BRYANT -- The defending Class 6A state softball champions overcame a shaky first inning to shake down another in-state opponent.
Five players recorded multiple hits for Bryant as it sailed past Springdale Har-Ber 10-2 on Friday at Lady Hornet Field.
The victory was the fourth in a row for Bryant (17-2), which also continued in dominance against Arkansas foes. The Lady Hornets have won 19 consecutive games over in-state teams dating back to last season. The last time Bryant was beaten by an in-state opponent was when Cabot held on for a 9-8 victory on April 28, 2023.
The Lady Hornets, whose two losses were to Silverdale Academy of Chattanooga, Tenn., during a tournament last month, eventually avenged last season's loss to Cabot three weeks later by beating the Lady Panthers 8-5 in the state final at Conway. Along the way during Bryant's title-winning run, it knocked off Har-Ber 3-2 in the quarterfinals of the state tournament.
There'd be no revenge for the Lady Wildcats in Friday's rematch.
Payton Stueart had three hits to lead Bryant, which did fall into an early 2-0 hole in the first inning after Har-Ber (16-5) tagged three hits off Aly White. Xiomara Sanchez and Bryley Bratcher both drove in runs to give the Lady Wildcats the lead.
The Lady Hornets responded with two runs in the bottom half of the frame, beginning with Kadence Armstrong racing home on a wild pitch. Keston Cimino also scored off a grounder from Leah Hicks.
Both White and Har-Ber starting pitcher Anniston Reith controlled things over the next two innings before Bryant's bats got going in the fourth. White ripped a two-run double, and Cimino later tacked on a sacrifice fly to put the Lady Hornets ahead 5-2.
Bryant pushed across three more runs in the fifth off four hits, with Makaila Easterwood delivering the big blow with a two-run double to the center-field wall. The sophomore would later score off an error.
Easterwood would strike again in the sixth with a run-scoring single. White scored as well after beating a throw home during a run-down attempt.
Meanwhile, Har-Ber mustered just two baserunners and one hit over the final six innings after getting off to that fast start in the opening frame.
Easterwood finished with two hits and three runs batted in for the Lady Hornets. White, who picked up the win on the mound after striking out 14, Armstrong and Cimino all chipped in with two hits apiece.
Sanchez led Har-Ber with two hits.