FAYETTEVILLE — Brittany Hoskins picked the perfect time to show off her big bat.
With Fayetteville in need of a win to clinch a share of the 7A/6A-West Conference softball title, Hoskins delivered a game-winning, opposite field home run in the bottom of the seventh in a 5-4 victory against Bentonvile.
The blast, which sailed over the right field wall with Hoskins leading off the bottom of the seventh inning, was a team-high eighth home run of the season. Fayetteville (18-8, 10-3 7A/6A-West) now needs just a win today against Siloam Springs to clinch the outright conference championship and a No. 1 seed in the Class 7A Tournament later this week in Springdale.
PREP SOFTBALL
Fayetteville 5, Bentonville 4
Bentonville 000 111 1 — 4 8 1
Fayetteville 001 120 1 — 5 7 4
Vaughn and Lacina; A. Pool and Benjumea. W - Pool, 15-4. L - Vaughn. HRs - Fayetteville, Hoskins (8)
“Brittany, everything matched up great on that last pitch and she’s got tremendous pop,” Fayetteville softball coach Jason Shirey said. “The kid made a good pitch, she made a good swing. It was two good players making plays, two good teams battling and we were fortunate to come out on top.”
While Hoskins, a senior, was the hero of the moment, freshman leadoff hitter Anne Mari Petrino was the consistent force in the lineup for Fayetteville. Petrino finished 4-for-5, with two doubles, two stolen bases and two runs. Her second tally put the Lady’Dogs ahead 3-2 in the fifth when she raced home while Bentonville (15-9, 8-6) attempted to throw back on a baserunner at second.
Fayetteville added what appeared to be an insurance run in the fifth when McKenzie Miller scored on a wild pitch for a 4-2 lead. But the Lady Tigers battled back, getting a leadoff double from Whitney Freeman in the top of the sixth to help cut the deficit to 4-3.
Bentonville then tied the game in the top of the seventh when Emma Kinsey led off with a bunt single, stole second base and later scored on a throwing error.
“The kids played hard, we had pressure situations and the kids responded,” Bentonville coach Kent Early said. “That’s what we want to see going into the state tournament. This was a state tournament atmosphere. Fayetteville’s a good ball team and we’re a good team and it was a good game.
“We just didn’t come out on the winning end.”
Fayetteville is now tied with Rogers High for at least a share of the 7A/6A-West Conference title. A Lady Bulldogs’ loss to Siloam Springs would force a coin toss to determine the top seed.
Bentonville is the No. 4 seed from the conference and will face 7A-Central No. 5 seed Mount Saint Mary in the first round at noon Thursday at J.B. Hunt Park in Springdale.