Softball: Bentonville Upends Har-Ber, Reaches Title Game

Special to NWA Media MIKE KEMP Payton Wildeman, Bentonville second baseman, waits for the throw while Sprindale Har-Ber’s Hannah Sharum slides in safe Monday during the semifinals of the 7A State Softball Tournament in Conway.
Special to NWA Media MIKE KEMP Payton Wildeman, Bentonville second baseman, waits for the throw while Sprindale Har-Ber’s Hannah Sharum slides in safe Monday during the semifinals of the 7A State Softball Tournament in Conway.

Even years seem to bring the best out of Bentonville's softball team.

The Lady Tigers advanced to the Class 7A State Championship for the third time in five years with a 6-3 victory over Springdale Har-Ber during Monday's second semifinal game at City of Colleges Park in Conway. Bentonville (24-4) also reached the title game in 2010 and 2012 but lost to Bryant in those games.

Class 7A State Softball Tournament

at City of Colleges Park, Conway

Friday

Game 1: Rogers High 4, Fort Smith Northside 0

Game 2: Bryant 5, Fort Smith Southside 2

Game 3: Conway 6, Rogers Heritage 2

Game 4: Springdale Har-Ber 3, Mount Saint Mary 0

Saturday

Game 5: North Little Rock 3, Rogers High 2

Game 6: Bentonville 8, Bryant 1

Game 7: Van Buren 5, Conway 4

Game 8: Springdale Har-Ber 15, Cabot 4, 6 innings

Monday

Game 9: North Little Rock 12, Van Buren 2, 6 innings

Game 10: Bentonville 6, Springdale Har-Ber 3

Saturday

At Bogle Park, Fayetteville

Championship

Game 11: North Little Rock vs. Bentonville, 5:30 p.m.

This time, it's North Little Rock that stands between the Lady Tigers and their first state title in school history. Those two teams will square off in a 5:30 p.m. contest Saturday at Bogle Park.

"To get to the state championship game is exciting, and every team expects to get there," Bentonville coach Kent Early said. "We have some talented kids, and they have worked hard to get there.

"With this type of format where it's one loss and you're out, you have to have your best games. We have four seniors who have been leaders out there on the field, and it's fitting that those four seniors will get to end their season at Bogle Park."

One of those seniors, Emma Kinsey, drove in what proved to be the decisive run in the bottom of the second inning. Kinsey, who normally reaches base by slapping down bunts as a left-handed batter, switched to the right side and belted a single to drive in Mackenzie Hardison and give the Lady Tigers a 4-1 lead.

Morgan Vaughan (24-4), another senior, made that lead stand as the right-hander allowed just five hits and struck out six batters. Har-Ber (21-9) did make things interesting by scoring twice in the top of the sixth and cutting Bentonville's lead to 5-3, thanks to a Lady Tigers error and Gracie Bogle's RBI single.

Kinsey provided Bentonville's answer and completed the scoring in the bottom of the sixth when she singled, went to third on Vaughan's single and scored on a wild pitch.

The Lady Tigers also had an answer when Har-Ber took an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first as Hannah Sharum singled and later scored on an error. Hardison led off the bottom half of the inning with a double and scored on an errant pickoff throw at third, then Payton Wildeman followed with a double to score Lauren Fox and put Bentonville ahead to stay.

Sports on 05/20/2014

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