Wednesday, May 9th the Clinton baseball team left to head south 3 hours to the small town of Smackover, Arkansas for the 3A State Tournament. Clinton won their regional tournament giving them a number 1 seed in the tournament. Clinton spent Wednesday night in El Dorado and woke up early in the morning for the game.The Yellowjackets played Thursday, May 10th at 10am against the Elkins Elks a number 4 seed coming out of northwest Arkansas.

Clinton showed up to the field bright and early, dew still on the grass. At 10 o’clock the first pitch of the first round of the 3A State Tournament was thrown. Clinton started Sophomore Kragen Bradley on the mound. Bradley got off to a shaky start giving up a two run home run. Then the southpaw settled in throwing a shutout second. Bradley threw 3 innings giving up 4 runs. The Junior Aaron Hogue took the bump. Hogue threw 2 shutout innings on 28 pitches. Then Senior Bryce Dodd took the mound. Clinton trailed 4-3 with 2 outs in the bottom of the 6th inning only having 4 outs left. Senior Avery Bramlet was up to bat and hit a ball and it’s going, going, gone. Bramlet had just tied the game up 4-4 with one swing of the bat. Senior Bryce Dodd was lights out on the mound. Holding Elkins scoreless for 5 innings. In the bottom of the 10th Junior Ryley McDonald was struck by a pitch reaching base. Then advanced on an error by the pitcher. Then the pitcher threw a ball in the dirt and Elkins catcher blocked it but it squirted away from him. So McDonald ran towards home and and slid head first. SAFE!!! The Yellow Jackets had just won in the 10th inning to advance to the second round of the state tournament. Clinton would play the next day against the defending state champions Harding Academy Wildcats.

Clinton stayed another night in El Dorado and showed up to the ballpark at 3:00 for game time. Senior Ty Johnson started on the mound against the Wildcats. Ty Johnson held the Wildcats down for 2 innings, but second time through the line up the Wildcats started to hit the ball. The Wildcats scored 3 runs in the top of the 3rd inning. And scored 4 runs in the 4th inning making the score 7-0 Harding. Harding’s ace, Harlow, held Clinton down throughout the game. Clinton Scored 5 runs in the bottom of the 7th but it was not enough to overcome Harding’s lead. Clinton was defeated 15-6 to end their remarkable season.

Clinton finished the 2018 season Dover Tournament Champions, District Tournament Champions, Regional Tournament Champions, and made it to the quarter finals being 1 of the last 8 teams in 3A. Clinton finished the season with an overall record of  25-7. Congratulations to the Yellowjackets on a phenomenal season.