ROGERS -- Rogers continued its softball winning streak against rival Rogers Heritage on Thursday.
Rogers pounded out 16 hits and Ava Johnson struck out eight in six innings during an 11-1 victory over Heritage in 6A-West Conference action at the War Eagle Complex. Talyn Jackson had a two-run home for Rogers (9-1, 6-1), which increased its winning streak to eight consecutive games.
Five of the wins have come with shutouts for Rogers, which began the week with a 14-0 victory over Springdale on Tuesday.
"We're having great team wins and that comes from passing the bat [with hits] and being great teammates," Rogers Coach Tori Stafford said. "That's kind of what we do on offense. We're having great at-bats, and we're keeping that line going."
Heritage (10-5, 3-3) entered the game with some momentum following a 10-2 victory at Fayetteville on Tuesday. But the War Eagles fell behind early and could not catch the Lady Mounties, who were already ahead 2-0 when Jackson lined a two-run home run over the left field wall in the third inning.
"It was the second pitch and I just told myself I was going to sit on it and go as hard as I could," said Jackson, a junior catcher. "I'm so proud of my team. We've got some seniors, this is their last year, and we want them to go out with a bang."
Rogers went out with a bang Thursday when the Mounties added seven runs in the top of the seventh inning. Dahana Tuomola had two hits when Rogers batted around in the seventh.
Jackson's two-run home run in the third inning was enough for Johnson, a left-hander who held Heritage scoreless until the sixth inning when the War Eagles managed an unearned run after Karlee Earl led off with a triple.
Johnson allowed four hits, struck out eight and did not walk a batter.
"[Johnson] stays ahead in the count pretty well," Stafford said. "We want to make sure we're attacking the hitters because we've got a pretty good defense out there. Ava trusts that and she knows we're going to make plays behind her."
Daylyn Osborne came on in the seventh to finish the game in the circle for Rogers, which will play in a tournament at Van Buren beginning today.