Scott, Elmore lead Gravette to crown

LINCOLN -- Bailey Elmore was in a jam in the third inning.

Gravette's sophomore pitcher was nursing a 1-0 lead when Pea Ridge put runners on second and third with no outs, and the top of the order coming up.

In the biggest game of the season and with the 4A-1 Conference tournament championship hanging in the balance, Elmore struck out back-to-back hitters, then got a soft pop-up on the infield to escape without any damage. That sequence proved to be huge in Gravette's 5-0 win Saturday on a gorgeous sun-soaked day.

"She just bowed up and said, 'no, this isn't going to happen,'" said Gravette coach Taos Jones. "It's happened to us twice with Pea Ridge, they've come back and beat us and she just got tough right then. I was really proud of that moment."

Pea Ridge coach Josh Reynolds agreed that sequence was a momentum-changer.

"It was big, it was a big moment early in the game," Reynolds said. "She did a great job getting them out of it."

Elmore was dominant for most of the game, allowing just five hits -- all singles -- and struck out four to earn the complete-game win, her third in as many days. Over those three games, Elmore pitched 19 innings, struck out 12 and gave up just 13 hits total.

"She's got to be tired," Jones said. "I have to have worn her out a little bit. But you can't really go with anybody else when she's dealing like she way today."

Gravette lead-off hitter Gabbi Scott was a catalyst once again for the Lady Lions (19-6). The sophomore center-fielder led off the game with a single and stole her 41st base of the season. Lexi Gerner drove Scott in with a sacrifice bunt for a 1-0 lead.

In the bottom of the third Pea Ridge (20-5) had Meghan David lead off with a single. Blakelee Winn laid down a sacrifice bunt, but Gravette made a fielding error on the play and the ball rolled into right field, moving the runners to second and third, but the Lady Blackhawks came away empty.

In the fourth inning Gravette added two more runs. With one out, the Lady Lions strung three straight hits together to load the bases. Jaki Chalk and Lizzy Ellis added RBI singles for a 3-0 lead.

It was Scott again in the fifth when her opposite field hit down the left-field line got past the Pea Ridge fielder and Scott circled the bases for an inside-the-park home run, her third of the season. That made it 4-0 and Gravette added one more run in the inning on Keeley Bulza's RBI single.

Gravette will open 4A-North Regional play at 5:30 p.m. Thursday in Lincoln. Pea Ridge will open regionals at 12:30 p.m.

In the third place game, Berryville knocked off Lincoln 11-6.

Gravette 100 220 0 -- 5 11 2

Pea Ridge 000 000 0 -- 0 5 3

Elmore and Ellis; Chase and Johnson. W-Elmore. L-Chase. HRs.-Gravette, Scott.

BASEBALL

Shiloh Christian 7, Prairie Grove 0

A four-run second inning was more than enough for Connor Clark as the Saints' starter handcuffed Prairie Grove for six innings.

The Shiloh Christian starter allowed just three hits and struck out eight to lead the Saints to the conference tournament championship.

While Clark was dominant on the bump, he helped his own cause at the plate, going 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs from the lead-off spot. Michael Connolly was also 2-for-4 with a pair of RBIs.

Prairie Grove's Kyle Fidler had three of the Tigers' four hits on a 3-for-3 night.

In the third place game, Huntsville outlasted Pea Ridge 8-7.

Shiloh Christian will open 4A-North regional action at 3 p.m. Thursday in Lincoln. Prairie Grove will open regional play at 12:30 p.m. Thursday.

Sports on 04/29/2018