LINCOLN — Gabbi Scott knew the instant her bat met the incoming yellow softball she had a chance at extra bases.
The Gravette sophomore never slowed down when she reached first base and was heading for second when she glanced at the ball rolling past the Pea Ridge left fielder. Scott hit the bag at second at top speed, dashed around third and raced home, touching the dish standing up for a rare in-the-park home run.
Regional softball tournaments
CLASS 4A NORTH
At Lincoln
Today Game 1 Pottsville vs. Lincoln, 12 p.m. Game 2 Pea Ridge vs. Ozark, 2:30 p.m. Game 3 Gravette vs. Dover, 5 p.m. Game 4 Berryville vs. Dardanelle, 7:30 p.m.
Friday Game 5 Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, noon Game 6 Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4, 2:30 p.m.
Saturday Game 7 Loser Game 5 vs. Loser Game 6, noon Game 8 Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6, 2:30 p.m. *Top 4 teams advance to state tournament in Nashville May 10-12
CLASS 3A-1
At Greenland
Today Game 1 Paris vs. Greenland, 10 a.m. Game 2 Cedarville vs. Atkins, 12:30 p.m. Game 3 Charleston vs. Lamar, 3 p.m. Game 4 Perryville vs. Elkins, 5:30 p.m.
Friday Game 5 Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, noon Game 6 Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4, 2:30 p.m.
Saturday Game 7 Loser Game 5 vs. Loser Game 6, noon Game 8 Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6, 2:30 p.m. *Top 4 teams advance to Class 3A state tournament at Smackover-Norphlet May 10-12
CLASS 3A-3
At Harrison Game 1 Rivercrest vs. Valley Springs, 10 a.m. Game 2 Mountain View vs. Manila, 12:30 p.m. Game 3 Melbourne vs. Walnut Ridge, 3 p.m. Game 4 Hoxie vs. Clinton, 5:30 p.m.
Friday Game 5 Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, noon Game 6 Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4, 2:30 p.m.
Saturday Game 7 Loser Game 5 vs. Loser Game 6, noon Game 8 Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6, 2:30 p.m. *Top 4 teams advance to Class 3A state tournament at Smackover-Norphlet May 10-12
CLASS 2A-WEST/CENTRAL
At Magazine Game 1 Quitman vs. Magazine, 10 a.m. Game 2 Hackett vs. Hector, 12:30 p.m. Game 3 Lavaca vs. England, 3 p.m. Game 4 Pangburn vs. Mountainburg, 5:30 p.m.
Friday Game 5 Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, noon Game 6 Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4, 2:30 p.m.
Saturday Game 7 Loser Game 5 vs. Loser Game 6, noon Game 8 Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6, 2:30 p.m. *Top 4 teams advance to Class 2A state tournament at Pangburn May 10-12
CLASS 1A-1
At Harrison Game 1 Lead Hill vs. Decatur, 10 a.m. Game 2 Jasper vs. Shirley, 12:30 p.m. Game 3 Omaha vs. Bruno-Pyatt, 3 p.m. Game 4 Rural Special vs. Deer, 5:30 p.m.
Friday Game 5 Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, noon Game 6 Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4, 2:30 p.m.
Saturday Game 7 Loser Game 5 vs. Loser Game 6, noon Game 8 Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6, 2:30 p.m. *Top 4 teams advance to Class 1A state tournament at Mountain Home May 10-12
CLASS 1A-4
At Dierks
Today Game 1 Mount Ida vs. Western Yell Co., 10 a.m. Game 2 County Line vs. Acorn, 12:30 p.m. Game 3 Scranton vs. Kirby, 3 p.m. Game 4 Dierks vs. Hartford, 5:30 p.m.
Friday Game 5 Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2, noon Game 6 Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4, 2:30 p.m.
Saturday Game 7 Loser Game 5 vs. Loser Game 6, noon Game 8 Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6, 2:30 p.m. *Top 4 teams advance to Class 1A state tournament at Mountain Home May 10-12
A triple is among the rarest of hits in softball with the smaller field size. Unless you’re Gabbi Scott, who has five this season. The inside-the-park home run is even rarer, but she’s done it before.
“I really wasn’t expecting that,” Scott said after Saturday’s 5-0 win against Pea Ridge in the 4A-1 Conference tournament championship game. “It just put more emphasis on getting it rolling, keeping it going.
“I’ve done it a couple of times in travel ball.”
Scott has provided Gravette (19-6) a spark at the top of the lineup as the team’s lead-off hitter. Her statistics this season border the ridiculous. For example, she is batting .585 with an on-base percentage of .660. In 82 official at-bats, she has 48 hits, seven doubles, five triples and three home runs. On top of those eye-popping numbers, she has 26 RBIs, has scored 54 runs and struck out just five times on 100 plate appearances.
And those numbers hardly compare to the one at the far right of the statistical chart. In 26 games this season, she has stolen 41 bases, shattering her own school record of 29 she set last season as a freshman.
The first inning of last Saturday’s championship game was a prime example of what Scott brings to the Lady Lions. Scott led off the game with a single to left field. It was no secret she was going to try and steal second on the first pitch, which she did and was safe by a mile. One pitch later she was crossing home plate with the game’s first run.
“I think being the lead-off you should be able to do that, to get the momentum going,” Scott said. “I feel like that’s my job, and that’s what coach wants me to do. He just expects that of me. That just gets the team going, and everything starts rolling after that.”
Gravette coach Taos Jones is just thankful Scott is in his dugout and he does not have to face her as an opposing coach.
“She leads the team in just about every category,” Jones said. “But she also leads the team in just being a fun, upbeat player who is fun to be around. She’s hilarious; she’s a great kid to be around.
“I’ve had Kendra Meeker in the past, and she was a walk-on with the Razorbacks. Both wear No. 7. But never a player who is the threat that Gabbi is. She may slap on you, she may bunt, she may smoke on into the gap. You don’t know what she’s going to do. It’s hard to play her. I’m glad she’s on my team.”
Gravette was 24-8 last season with a team that was built around sensational freshman pitcher Cally Kildow, who has already committed to Arkansas. The expectations were high as this season neared that the Lady Lions could bring a state championship back to Benton County.
Those hopes took a serious jolt just a few weeks before the start of the season when Kildow suffered a broken leg in a state basketball tournament game and was lost for the season.
“It was kind of heartbreaking knowing that she wasn’t going to play this season, but it kind of just gave us the motivation that we had to pick it up and play for her and play for ourselves,” Scott said. “We just had to pick ourselves up and go on.”
Scott was already a key member for the team, but with Kildow gone, she took on even more of a leadership role. Her incredible offensive numbers speak volumes as to how she accepted the challenge, Jones said. And that state championship goal is still there as other players have stepped up to fill that void, Scott said.
Scott is drawing college interest from a number of Division I college softball programs, including Clemson, Wichita State and Bradley. She has also visited Purdue but is not ready to make a verbal commitment.
Gravette will open play in the 4A-North Regional Tournament at 5 p.m. today against Dover in Lincoln.
Chip Souza can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter@NWAChip.