Pirates advance to state finals in Conway

By JOSEPH FONDREN

Sports Connection Team

HOT SPRINGS - The Gosnell Pirates advanced to the Class 3A state finals with a 10-3 victory Saturday over their rival, the Rivercrest Colts. 

Next Saturday, at Estes Stadium in Conway, will be the Pirates first trip to the state championship game since the 1990 Pirates were crowned the champions. 

The Pirates will face the Central Arkansas Christian Mustangs for the 3A state title at 10 a.m.

Pirates head coach Aaron Coots told the Sports Connection he was able to scout the Mustangs after the Pirates victory Saturday. 

Coots explained, “I was able to watch their game to get to the finals and was impressed with their ability to put the ball in play on nearly every pitch thrown. I’ll spend the next couple days getting a game plan together and will go from there.”

Gosnell jumped on top in the second with three runs after three of the nine Pirate batters were walked by Colts pitching. 

An error by Colt second baseman Jayden Ralph loaded the bases and the next batter, Pirates senior Blake Brothers, drew a walk, scoring classmate Rylan Jenkins to get the Pirates on the board. 

Pirates Connor Whitehead grounded into a fielder's choice next allowing senior Ryan Wrinkles to add to the Pirates lead. The Pirates drew back to back walks and Grant Glintborg came in for the third and final run in the inning. 

Gosnell added more runs after a two RBI double by Brothers in the top of the third inning to lead 5-0.

The Colts answered back with four consecutive hits (two doubles, a triple and a single) off of Pirates starter Trent Middleton cutting the Pirates lead to two. 

The Colts pitching, however fell apart in the top of the sixth as the Pirates scored five runs. 

Middleton picked up the win for the Pirates pitching five innings allowing three runs on six hits, walking five and fanning nine batters. 

“When I knew that we had pulled Trent early enough Thursday to have him for today it was just a matter of getting to today so he could have a full start,” said Coots

Wrinkles came in relief allowing no hits and only allowing two walks and striking out four Colts; including a strike out looking to Jacob Atchley to end the game.

“Wrinkles being able to come in the past two days and close the door just shows the fight that kid has, last year he was our closer and it looks like he picked back up where he left off,” Coots explained. 

Coots mentioned the talent from Mississippi County as the Pirates and Colts showed Saturday.

“I think it shows that there is talent across the board in MissCo,” explained Coots. “Folks don’t really think about baseball when they hear MissCo but the talent is there and has been for awhile. It was a pretty cool experience to have that happen today.”

The Pirates tagged the Colts three pitchers for 10 runs on nine hits and nine walks, including two hit by pitches and three errors. 

Coots added approaches at the plate have been something his team has been discussing the last few weeks. 

“For the past couple weeks we have talked about having approaches at the plate that produce a ball in play,” said Coots. “It showed up this week and especially with Blake Brothers and his clutch swings all week.”