Rogers High
Lady Mounties make Big Defensive Plays
ROGERS -- Rogers High moved a step closer to a Class 7A State Tournament bid with a thrilling 3-2 win against Rogers Heritage on Tuesday, but the Lady Mounties still have a lot of work left to do this week.
Springdale High visits Veterans Park at 5 p.m. today for a 7A/6A-West Conference game, while Fayetteville comes to town Friday for a makeup of a conference game that was rained out earlier.
Rogers (8-8, 4-2) got key hits from Emily Kinney and Maddy Prough and solid pitching from Haylee Zimmerman late in the win against Heritage, and the Lady Mounties defense was also solid. Second baseman Callie King and third baseman Maddie Massanelli made key catches for Rogers, but the defensive play of the game was made by left fielder Jennifer Gonzalez.
With Heritage runners at first and second with two outs in the top of the seventh and the game tied 2-2, No. 2 Lady War Eagles hitter Kenzi Ziem lifted a high pop up between shortstop and third base. But Gonzalez raced in and made a basket catch at the edge of the outfield grass to end the rally.
"It was like a circus out there for a while," Rogers coach Mike Harper said. "Jennifer did a great job of sprinting after the ball. But that is what she does."
Gonzalez is also a force at the plate as the senior is hitting .412 as the Lady Mounties leadoff batter. She will bring a five game hitting streak into today's game, and that includes three multi-hit games for Rogers.
-- Paul Nielsen • @NWAPaul
Fayetteville
Lady'Dogs Stuck In A Rut
The last two innings didn't go all that bad for Fayetteville on Tuesday against 7A/6A-West Conference leader Bentonville. The Lady Bulldogs got strong pitching from Cortnye Pool and played clean defense in holding the Lady Tigers to no runs to close out the game at Lady'Dawg Yard.
It was the first three innings that was more of the problem.
Fayetteville again was forced to play out of a big early deficit, surrendering five runs in the first inning, two in the second and four in the third in an 11-0, mercy-rule loss to Bentonville on Tuesday.
"It's no different than giving up two early touchdowns in football," Fayetteville coach Jason Shirey said. "You're putting yourself in an early hole. Their kids on the other side are looking at the same scoreboard when it's 0-0 but for whatever reason it's not clicking with our kids right now.
"It's dumbfounding right now."
Fayetteville has lost six straight overall and dropped three in a row in 7A/6A-West Conference play, and now finds itself in jeopardy of missing the Class 7A Tournament if things don't get turned around. But the schedule doesn't get any easier as the Lady Bulldogs (7-10, 1-3) visit Van Buren at 5 p.m. today and Rogers High on Friday.
"We've just got to go back to work," Shirey said. "It's my job to push the different buttons and try something different."
-- VERNON TARVER @NWAVernon
Bentonville
Fast Start Helps Vaughan
Bentonville's offense made it that much easier for Morgan Vaughan to pitch during Tuesday's game against Fayetteville.
The Lady Tigers (11-2, 6-0) sent 11 batters to the plate in the first inning and staked Vaughan to a 5-0 lead before she stepped in the circle. Claire Lacina, Madi Hill and Jordan Gartman each had RBI singles in the outburst.
It was more than enough cushion for the senior right-hander, who threw her second no-hitter in conference play this season as Bentonville coasted to an 11-0 win.
"It was a good start for us," Bentonville coach Kent Early said. "It helps when a pitcher has runs. She don't have to be as perfect, and she was able to try to throw some different pitches.
"She threw strikes, and we played defense. Emma Kinsey had an outstanding game and made a couple of great plays out there."
Bentonville reaches the halfway point in league play today with a 5 p.m. rematch against Springdale Har-Ber at home. The Lady Tigers opened conference play with a 5-2 victory over the Lady Wildcats at J.B. Hunt Park.
"This is a pivotal game right here," Early said. "They have some talented kids, and they play hard. It ought to be a good game."
-- HENRY APPLE • @NWAHenry
Sports on 04/17/2014