JA Fair/VYPE Invitational — Cabot earns title berth

For the second straight year Cabot earned a berth to the JA Fair/VYPE Invitational Championship. The Panthers scored the go-ahead run in the fifth inning to earn a 3-2 win against Marion Thursday night at JA Fair. Cabot plays the winner of Friday's 5 p.m. semifinal between Little Rock Parkview and Mayflower, weather permitting. Cabot guns for back-to-back titles Saturday at 4:30 p.m. at JA Fair. "We're excited," Cabot coach Jay Fitch said. "We work our tails off to put ourselves in position to play in big games. Early in the season before a conference championship or state championship, we play for these tournament championships." The Panthers (4-0) only mustered three hits in their final four at-bats, but needed one to score in the fifth. Junior lead-off hitter Joe Bryant started with a double. He advanced to third on a fielder's choice and scored on senior Drew Burks' sacrifice fly. "I told our boys (Tyler Erickson) was pitching his butt off, and we needed to get him some runs," Fitch said. "We only got one, but it was enough." Relief pitcher Chase Beasley earned his second straight save with two scoreless innings. He gave up a one-out double to Michael Baioni in the sixth, but forced Joe Thompson to fly out and struck out Jonathan Milkin to end the inning. He struck out BJ Vaughn to start the ninth. However, the Cabot infield allowed Chris Wright's high pop-up to land in front of the pitcher's mound instead of converting an easy out. Beasley responded by striking out Jacob Kelley and forcing Zach Reynolds to pop out. Cabot took a 1-0 lead in the first when Ben Wainwright singled home Andrew Reynolds, who doubled. The Panthers took a 2-0 lead in the in the second when Tyler Erickson, who doubled, scored on an error. Marion tied the game in the fifth on a solo homer by Wright and a Reynolds double.