Top Bryant pitchers sign with Arkansas

Bryant's Evan Lee swings at a pitch during a game against Fort Smith Southside on Saturday, May 17, 2014, in Conway.

BRYANT -- Evan Lee and Zach Jackson have been Razorbacks fans since Day One.

On Thursday, the Bryant High School seniors officially became affiliated with the University of Arkansas by signing national letters of intent to play baseball there.

"I actually left the hospital in a Razorbacks onesie," Lee said referring to a bodysuit that is often given to infants when they leave the hospital for the first time. "It's always been my dream school. I always had it in my mind that if Arkansas was to offer, I would commit and sign with them."

Jackson needed only a little more persuasion to join the Razorbacks.

"I've grown up wanting to be a Razorback my whole life," Jackson said. "Whenever I got the phone call and they were like 'we want you to come up and visit,' I was just stoked.

"Evan, I think he committed to them when he was a freshman. When he found out he said, 'Dude, you're going to love it.' We went up there together and he was right. I was in heaven."

The Razorbacks are getting a pair of pitchers who have compiled some impressive stats while playing for both the Bryant Hornets and the Bryant BlackSox, the town's American Legion team.

The website Prep Baseball Report rates Lee, a left-handed pitcher and hitter, as the state's No. 1 prospect. Jackson, a right-handed pitcher, is the state's No. 5 prospect.

Lee was a combined 21-1 with a 1.48 earned run average with the Hornets and BlackSox in 2015. He struck out 157 batters in 137 1/3 innings. Lee also batted .392 (156 of 398) with 32 doubles, 11 triples, 3 home runs, 121 RBI and 57 stolen bases.

Since 2013, Jackson is 32-2 combined with the Hornets and BlackSox with a 1.29 ERA. He's recorded 212 strikeouts in 211 2/3 innings.

"They have meant so much to our program," BlackSox Manager Darren Hurt said. "With our junior program, we won our first-ever state title and of course we've won a couple more state titles with them on our senior [program]. But the best thing and most important about being around Zach and Evan is that they are the best kids in the world."

Hornets Coach Kirk Bock echoed Hurt's statement.

"They are tremendous young men," Bock said. "I've know Evan since the day he was born, and Zach I've known for the last seven years. You take a look at those young men and you take a look at their parents, you can see that it's a quality situation. ... They are both great in the classroom. These are two blue-collar guys that work extremely hard.

"They do it different ways, but they get the same results."

Sports on 11/13/2015