CENTERTON -- Trista Peterson walked into the batter's box looking for a pitch on the outer half of the plate.
With the bases loaded, the Bentonville senior first baseman inched closer to the plate hoping to square a pitch up. She got just that one the first pitch of the at-bat and blasted a grand slam to break the game open in a 13-2 run-rule win against Bentonville West on Tuesday in 6A-West softball.
"I knew she had been throwing outside, so I moved closer to the plate," said Peterson, who is headed to Pittsburg State next fall. "I got a pitch that I was looking for and was able to hit it out."
Bentonville (20-1, 9-0 6A-West) got plenty of big hits Tuesday besides Peterson's blast. Senior third baseman Kasey Wood had a huge day at the plate for the Lady Tigers, belting a two-run homer in the first inning and adding an RBI double and an RBI triple to highlight a 4-for-4 day with four RBI.
The Lady Tigers have now won 18 straight games including six in the last six days. Coach Kent Early said his team is playing its best ball of the season with the state tournament just around the corner.
"I think we're showing a lot of discipline at the plate right now," Early said. "That's what you have to be going into the postseason. I think we're hot right now and they have a grasp of what we're trying to do."
Bentonville wasted no time taking control of Tuesday's game. The first two Lady Tigers reached on a single by Kadence Stafford and Sara Watson was hit by a pitch. After West starter Mabry Van Es got a pair of outs, Audrey Lacina crushed a double into the gap, scoring two runs. Wood followed with a two-run homer to right and a 4-0 lead, which was more than enough run support for starter Ryann Sanders, who allowed four hits and struck out five to earn the win.
West (10-11, 4-5), put together a threat in the bottom of the second by getting two runners on with no outs after Stephanie Crittenden doubled to left. But Sanders bowed up and struck out back-to-back batters and got a soft liner to Peterson at first to escape the jam without giving up a run.
"That was big," Early said. "Anytime you've got people on base, first and second, second and third, bases loaded ... whatever, with no outs. And she gets the two strikeouts and the flair there, it was huge. And that's pitching. It changes the whole momentum. So you get a fly ball and you're out of the inning. Just huge for here right there."
Stafford and Lacina each had two hits for Bentonville, and Tallulah Pascucci drove in two runs for Bentonville.
Payeton Dilday was 2-for-2 with a pair of doubles for West and Emma Wheatley added an RBI double.
West will be back in action today at home against Springdale.
FS Southside 17, Springdale 7
The Lady Mavericks took control late by scoring 13 runs over the final two innings to claim a run-rule home win.
Olivia Washington, Isabella Sartin and Holly Dingman each belted two doubles and drove in multiple runs for Southside (7-11, 3-6).
Tori Hennarichs was 1-for-3 and drove in three runs for Springdale (5-12, 2-7) and Lauren Christy added two hits.
Rogers 15, Fayetteville 0
Ella Beeman allowed just two hits in a complete-game shutout as Rogers blanked Fayetteville by run-rule.
Beeman struck out seven and did not walk a batter. The senior threw 60 pitches, 44 for strikes.
Rogers (21-3, 8-2) unloaded a barrage of hits including a pair of home runs by Dahana Tuomala, who drove in four runs. Lauryn Heinle also homered for the Lady Mounties and drove in three runs. Ryleigh Johnson was 2-for-3 with two RBI.