Sports

Woodlawn knocks off Dierks to win first state championship

By Jeremy Muck/OF THE COMMERCIAL STAFF
Friday, May 16, 2008 10:36 PM CDT

FAYETTEVILLE — Daniel Robinson had his hands on his knees near the pitcher’s mound on Friday night at Baum Stadium.

The senior pitcher could be excused for doing that. After all, he helped Woodlawn win their first state championship in school history.

Tyler Rushing’s single to left field brought home Trae Norton as the Bears won the Class 2A state championship on Friday night, defeating Dierks 15-5 in six innings at Baum Stadium in Fayetteville. It is not only the first state championship for the Woodlawn baseball program, but it is the first state championship in history for the Cleveland County school.

Woodlawn head coach Tommy Richardson won his first state championship in his 15-year career. His older brother Wayne will lead Watson Chapel in the Class 6A state championship game tonight against Sylvan Hills. In the history of Arkansas high school baseball, two brothers have never won the state championship in the same season.

But on Friday night, Richardson reflected on the baseball tradition at Woodlawn.

“I tell you what, I’ve always dreamed about what this is going to feel like when I walk off the field,” Richardson said. “We’re going to walk off of here with a win. This is the first time I’ve ever walked off the field with no practice tomorrow and no game tomorrow with a win. It’s a neat feeling, it really is.”

Robinson was magnificent for the Bears in relief on Friday night, pitching five and 2/3 scoreless innings. He gave up two hits and struck out eight to help Woodlawn win its first state championship Friday.

“I told (Richardson) as soon as we left the motel that I was ready whenever he needed me,” Robinson said. “When he asked me if my arm was good, I told him, thumbs up, I’m ready to go.”

Dierks took a 5-0 lead in the top of the first, roughing up Rushing. Rushing gave up five runs on three hits and walked three, retiring only one batter before being pulled by Richardson, who told Robinson to throw strikes.

“Dierks is a real emotional team,” Richardson said. “But baseball is not an emotional sport. You have to be more even-keeled. We let them get rolling there in the first inning. I knew if we could keep them off balanced, I thought we could turn the tide and sure enough, that’s the way it worked.”

The Bears trailed 4-0 in last year’s 2A state championship game against Parkers Chapel and went on to lose 11-7. So Friday’s early five-run deficit to Dierks was nothing new to a veteran Bears squad who was making their second trip to Baum Stadium in as many years.

Robinson is one of 11 seniors at Woodlawn and the majority of them remembered their state championship experience from a year ago.

“It was a gut-check as soon as I stepped on the mound,” Robinson said. “Last year, it was a bad feeling to lose. But this year, we came out and did the job.”

Rushing’s two-run base hit to right field cut the lead to 5-2 in the bottom of the first. The Woodlawn starting pitcher had moved to first base after he was relieved by Robinson.

Woodlawn scored four runs in the bottom of the second to go ahead 6-5. All four Bears runs were unearned. Tyler Poss’ single to right field tied the game at 5-5. One batter later, Rushing hit his second RBI single in as many innings, bringing home Shawn Spakes to put the Bears up 6-5.

The Bears scored five runs in the bottom of the fourth to increase the lead to 11-5. Similar to the second inning, all of the Bears’ runs were unearned thanks to Dierks’ three errors. Austin Holloway’s RBI single to left field made it 7-5. Holloway scored on Dierks shortstop Cody Chandler’s error to increase the lead to 8-5. Alex Donaldson hit a double to right scored Justin Ashcraft and Nathan Edwards’ single to left brought home Donaldson to give Woodlawn a 10-5 lead.

The small town of Woodlawn was close to empty on Friday night. Instead, the residents of the Cleveland County town could be seen in the third base stands at Baum Stadium. Robinson was proud of his hometown and now, he can say that he was a part of the first state championship team at Woodlawn.

“There’s not many people from Woodlawn,” Robinson said. “But the people from Woodlawn are here. It means a lot to everybody.”

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