DANIEL, HALLER CONTINUE TO IMPROVE FOR BEARCATS

Freshman Hayden “H.D.” Daniel was 2-for-2 Thursday night against Fort Smith Northside at Hunt’s Park to extend his hitting streak to six games.

Daniel, who is 9-for-15 over the six games and is now hitting .450 on the season, also drove in the only Bearcat run of the game in the 8-1 loss to the Grizzlies.

Also turning in a notable performance for the Bearcats was Cutler Haller who recorded one of the five Bearcat hits and has registered a hit in seven of the last eight games, raising his average 37 points in the process.

Haller (shown playing first base) also took the mound for the first time since March 11. He allowed one run on a couple of hits and a walk, but also struck out two hitters.

Jace Washburn (5-3) started it and needed only 30 pitches for three innings, allowing just two runs on two hits.

The Bearcats led 1-0 after a half inning. Rhett Nietert worked a walk over a 10-pitch at bat and was moved to second on a Dylan Todd sacrifice.

Washburn reached on an error, the only one of the game, but Nietert was unable to advance until Casey Carter singled to load the bases.

Daniel then reached on an infield single to score Nietert. Washburn would later be erased at the plate after a fortuitous bounce after a wild pitch and Northside was able to avoid further damage despite Sadler Miller drawing a walk.

The Grizzlies used a couple of singles, a hit batter and two ground balls to take the lead in the third.

Daniel walked to open the fourth, was sacrificed to second by Miller and he moved to third on a Parker Smith single but the Bearcats could not draw even and the Grizzlies added a run in the bottom of the inning.

Northside had already scored once and added three more with two down in the fifth to push the lead to 7-1.

Daniel and Haller singled in the sixth but were left aboard – the Bearcats stranded nine on the day.

The Bearcats (11-7) are scheduled to visit Perryville on Monday then open play in the District 3A-4 tournament at 4 p.m. on Tuesday.

The third seeded Bearcats await the winner of Monday’s game between sixth seeded Mansfield and seventh seeded Lamar.