SPRINGDALE -- Rogers High showed again Thursday why it has the best pitching combination in the league.
Maddie Massanelli turned in a dominating performance with 15 strikeouts during a 6-0 victory over Springdale Har-Ber at J.B. Hunt Park. Massanelli is the No. 2 pitch for Rogers behind Haylee Zimmerman, a four-year starter who will sign today with Oklahoma Baptist University.
Har-Ber managed only four hits off Massanelli, who also contributed offensively with two hits for the Lady Mounties (16-3, 8-0 7A-West), who remained unbeaten in the conference.
"She's been doing that all year long," Rogers softball coach Mike Harper said of Massanelli, who struck out six of the last seven batters she faced. "We've got a 1 and 1A in the circle with Haylee and Maddie. They do a good job of throwing with speed and moving the ball around to keep hitters off balance."
The victory was the second this week for Rogers over a team from Springdale. Zimmerman allowed five hits during a 13-3 win over Springdale High on Tuesday.
Har-Ber (5-6, 2-4) had a tough week after blowing a six-run lead and losing 9-8 in eight inning to Rogers Heritage on Tuesday. The Har-Ber bats were mostly silent against Massanelli as the Lady Wildcats continued to swing at high pitches. Heidi Bogel had two infield singles and Morgan Neal lined a single to left field for Har-Ber, which allowed a run to score after a dropped fly ball in center field.
"We talked about 'look down, look down and leave that (high) stuff alone,'" Har-Ber coach Lynn Lawson said. "But we kept chasing it."
Taylor Erikson was also a standout for Rogers Thursday with a double, two-run single, and a diving catch in center field. Erikson took away a hit from Sarah Strickland in the fifth inning before hitting a two-run single in the sixth to give Rogers a 5-0 lead.
"Erikson has really been coming on about the last 10 games," Harper said. "She made a diving catch and she's the nine-hole hitter getting everything started."
The loss went to Emily Stockalper, one of only three seniors for Har-Ber this season.
"(Stockalper) threw her heart and soul out there in the circle," Lawson said. "She probably kept them to the least amount of hits they've had all year and I applaud her for that. We just didn't give her the offensive support she deserved."
Sports on 04/17/2015