BENTON, Ark. -- Ashdown has an opportunity few schools ever have the chance of accomplishing today.
The Panther baseball team clashes with defending 3A state champion Harding Academy in the 3A state baseball final, and later in the day the Lady Panthers square off against Atkins in the 3A state softball championship.
The games are being played at Benton Sportsplex with the baseball tilt at 10 a.m. and the softball game at 1 p.m.
Ashdown's baseball team is 6-0 in the postseason after beating Harmony Grove, 7-4, in the semifinals to improve its record to 26-6. The Panthers were state semifinalists last spring, losing to Harding Academy a step before the title game.
The Lady Panther squad (24-5 overall) is also 6-0 in the playoffs, blanking Hackett, 5-0, in the semifinal last week behind pitcher Madison Cook. Cook is 9-1 in the circle with 65 innings of work, 72 strikeouts and only 23 walks.
Karielle Forbes belted her team-leading ninth home run early in the semifinal game and has 30 RBI on the year to go along with her .448 batting average. Kylie Erwin is hitting .500 with 17 RBI, and Jaela Coleman bats .489 with 17 RBI.
Ashdown was a state quarterfinalist last season in softball.