ROGERS -- Playing defense is often a problem for teams early in the season, but it wasn't for Rogers High on Tuesday.
The Lady Mounties' offense wasn't bad, either.
Prep Softball
Rogers High 9, Springdale Har-Ber 3
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Rogers^004^005^x^—^9^8^1
Stockalper and Ray; Zimmerman and Kinney. W - Zimmerman (2-0). L - Stockalper (0-1). SV - None. HRs - None.
Rogers put together two big innings to overcome an early deficit and defeat Springdale Har-Ber, 9-3, at Veterans Park. It was the 7A-West Conference opener for both teams and the first game of the year for Har-Ber.
The Lady Wildcats took a 1-0 lead in the second inning, but it was all Rogers (3-0, 1-0) after that. The Lady Mounties bunched together hits to score four runs in the third inning and five runs in the fifth.
Emily Kinney had a two-run triple while Allyn Hensley provided two doubles and three RBI for the Lady Mounties. Haylee Zimmerman struck out three to earn the pitching victory over Emily Stockalper for the Lady Wildcats.
Zimmerman was backed by a solid defense, especially in the middle innings when Har-Ber threatened to close the gap. Chloe Wheeler hit a double to Hensley in right field in the fourth, but Har-Ber lost a runner at the plate on a strong relay throw from shortstop Callie King.
In the fifth, Morgan Neal lined an RBI double to put runners on third and second. Stockalper, the No. 5 hitter, stepped to the plate, but Sarah Hulsey ended the inning with a running catch in left field.
"Hensley is a freshman who was actually subbing for a sick player, so she did a really nice job ," Rogers coach Mike Harper said. "Sarah Hulsey, a sophomore, made several nice plays out there. We played good defense, put together some hits and were real aggressive on the base paths."
Har-Ber (0-1, 0-1) took the field with seven first-time starters, and it showed at times with some defensive lapses. Har-Ber committed two errors in the fifth and booted a potential double-play ball to short in the third when Rogers scored four runs to take the lead.
"We made too many errors on two or three balls I thought should have been routine (outs)," Har-Ber coach Lynn Lawson said. "There was a couple more plays that weren't routine, but a kid playing at a very high level is going to make those plays. But we're young, and it was a growing experience. We're going to get better."
Neal, an all-state player at shortstop, is limited to designated hitter duties this spring because of a sore shoulder. The Tulsa signee was still productive at the plate with a double, two singles and three RBIs.
Kelsey Hamlin drove in Har-Ber's first run with an RBI single in the second inning.
Sports on 03/18/2015