HOT SPRINGS - Palestine-Wheatley pitcher Andrew Knowlton was able to keep the Woodlawn bats in check for most of the game and the Patriots had an efficient day at the plate as they knocked off the Bears 6-0 to win the Class 2A State Championship last Thursday morning at Majestic Park in Hot Springs.Knowlton scattered three hits over five and two-thirds innings while walking four and striking out eight to be named the championship game’s Most Valuable Player. He also went 2-for-4 at the plate with a RBI.Palestine-Wheatley reliever Brody Parker held the Bears to one hit over the final one-andone- third innings while striking out three.Woodlawn Coach Tommy Richardson, coaching in his 14th state championship game, said Knowlton was the difference.“You’re getting balls on the white line in the box and they’re strikes. That’s rough,” Richardson said. “And it’s rougher when its 88 (mph) and it’s got a little cut to it.”Richardson said Knowlton has a “whippy” motion to his pitches, and they had prepared for that leading up Thursday’s game. Still, his Bears struggled to find the hits.The Patriots proved to be tough to score on throughout the tournament, giving up just one run over all four rounds: a 4-1 win over Hackett to open the tourney followed by an 11-0 win over Tuckerman and a 9-0 victory over Baptist Prep leading up to the championship game.While Woodlawn failed to get a run across, it wasn’t that the Bears didn’t have their chances.Woodlawn had a least one baserunner aboard in every inning except the first. The Bears’ best chance to change the momentum came in the bottom of the fifth when they loaded the bases with one out down 2-0.After the lead-off batter struck out, Parker Arnold drew a walk, Hollis Holderfield had a single and Ethan Saeler was hit by a pitch to load the bases with one out. But Knowlton struck out the next batter and the Patriots then managed to get ...
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