Lady Tigers Get Lined Up

Bentonville Must Shore Up Its Softball Middle For 2013 Season

Kaitlyn Spurgeon may move from left to center field for Bentonville depending on where coach Kent Early decides to use his players.

Kaitlyn Spurgeon may move from left to center field for Bentonville depending on where coach Kent Early decides to use his players.

Monday, February 25, 2013

— A straight line is all Kent Early needs to connect the three biggest areas he must address on Bentonvlle’s softball team this spring.

How he will go about filling the voids at pitcher, catcher and centerfielder will take a little more than drawing that line.

“We had some great kids there, and they left us with some holes to fill,” Early said. “Hopefully these kids can step up and do that. But at the same time, we have depth.

“We have a lot of kids that have an understanding of their roles. We have several that are good at hitting, so we’ll use them in pinch-hitting roles. We have several that are straight runners because they have great speed and good knowledge of the basepaths.”

Early may turn to a committee consisting of seniors Whitney Johnson and Taylor Graham and freshmen Maggie Wood and Shalee Martin to fill the pitching void. Each of them bring different qualities inside the circle, from a drop ball to a curve to a changeup to a good location pitcher.

Johnson could also see time in either center or left field, depending on if Early decides to move left fielder Kaitlyn Spurgeon from left to center. Meanwhile, senior Kate Lacina returns to her starting role at right field.

“Center was where Whitney played before she hurt her shoulder,” Early said. “Last year, she was just a designated player. What we’ve looked at was moving Kaitlyn to center and have Mattie Hill and Whitney competing for left field.”

Anna Thomas, last year’s starter at first, could be the person to take over behind the plate. If that happens, then Early will look at Allie Miller to play at first.

The rest of the Lady Tigers’ infield is laden with experience. Emma Kinsey is back to assume her spot at second, while the left side will consist of returnees Alicia Lowery and Amanda Parker at third and short, respectively.

“We’re going to have to come together collectively and get the job done,” Early said. “Somebody is going to have to step up every day. It will not be the same person, kind of like it was last year.

“Somebody is going to get hot, and we’re going to piggyback that and just keep going.”

Early is still seeking for a player to step into the leadoff hitter role and be the one to get Bentonville’s offense going. The other components — a quality slap bunter like Kinsey and a power hitter like Thomas, who hit six home runs last spring — are there.

In the meanwhile, the Lady Tigers will continue to do the things that have helped them win two conference championships and reach the Class 7A State Championship twice in the last three years.

“I think we’re going to be scrappy, and I think that’s our M.O. every year,” Early said. “We really don’t have the dominant players; we just have a bunch of kids that play hard and do the fundamental things right.

“We’re going to be there for seven innings. We’re going to try to punch one through. On defense, we’re scrappy enough to make a play; on offense, we try to create pressure through the short game, running the bases and through power. We’re just ready to line up and play."

Schedule

Bentonville Lady Tigers

Date Opponent Time

March 1 at Russellville (V-JV) 5 p.m.

March 8 Mountain Home (V-JV) 4 p.m.

March 12 Springdale Har-Ber (V-JV)* 5 p.m.

March 14 Siloam Springs (V-JV)* 5 p.m.

March 15 at Mountain Home (V-JV) 4 p.m.

March 25 Greenbrier (V-JV) 4 p.m.

March 26 at Rogers High (V-JV)* 5 p.m.

March 28 Rogers Heritage (V-JV)* 5 p.m.

March 29-30 at Van Buren Invitational TBA

April 2 at Van Buren (V-JV)* 5 p.m.

April 4 Springdale High (V-JV)* 5 p.m.

April 5-6 Bentonville Invitational TBA

April 9 Fayetteville (V-JV)* 5 p.m.

April 11 at Springdale Har-Ber (V-JV)* 5 p.m.

April 18 at Siloam Springs (V-JV)* 5 p.m.

April 19 Rogers High (V-JV)* 5 p.m.

April 22 at Greenbrier (V-JV) 4 p.m.

April 25 at Rogers Heritage (V-JV)* 5 p.m.

April 26 Van Buren (V-JV)* 5 p.m.

April 30 at Springdale High (V-JV)* 5 p.m.

May 2 at Fayetteville (V-JV)* 5 p.m.

May 7 Benton (V-JV)# 5 p.m.

'*'-7A/6A-West Conference game

'#'-game at Arkansas Tech, Russellville