BENTON - Two huge innings by top-ranked Valley View wiped out any chances of Magnolia claiming the 2021 Class 4A state baseball title.
“This season didn’t end quite the way we wanted it to, but we went a lot farther this year than people anticipated,” Magnolia head coach Bobby Beeson said following the Panthers’ 8-1 loss to the Blazers Saturday afternoon at the Benton Schools Athletic Complex. “This season was a big testament to our seniors. They came out and led us from start to finish.”
Three runs in the sixth and four in the seventh gave Valley View its first state championship since 2009.
“You have to tip your hat off to those guys. That’s a really good and well-coached team. Today, we just came out on the wrong end,” said Beeson. “We had some opportunities to get runs across early, but just couldn’t take advantage.”
Pitcher Seth Edwards (5-2) started for the Panthers and ASU signee Brayden Anderson (7-1) was on the mound for the Blazers.
The game was scoreless through the first three innings and the first hit by either side didn’t come until the fifth. Edwards walked a Blazer runner in each of the first four frames and the Panthers stranded a runner on base in the second, third and fourth innings.
In the top of the fourth, Valley View’s Slade Caldwell drew a walk and stole the next two bases. Tyler Hoskins had a sacrifice RBI for the game’s first run.
In the fifth, the Panthers tied the contest at 1-1. Jayson Thomas’ single was the game’s first hit and he eventually stole second. Tanner Edwards followed with a RBI double to even the battle at 1-1.
Valley View scored three times off two hits in the sixth. Wilson French had a triple, Grayson Becker was hit by a pitch and Caldwell followed with a RBI single. Hoskins’ sacrifice RBI made it 3-1 and a Magnolia error allowed another runner to cross home plate, making it 4-1.
In the seventh, the Blazers scored four more runs off three hits. Magnolia reliever Tanner Nielsen gave up three consecutive singles and a pitch got pass the catcher for another run.
Anderson, the game’s MVP, sat the Panthers down in order in the bottom of the seventh.
Two of Magnolia’s three hits were by Thomas and the other was Tanner Edwards’s double. Valley View finished with six hits and three errors.
“They got things going in the sixth and seventh to extend their lead. We stayed positive and kept battling, but just fell short,” said Beeson.