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FRIDAY'S HIGH SCHOOL STATE BASEBALL FINALS CAPSULES

CLASS 4A

BROOKLAND (26-10) VS. HARDING ACADEMY (24-6)

WHEN 4 p.m.

WHERE Bear Stadium, Conway

BROOKLAND

CONFERENCE 4A-3

COACH Josh Baker

LARGEST MARGIN OF VICTORY 19 (def. Blytheville 20-1 on April 15)

LARGEST MARGIN OF DEFEAT 10 (lost 16-6 to Marion on April 11)

HOW THEY GOT HERE def. Wynne 5-4 (regional first round), def. Southside Batesville 11-7 (regional semifinal), def. Lonoke 13-5 (regional final), def. Central Arkansas Christian 2-1 (state first round), def. Pea Ridge 7-0 (state quarterfinal), def. Joe T. Robinson 7-6 (state semifinal)

NOTEWORTHY Brookland has never won a state championship and has played in just one other final (1990). ... The Bearcats were 5-5 in late March but ripped off 21 wins in their next 26 games. They did suffer a 10-5 defeat to Harding Academy over that time frame on April 7. They also lost 6-3 to Class 5A finalist Valley View on April 26. ... Josh Baker was the head coach at Nemo Vista and an assistant at Marion before coming to Brookland. ... Joe T. Robinson beat Brookland the first week of the season before losing the rematch in the semifinals. ... The Bearcats' first playoff game was in 1970.

HARDING ACADEMY

CONFERENCE 4A-5 North

COACH Shane Fullerton

LARGEST MARGIN OF VICTORY 16 (def. Clinton 17-1 on April 8)

LARGEST MARGIN OF DEFEAT 9 (lost to Joe T. Robinson 12-3 on March 11)

HOW THEY GOT HERE def. Mills 17-2 (regional first round), lost to Morrilton 6-1 (regional semifinal), def. Central Arkansas Christian 7-5 (regional third place), def. Lonoke 13-4 (state first round), def. Arkadelphia 9-2 (state semifinal), def. Shiloh Christian 8-4 (state semifinal)

NOTEWORTHY The Wildcats are shooting for their fourth state title in five years after winning crowns from 2021-23. They were beaten by Gosnell in the semifinals last season. ... Harding Academy has appeared in the title game seven times prior to this season and has walked away with seven championships. ... Nathan Corbitt was huge with six strikeouts and six hits allowed during the Wildcats' 8-4 win over Shiloh Christian in the semifinals. ... Harding Academy had a 12-game winning streak earlier in the season. ... The Wildcats have scored five runs or more 24 times this season.

CLASS 3A

ASHDOWN (23-8) VS. GENOA CENTRAL (21-7)

WHEN 10 a.m.

WHERE Bear Stadium, Conway

ASHDOWN

CONFERENCE 3A-7

COACH Jordan O'Bannon

LARGEST MARGIN OF VICTORY 22 (def. Prescott 22-0 on April 21)

LARGEST MARGIN OF DEFEAT 4 (lost to Spring Hill 6-2 on April 25)

HOW THEY GOT HERE def. McGehee 6-0 (regional first round), def. Smackover 9-3 (regional semifinal), def. Bismarck 4-3 (regional final), def. Pangburn 8-3 (state first round), def. Melbourne 4-1 (state quarterfinal), def. Perryville 9-0 (state semifinal)

NOTEWORTHY Ashdown and Genoa Central defeated each other once during the regular season, but the Panthers came away with the league title. ... Ashdown has had 33 postseason berths since 1978, but it's never brought home a state championship despite playing in the final five other times (2004, 2014, 2016, 2022, 2023). ... The Panthers have won their past eight games. They haven't allowed more than three runs in any of those outings. ... Mason Washington drove in three runs during Ashdown's semifinal win over Perryville. ... The Panthers beat Class 1A finalist Taylor 9-4 on March 6.

GENOA CENTRAL

CONFERENCE 3A-7

COACH Chris Hudson

LARGEST MARGIN OF VICTORY 18 (def. Benton Harmony Grove 18-0 on May 17)

LARGEST MARGIN OF DEFEAT 7 (lost 7-0 to Perryville on March 28)

HOW THEY GOT HERE def. Drew Central 11-0 (regional first round), lost to Bismarck 5-4 (regional semifinal), def. Smackover 12-1 (regional third place), def. Dover 6-0 (state first round), def. Charleston 14-1 (state semifinal), def. Benton Harmony Grove 18-0 (state semifinal)

NOTEWORTHY Genoa Central has been in state championship games two other times -- 2012 and 2014 -- and won both. ... The Dragons were beaten in the quarterfinals last season by Central Arkansas Christian. ... Braxton Robertson gave up one hit in an 18-0 run-rule win over Benton Harmony Grove during the semifinals. Genoa Central scored 12 runs in the fifth inning. ... Ten of the past 11 games for the Dragons have been victories. Seven of those were by at least 10 runs. ... Brayden Cobb had 3 hits, 3 runs scored and 2 runs batted in during Genoa Central's previous game.

-- Erick Taylor