Softball: Gartman's gutsy decision works for Bentonville

Heritage baserunner Baleigh Birdcreek (13) is forced out at second as Bentonville's Payton Wildeman (4) and Tymber Riley (12) make the play Tuesday May 3, 2016 at Veterans Park in Rogers. Bentonville beat Heritage 3-0.
Heritage baserunner Baleigh Birdcreek (13) is forced out at second as Bentonville's Payton Wildeman (4) and Tymber Riley (12) make the play Tuesday May 3, 2016 at Veterans Park in Rogers. Bentonville beat Heritage 3-0.

ROGERS -- Jordan Gartman said Bentonville softball coach Kent Early loves "gutsy" when it comes to his players.

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NWA Democrat-Gazette

Bentonville baserunner Jordan Gartman (24) scores Tuesday as Rogers Heritage pitcher Sarah Pollock tries to make the tag at Veterans Park in Rogers.

The Lady Tigers senior made the gutsy decision Thursday when a pitch eluded Rogers Heritage catcher Alexa Enos and went to the backstop. Gartman broke for home and scored to break a scoreless tie, and Bentonville went on to claim a 3-0 victory and clinch the 7A-West Conference title at Veterans Park.

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Prough and Cornell; Pollock and Enos. W-Prough, 16-0. L-Pollock, 15-6. Sv-None. HR-None.

"I saw the ball was getting away, and I knew we needed a run," Gartman said. "I did what I had to do. It was gutsy, but (Early) likes gutsy so I did it.

"At first, I thought I was going to get caught. I knew if I could run fast, I could get in there. I saw the pitcher wasn't coming, so I ran."

Gartman led off the fifth inning with a walk and took second when Keelah Griffith dropped a bunt single. Both runners then advanced on Shayli Martin's bunt, and that brought Megan Crownover to bat with two out.

Crownover had a 1-1 count when a Sarah Pollock pitch got away from Enos. That gave Gartman her chance, and the throw back to the plate was not in time, giving Bentonville (26-1, 13-0) a 1-0 lead.

"The kids were a little too anxious, trying to do too much early on," Early said. "We were swinging at bad pitches, and that's a credit to (Pollock) because we chased them.

"When we're on third base, I tell them 'a passed ball is your read.' It's a slide play. It's a gutsy read by her, and she stepped up. We've said all year that players make plays, and that's a big-time play."

Griffith moved to third on the play, then Crownover eventually drew a walk and stole second to set up Jenna Wildeman. The freshman, normally a slap hitter, belted a double to deep center and gave the Lady Tigers a couple of insurance runs.

That's all the cushion Maddy Prough needed as she improved her record to 16-0 with a three-hitter. Heritage's batters managed to make contact against the right-hander, but most of those swings turned out to be foul balls or pop flies.

"We tried something different with the kid, and we didn't get a pitch up enough," Heritage coach Tiffany Taylor said. "That happens when you play a good team like that.

"It was a great game, but we had that one 'bad' inning. I thought our girls were hitting the ball hard when they hit it foul, but they were putting it in play. We just told them to put it in play and make them make a play, and they made some good plays."

Rogers High 9, Fayetteville 0

A close contest turned one-sided when the Lady Mounties scored seven runs in the top of the sixth inning and rolled to an easy victory Tuesday at Lady'Dawg Yard.

Maddie Massanelli provided the biggest hit of the night, clearing the bases on a three-run double in the sixth to get the big rally started. Massanelli finished 2 for 5, Allyn Hensley and Cele Cops were both 3 for 5 with two runs and Mikelyn Bush was 2 for 4 for Rogers (18-8, 9-4).

Emily Lyles led Fayetteville (7-14, 5-8), going 2 for 3.

Sports on 05/04/2016

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