runs. Jake Gigerich pitched in the seventh inning and did not record an out nor allow a hit, but a pair of walks and hit batsmen led to five runs, four earned. Finally, Carter Koch recorded the last out.

With the sticks, the GHS boys got contributions from six hitters, led by Brayden Brewer with two knocks and two RBIs. Jayden Campbell, Ty Holt, Zack Zitzmann, Aaron Taylor, and Wyatt Frye all had solo hits. Both Zitzmann and Frye had two runs batted in while Holt and Taylor had solo RBIs. Frye and Zitzmann had doubles while Taylor and Brewer each swiped a base.