BENTONVILLE -- Kasey Wood allowed only one hit, struck out 10 batters, and an explosion of runs in the last two innings led Bentonville to a 10-0 run-rule victory over Fayetteville on Thursday at the Tiger Athletic Complex.
The defensive effort extended the team's streak of not allowing a score in conference play. Bentonville has outscored its 6A-West opponents 45-0.
The start was Wood's first of the season, a performance Lady Tigers coach Kent Early said he was proud of.
"I thought she did a good job," Early said. "She controlled the strike zone and had a lot of first-pitch strikes, which is very important."
Both teams couldn't get anything going offensively early, as each squad entered the third inning without a hit.
Alex Tolley for the Lady Bulldogs recorded the game's first hit, a lead-off double in the third inning. It would be Fayetteville's only hit of the game. Wood retired the next three batters with strikeouts, keeping the game knotted at 0-0. Wood finished the game with 10 strikeouts.
The Bentonville bats erupted in the fourth inning, as Kenzie Derryberry got the action started with a ground single, followed by Sara Watson's double to right field. Mackenzie Vaughan brought both runners home off a Fayetteville fielding error for the game's first score.
Five hits in the inning propelled Bentonville to a 6-0 lead entering the fifth inning.
"Our hitters made adjustments," Early said. "We were just mishitting the ball at the beginning. Our timing wasn't necessarily an issue, we just mishit. We weren't squaring balls up, but then we finally started hitting it to where they weren't.
"It was one of those things that it took one hard hit, and then hitting became contagious. Our kids did a good job making those adjustments."
Wood not only had a strong performance in the circle, but also at the plate. She finished 2-for-2 with a double and RBI.
Emily Perry went 2-for-4 with a double and four RBIs, including the two-run hit that closed the game with the 10 run-rule. Sara Watson also had two hits for the Lady Tigers (8-0, 4-0).
Bentonville will look to keep its perfect record intact when the Lady Tigers travel to Van Buren for a tournament this weekend.
Fayetteville will attempt to bounce back on Monday in a home contest against Greenwood.