ALL-STAR SOFTBALL: Fenter finishes it off for East

Shelby Jo Fenter (left) started the game for the East with two shutout innings Wednesday and came back to close out the game in the bottom of the seventh inning. Fenter also had two hits, including a home run, in the East’s 4-3 victory over the West.
Shelby Jo Fenter (left) started the game for the East with two shutout innings Wednesday and came back to close out the game in the bottom of the seventh inning. Fenter also had two hits, including a home run, in the East’s 4-3 victory over the West.

— West Memphis pitcher Shelby Jo Fenter couldn’t have scripted a better encore performance than the one she staged Wednesday at Bogle Park.

Fenter, who left the game after carrying the East team over the first two innings, returned with no outs and a runner on third in the bottom of the seventh and retired the final three batters to preserve a 4-3 victory over the West in Game 1 of the Arkansas High School Coaches Association All-Star doubleheader.

East Coach Jonathon Crymes of West Memphis said his plan all along was to put Fenter back in if the game got close. Fenter, who singled and scored in the top of the first inning, homered in the third and struck out five batters in two scoreless innings to start the game, was ready when she was summoned again at the end.

“We knew that if we had a one-run lead going into the last inning, she would come in at some point,” Crymes said. “She was going to close out the game. That’s how she’s been all year.

“She carried us at West Memphis. It’s been a pleasure and an honor to coach her.”

Jill Barrett of Greenwood led off the bottom of the seventh for the West with a triple to left-center off Arkansas Baptist’s Emily Guess. Crymes then brought back Fenter, who induced a popup and struck out the final two batters to end the game.

“I was prepared for it,” said Fenter, who guided West Memphis to the second round of the Class 6A playoffs this year. “Coach Crymes told me to just go out and get ready. I was going to come in whenever. It was adrenaline, just keeping my cool and not getting rattled.”

Besides striking out 7 batters and walking just 1 over 3 innings in Game 1, Fenter did not allow a run or hit. She also went 2 for 2 at the plate with 1 home run, 2 RBI and 2 runs scored.

Fenter, who signed with Arkansas Tech, also received interest from Central Arkansas and turned down an offer to walk on at Ole Miss.

“Shelby Jo is awesome,” said West Coach Brian Butler of Greenbrier. “She’s the best pitcher in the state by far. She keeps hitters off balance and throws hard. She’ll do well in college.”

The East took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning off consecutive singles by Fenter, Hallie Horton of DeWitt and Molly Edwards of North Little Rock with two outs.

Fenter homered in the top of the third inning, launching a two-run shot to left-center to give the East a 3-0 advantage.

The West scored on a fielder’s choice in the bottom of the fourth inning to cut the deficit to 3-1, but Van Buren’s Kathryn Goins extended the East’s lead to 4-1 with an RBI double to left in the top of the fifth.

Chloe Brown of Springdale laced a two-run single to right with two out in the bottom of the fifth to make it 4-3. The West threatened again with Barrett’s leadoff triple in the bottom of the seventh, but Fenter snuffed out the rally to close it out.

West starter Cendyl Carter of Dardanelle allowed 1 run and 3 hits in 2 innings and took the loss.

East ......................102 010 0 - 4 7 2 West .....................000 120 0 - 3 3 3 Fenter, Marroquin (3), Guess (5), Fenter (7) and Edwards, Osman (4), Reed (7). Carter, Horne (3), Arnold (5), Villines (6), Siebenmorgan (7) and Harriman, Winfield (4), Marty (6). W - Fenter. L - Carter. HR - Fenter.

EAST 5, WEST 4

The East team scored all five of its runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to overcome a four-run deficit and finish off the sweep.

Pete Reed of Cabot led off the fifth with a double for the East. Ashley Fite of Glen Rose had a two-run double to drive in Reed and Viola’s Dedra Johnson, cutting the West’s lead to 4-2.

The East scored three more runs in the inning, including one on a single by Hannah Hargis of Heber Springs, to take a 5-4 lead.

The West scored its four runs in the top of the fourth inning. Stephanie Winfield of Hope had the key hit in the inning, a two-run single.

Starting pitcher Shea Cothren of Greene County Tech went two innings for the East, and Lacy Staten of Trumann earned the victory in relief despite allowing 4 runs off 3 hits in 2 innings.

Megan Robinson of Perryville took the loss for the West.

Fenter was named the Most Valuable Player of the game. Van Buren’s Kathryn Goins was named the East’s most outstanding player, and Greenwood’s Jill Barrett was named the West’s most outstanding player.

West .....................004 000 0 - 4 3 1 East ......................000 500 x - 5 7 1 Siebenmorgan, Arnold (2), Robinson (4), Saunders (5), Carter (6) and Marty, Winfield (3), Harriman (5). Cothren, Staten (3), Hargis (5), Cothren (7) and Goins, Reed (3), Barker (5). W - Staten. L - Robinson.

Sports, Pages 22 on 06/24/2010

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