Brady Slavens was off at the crack of the bat as the baseball shot into the right-center gap Monday night.
The wet grass from a light sprinkle did not slow the ball down as it clanged off the fence for a two-run double as Slavens gave his Perfect Timing Black team a 3-1 lead in the top of the fifth inning.
"It was a good pitch, and I was able to put a good swing on it," Slavens said. "It felt good off the bat, so yeah, I was pleased with that."
The University of Arkansas signee's two-run double helped PT Black secure a 7-4 win against PT Cardinal in the first game of Monday's action at Tyson Park in the Perfect Timing College League.
PT Black built a 7-1 lead before PT Cardinal scratched out three runs in the bottom of the sixth, two coming home on Razorback Christian Franklin's double, one of two extra-base hits for Franklin in the game.
Slavens, like most of the players in the league, is just happy to be back on the field after his season at Johnson County (Ks.) Community College was halted after 22 games because of the coronavirus pandemic.
"This is really nice. I'm getting used to the area," Slavens said. "I'm enjoying being in Arkansas and playing baseball again."
Slavens proved his mettle even if it was just a small-sample size this spring.
He was named the National Junior College Player of the Year by JUCO Baseball Blog after batting .507 with 14 home runs and 47 RBI. He transferred to Johnson County CC after spending his freshman season at Wichita State, where he batted .218 with 1 home run and 23 RBI. He signed with Arkansas in March.
Although Slavens would be a junior this fall, he will have an extra year of eligibility after the NCAA granted spring sports an extra year after the coronavirus pandemic took this season away from them.
On Monday, Slavens played all over the infield, seeing time at third base, shortstop and second base. He had a chance for an even bigger night at the plate, but struck out swinging with the based loaded in the top of the sixth inning.
After a tough week last week after having his wisdom teeth recently removed, Slavens said he was feeling much better starting the second week.
"Two weeks before I had the wisdom teeth surgery and ended up being sick after that, too," Slavens said. "So I was pretty rusty last week, but I'm starting to get back into the swing of things."
During the two-month hiatus from baseball, Slavens worked out on his own at home in the Kansas City area. But hitting in a cage is not the same as seeing live pitching for the first time in more than two months.
"I'd usually just go out in my yard and get the net out and hit," he said. "But once everything started opening back up, I've been able to hit every day."
Slavens and the rest of the Arkansas baseball team are scheduled to start workouts in mid-July, although he can't move into his housing until August. He will live with some friends in the interim, he said.
Colten Sagely also had a big game at the plate for PT Black by going 2 for 3 with a two-run single. On the mound, Sawyer Price went 3.2 innings and allowed 5 hits with 5 strikeouts for PT Black.
Connor McCullough was lights-out on the hill for PT Cardinal, allowing no hits over his three innings of work with six strikeouts.
Dalton Smith also had two hits for PT Cardinal.
CORRECTION: Johnson County Community College is located in Overland Park, Ks. The community college's location was incorrect in an earlier version of this story.