Sheridan’s Lady Yellowjackets have lived up to their expectations.
The No. 1 seed from the 6A-South, Sheridan is riding a 24-game on-field winning streak and the Lady Jackets have five players batting better than .403. Defensively, Sheridan has allowed only 16 runs all season.
“Our seniors have played a significant role on this team since they were freshmen,” Sheridan Coach Eddie Paul Woodall said. “It’s not something they haven’t seen before. It’s a been there, done that type of situation for them. Their four-year record here has been pretty good.”
Sheridan (25-2) is one of the favorites to win the Class 6A state softball tournament, which starts today at Benton High School. Defending state champion Russellville, the No. 1 seed from the 6A-East, also can be included in the state title mix, but Woodall said the two conference winners aren’t alone among the contenders.
Woodall said Marion, Mountain Home, host Benton and a vastly improving El Dorado could all cause the two conference champions some headaches prior to the state championship game in Fayetteville on May 23.
One of Sheridan’s two losses was a double forfeit against Texarkana. The teams were scheduled to play late in the season, but after a rainout neither team could provide a field dry enough to play before the start of the state tournament. The Lady Jackets’ lone loss on the field came against White Hall in the second game of the season.
Sheridan reached the 2013 state semifinals, losing to Russellville 4-3 in eight innings.
“Russellville is going to be hard to handle,” Woodall said. “They’re the defending champions and their pitcher [Andrea Kindrick] is committed to Alabama, but I think there’s a chance we’ll both be tested before the championship game is set.”
Sheridan not only has an impressive record into the state tournaments, but the Lady Jackets also sport some impressive stats.
Senior pitcher Sydney Bonner is 13-0 with a 0.30 earned run average. She is hitting .472 with 28 RBI.
Hunter Clark, a third baseman who has signed with Arkansas Tech, is batting .463 with 18 RBI. Senior outfielder/ first baseman Morgan White is batting .403 with 16 RBI. Senior center fielder Lauren Mitchell is batting .434, and sophomore catcher Corbin Talbert is hitting .451 with 32 RBI.
Then there is senior second baseman Madison Crosby, who Woodall said does all the little things right.
“Madison is batting .305, and that’s a pretty good average, but she always seems to get the hit when we need it most,” Woodall said. “She does the clutch things, and she’s as good of a second baseman as we’ve ever had. Let’s just say we’re not unhappy when the other team hits it to her.”
While the Lady Jackets’ record and statistics are outstanding, Woodall knows one bad game could send his team home early.
“There’s not much margin of error when you playing against a really good pitcher,” Woodall said. “It usually comes down to which team makes the fewest mistakes.”