ROGERS -- Alex McManus pitched a two-hitter to lead Rogers High to a 3-1 win against Fort Smith Southside in 7A-West Conference softball action Tuesday at Veterans Park.
McManus, a freshman, out-dueled heralded Southside left-handed senior Andee Tiffee to earn the win in the circle. The right-hander took a no-hitter into the sixth inning before Madison Hill hit a single just inside the third-base bag to break up the no-hitter.
Southside^000^100^0^—^1^2^2
Rogers High^011^010^x^—^3^5^1
Tiffee and Allen; McManus and Edwards. W-McManus. L-Tiffee. HRs-None.
McManus struck out four and did not walk a batter in the complete-game gem.
"She pitched outstanding and did not have one of her best pitches today," Rogers coach Mike Harper said. "She really managed the game and did a real good job. Her curve ball was her main pitch today and it was working really well. She did a good job of spotting inside and outside. She did a really good job in the circle."
The Lady Mounties (8-3, 2-1 7A-West) also played solid defense behind McManus, specifically second baseman Cele Cops, who ranged well into right field a couple of times to catch shallow fly balls, then laid out in the dirt in the sixth inning to rob a Southside hit.
"She made several plays today that most second basemen don't make," Harper said. "She's been doing that all year long."
Tiffee took the loss, but still struck out 15 batters, including retiring Rogers in order in the first and fourth innings all on strikeouts.
Rogers took advantage of two Southside (11-4, 1-2) errors in the second inning to take a 1-0 lead, then added another run in the third on Maddie Massanelli RBI single that scored Allyn Hensley, who led off the inning with a walk.
Southside closed to within 2-1 when Hill reached on an error and scored on a fly ball.
Hensley singled with one out in the fifth and Massanelli singled to put runners at the corners. McManus ripped an RBI double to score Hensley, but another potential run was cut down at the plate, leaving the score 3-1.
That was all the run support McManus needed, shutting down Southside in the seventh for the win.
FAYETTEVILLE 18, SPRINGDALE HIGH 0
Katy Beth Ezell led an offensive outburst, going 4 for 4 with a home run and six RBIs as the Lady Purple'Dogs scored in every inning and broke the game open with an 11-run fourth to post a mercy-rule win on Tuesday at J.B. Hunt Park.
Fayetteville (3-5, 2-1 7A-West) used three runs in the first and pair in the second and third innings to build a comfortable 7-0 lead before the big 11-run fourth inning. Heidi Bogle, Baylee Andrews, Abby Richardson and Anna Mauromoustakos also finished with two RBI each for the Lady Purple'Dogs.
Maggie Mabry got the pitching win for Fayetteville, allowing just four hits in four innings, with no walks and four strikeouts.
BENTONVILLE 10, SPRINGDALE HAR-BER 0
Maddy Prough and Cailey Cochran combined on a no-hitter with 14 strikeouts, and Jordan Gartman had a three-run home run as Bentonville rolled past Springdale Har-Ber at the Tiger Athletic Complex.
Prough (4-0) struck out 11 straight batters after Har-Ber put its first two batters on with a hit batter and an error. Cochran pitched the fifth and struck out the side.
Gartman belted her shot to right-center field as Bentonville (5-0, 3-0 7A-West) blew the game open with six runs in the third inning. The Lady Tigers belted out 11 hits, including two each by Megan Crownover, Jenna Wildeman, Haley Cornell and Alyssa Downey.
The game was stopped briefly when Har-Ber pitcher Cearra McPherson was hit in the cheek by a line drive. She left the field moments later and taken to a local hospital.
ROGERS HERITAGE 10, FORT SMITH NORTHSIDE 0
The Lady War Eagles scored five in the bottom of the fifth and added another in the sixth for the run-rule win on Tuesday at Veterans Park.
Brittney Dean went 3 for 4 for Heritage (5-5, 3-0 7A-West Conference), while Sami Barbee added a double and a home run and drove in a team-high four runs. Sarah Pollock, Lora Brown and Kelsey Hamlin added two hits each.
Pollock picked up the win in the circle, tossing a two-hitter and striking out seven.
Sports on 03/30/2016