Softball: Wildeman puts effective bat into Bentonville's lineup

BENTONVILLE -- It didn't take Kent Early long to figure out that Bentonville's softball team not only needed Payton Wildeman on its varsity roster, but in the starting lineup as well.

Actually, one glimpse was all it took, and Early was convinced.

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Payton Wildeman

School: Bentonville

Class: Sophomore

Height: 5-4

Notable: Has started all 51 games at shortstop since she joined the Lady Tigers as a freshman last year. … Leads the team with 10 stolen bases and a .506 batting average with seven doubles, six triples, one home run, 29 RBIs and 30 runs scored. … Has struck out only once in 81 at-bats this season.

"It was the first day of tryouts, watching her run the bases," Early said. "Honestly, she's so fast. I just saw her running the bases, and the first time we went home to home I said 'that kid can play.'

"There was just something about her. She has that 'it' factor."

Wildeman has proven she can be just as dangerous at the plate as she is on the basepaths. The sophomore shortstop leads the team with an impressive .506 batting average and a dangerous .792 slugging percentage, and she has a team-high 10 stolen bases in as many attempts through the first 22 games this season.

She bats third in Bentonville's lineup and enters Wednesday's home game against Springdale High with 29 RBIs and 30 runs scored, and she also has one home run, seven doubles and six triples. Another amazing statistic is she has struck out only once in 81 at-bats this season and only three times during her two seasons with the Lady Tigers.

"Hitting is my favorite," Wildeman said. "I love it the most. This is my first year of batting third, and I like it. I have to get more power out this year because I'm batting when there is usually runners on base, and I have to move them around.

"I also like to be aggressive when I'm on base. I'll go for it when I think I have the chance, and I can still steal bases out of the No. 3 spot in the lineup because it's not expected."

Wildeman became one of three freshmen that Early inserted into Bentonville's starting lineup last season, and she eventually started all 29 games at shortstop during the Lady Tigers' run to the Class 7A state championship game. She bounced around in the batting order, batting either leadoff or fifth, but still managed to hit a respectable .345 with 18 RBIs and 21 runs scored.

Even though she's just a sophomore now, Wildeman is considered one of the veterans on a relatively young Bentonville team. The Lady Tigers have only one senior and two juniors in the starting lineup, so Wildeman knows she has been thrust into a leadership role.

"She plays a big role, and she's a key to our success," Early said. "She shoulders that load, though. She doesn't back down from a challenge, and she's made some plays.

"She's had some big games for us. She had two hits for us in the state championship game against a good pitcher. In a big game, she competes, and against a good pitcher she steps up."

Wildeman proved her clutch hitting last week it in a nonconference game last week against Greenwood. She had two of the five hits against Lady Bulldogs pitcher Victoria Martin, who had 14 strikeouts in that game.

Wildeman worked up a 2-2 count against Martin before she laced a single up the middle and drove in Claire Lacina with the lone run in a 1-0 Bentonville victory.

"I was glad I was the one up there because I wanted to feel that pressure," Wildeman said. "I got into the two-strike approach, and she threw it right down the middle. I don't fee many mistakes like that, so I just hit it."

Sports on 04/28/2015

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