ROGERS -- One run was all the support Sadie Beeman needed against Rogers Heritage.
Beeman threw a three-hit shutout to lead Rogers to a 1-0 win over the rival Lady War Eagles on Tuesday in 7A-West softball at Veterans Park. Courtney Storey slapped a one-out, opposite-field single in the second inning for the game's only run.
Rogers 1, Rogers Heritage 0
Rogers Heritage^000^000—0—^0^3^1
Rogers High^010^000^)—^1^3^1
Pollock and Hamlin; Beeman and Edwards. W – Beeman L — Pollock. HR — None.
The Lady Mounties then turned the game over to Beeman, a left-hander who struck out six and did not allow more than one hit in any inning.
"I was proud of the way Sadie pitched," Rogers coach Mike Harper said. "She was outstanding. She threw harder than she had been and hit her spots with her pitches."
Rogers and Heritage delivered another close game after Rogers rallied for five runs in the seventh inning and defeated Heritage 9-7 on March 16. Both teams made an error Tuesday, but there were some outstanding defensive plays, especially from Rogers center fielder Cassie Gonzales and Bailey Birdcreek, a replacement in left field for Heritage.
Rogers threatened to increase its lead in the fourth inning when the Mounties loaded the bases. Mikelyn Bush lined a ball to left field where Birdcreek made a diving catch and saved at least two runs.
"We had an error out there early in the game, but otherwise we played a pretty clean game," Heritage coach Tiffany Taylor said.
Gonzalez made a diving catch in center field to begin the seventh inning. The play became even bigger when Allyson Fultz hit a single to put the potential tying run on base. But Beeman completed the shutout with a fly ball for an out and a strikeout against Alexa Enos.
Rogers scored in the second with the help of a fielding error and singles from Sarah Hulsey and Storey. The inning started with a dropped ball in the outfield then Husley muscled an inside pitch into center field to put runners on base with no outs. Beeman struck out before Storey lined a single to left for the game's only run.
Bentonville High 7, Van Buren 2
Cailey Cochran's fourth-inning double drove in Amy Springer with the go-ahead run as Bentonville went on to claim a 7A-West victory at Van Buren.
A.J. Downey reached on an error, then Springer came in as a pinch-runner and scored on Cochran's double to center. The Lady Tigers (21-1, 8-1) added three more in the fifth on a sacrifice bunt by Tymber Riley, an RBI single by Keelah Griffith and a double by Morgan Nelson, then Riley added an RBI single in the sixth.
Jordan Gartman drove in Bentonville's first two runs with a single and a sacrifice fly, but McKennah Sikes tied it with a two-run home run off Maddy Prough (15-1).
Bentonville West 16, Fayetteville 2
West erupted for 11 runs in the second inning, and Anna Griffin hit the Lady Wolverines' first home run on their home field as West rolled past Fayetteville.
Hallie Wacaser had three hits and was a home run short of the cycle, and she circled the bases on her single when it was misplayed for a three-base error during the 11-run outburst for West (17-8, 5-3).
Brittany Crowson had three hits and drove in three runs, as well as pitched the final three innings for the win. Griffin also had three hits, including a solo home run to start the third inning.
FARMINGTON 14, CLARKSVILLE 0
The Lady Cardinals pounded out 20 hits to improve to 10-0 in 5A-West play on Tuesday.
Callie Harper and Elaina Marano each had three hits and Madison Parrish drove in four runs on two doubles to lead the offense. Paige Devecsery and McKenzi Bogan combined on the two-hit shutout with Devecsery, the starter, picking up the win by pitching two perfect innings.
Rick Fires can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @NWARick.
Sports on 04/19/2017