Five from county make elite teams

While no team made it past the first game in the state tournament, Garland County was well represented on the all-state baseball selections released Wednesday by the Arkansas Activities Association.

Mountain Pine junior Matthew Herron, Lakeside junior Zac Melugin, Jessieville senior Kaleb Moody and Lake Hamilton senior Zach Ross each received all-state honors for the first time while Lake Hamilton sophomore Charlye Rowland was the county's lone all-state softball selection.

Herron led the county in strikeouts with 76 in only 38 2/3 innings pitched, headlining a dynamic Mountain Pine rotation that also included junior Chad Graves and sophomore Joshua Walpole.

Melugin had a .429 batting average and 23 RBI in the middle of a potent Lakeside lineup that averaged nearly eight runs per game.

Shining on the mound (6-2, 1.47 ERA) and at the plate (.380, 35 hits), Moody helped lead the Lions to a 15-11 record and their first appearance in the Class 3A tournament since winning the 2011 state championship.

Ross did a little bit of everything for the Wolves. The senior had a 5-2 record, an ERA of 2.86 and 53 strikeouts pitching while also leading the team in hits (27), RBI (21) and home runs (3).

All-state baseball selections from the surrounding area were Magnet Cove senior Dawson Henry, Malvern junior Demias Jimerson and Centerpoint senior Keenan Owens.

Mount Ida sophomore Addison Black, Centerpoint senior Emmery Boyd, Malvern senior Kyla Clark, Glen Rose junior Holly Crutchfield and Magnet Cove senior Hannah Petty were the all-state softball selections from the surrounding area.

Jessieville senior Dylan Anderson, Lake Hamilton junior Ben Slate and Lakeside senior Race Tittle each received all-state tournament honors.

Rallying Wonder Boys

advance in men's golf

KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- Arkansas Tech extended its golf season with a third-round rally in the NCAA Division II men's championships.

Austin Smith's birdie on the final hole of the day completed a 13-stroke comeback Wednesday, moving the Wonder Boys into eighth place and the match-play portion of the tournament at Reunion Resort.

The Wonder Boys face top seed and nationally third-ranked Barry this morning, the winner facing No. 4 seed Lynn or No. 5 seed Florida Tech in an afternoon semifinal.

Arkansas Tech shot the lowest third round of the tournament (289) and climbed seven spots Wednesday. Smith's closing birdie pushed the Wonder Boys (881) out of a playoff situation with North Alabama (882). Arkansas Tech edged out eight nationally ranked top-50 teams for the No. 8 seed.

Ryan Spurlock had a team-best 71 and finished at 220, tied for 32nd with teammate Jonathan Echberg (72). Smith finished at 74_222 along with Luke Cornett (72) with Putter Srinoon at 229 (80).

West Florida's Chandler Blanchet led the individual standings with a 1-under 209 after a closing 73.

* Arkansas Tech's Amy Anderson was named Women's Golf Coaches Association Central Region coach of the year Wednesday after leading the Golden Suns to four tournament victories in the 2016-17 season. Tech won its first Central Super Region title and third consecutive Great American Conference championship, the latter in April at Hot Springs Country Club. The Golden Suns also competed in the NCAA Division II national tournament for the third time in four years, finishing 11th last week in Findlay, Ohio.

Anderson also received the WGCA Central Region honor after the 2013-14 season, when the Golden Suns reached their first national-championship tournament.

Sports on 05/25/2017

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