BENTONVILLE -- Thursday's softball game between Springdale Har-Ber and Bentonville was mostly decided in the first inning.
That's when Bentonville took advantage of its scoring opportunities and Har-Ber didn't.
How They Scored
Bentonville 7,
Springdale Har-Ber 1
Har-Ber^000^001^0^—^1^6^2
Bentonville^430^000^X^—^7^7^0
Stockalper, Bogle (3) and Ray; Vaughan and Fears. WP — Vaughan (12-2). LP — Stockalper. HRs — None.
Bentonville scored four runs in the first inning and eased to a 7-1 victory over the Lady Wildcats in 7A/6A-West Conference play at the Tigers Athletic Complex. Winning pitcher Morgan Vaughan aided her cause with two hits and three RBIs.
Har-Ber had a chance to seize momentum in the first inning but did not score despite three hits. Emily Stockalper fouled off several pitchers before lining a single to left off Vaughan, who shut out Fayetteville 11-0 on Tuesday. Tiffani Ray lined a single off the second baseman's glove before Morgan Neal hit into a force play for the second out. Gracie Bogle reached on an infield single to load the bases but Vaughan got out of the jam when Kylie Buttram flew out to right field.
"We made good pitches and good plays to get out of a jam," Bentonville coach Kent Early said. "We then scored to put some pressure on them and they had to hit their way out of it. They definitely have the ability to do that, but we were fortunate that we scored seven early."
Har-Ber (13-8, 4-4) had three more hits in the sixth inning when the Lady Wildcats scored on a two-out, RBI single by Morgan Neal.
Bentonville (12-2, 7-0) scored four runs on three hits in the bottom of the first. Five consecutive batters reached against Emily Stockalper, including Vaughn, who hit a two-run single and continued to third when the ball got past the right fielder. Stockalper ran into trouble immediately when she walked the first batter and hit the second one in the helmet. McKenzie Hardison drove in the first run with a bloop hit to short left field that went for a double. Alicia Lowery added another double to put the Lady Tigers ahead 4-0.
"Against a team that is undefeated and a pitcher who is taking charge, you can not start the game that way," Har-Ber coach Lynn Lawson said. "We weren't mentally prepared. That's my fault and every member of this team's fault."
Bentonville went ahead 7-0 in the second inning with the help of an RBI single from Vaughan. Gracie Bogle took over in the third inning for Stockalper, who allowed seven hits. Bogle did not allow a hit or walk a batter.
"I am proud of Gracie Bogle," Lawson said. "She came in, never issued a walk, and kept the ball down."
Sports on 04/18/2014