MARION -- The Alma Airedalettes rode a hot pitching performance and some timely hitting to a 7-2 victory over Texarkana in the first round of the Class 6A state tournament.
Senior Olivia Vinson pitched a complete game two-hitter. She carried a perfect game into the top of the seventh before three consecutive Lady Razorbacks reached.
Alma (17-11) was opportunistic on offense, scoring three times runs in the bottom of the first, before adding four more in the fifth. Alma's first-inning runs were all unearned, as Texarkana committed four errors in the inning.
"With it being our first year in 6A, it's good to get that first win in the tournament," said Alma Coach Charla Parrish. "A win is a win, and we'll take it."
Vinson wasn't overpowering, as the right-hander had just three strikeouts but no walks.
Alma outhit Texarkana 6-2, with four of those coming in the bottom of the fifth inning.
With a 3-0 lead, Alma's first four batters in the fifth had hits to push the team's lead to 7-0 after the fifth.
Alma catcher Mikayla Lewis went 2 for 4, with two doubles and two runs scored.
Texarkana broke through in the top of the seventh when Jettica McElroy reached on an error, that broke up Vinson's perfect game. McElroy scored the Lady Razorbacks' first run on an RBI double from Morgan White, who scored on Natalie Hamilton's double.
Haleigh Ewing took the loss for Texarkana, pitching 4 2/3 total innings and allowing 1 hit. She was victimized by the three unearned runs in the first inning.
Alma will play Sheridan today at 12:30 p.m.
Class 3A
Humes carries Bald Knob
Bald Knob junior Autumn Humes only allowed one base runner and struck out 11 of the 16 batters she faced in a dominating performance for the Lady Bulldogs (27-2) who eliminated Charleston 11-0 in five innings.
The Lady Bulldogs, the defending Class 3A state champions, had 12 hits to go along with their 11 runs, getting at least one hit in each of the five innings. Hannah Fisher, Janna Smith, Christiana Camp and Lindsey Duncan each had two hits to lead the Lady Bulldogs. Eight of Bald Knob's batters scored at least once and Duncan scored three times.
In other Class 3A state tournament softball games Thursday, Manila, the fourth seed from Region 3, pulled off the first upset of the tournament in outlasting the Region 4 champion Smackover, 14-10. Manila had 14 hits, three each by McKenzie Tate and Lauren Woody and two apiece from Ashley Rothwell and Tessa Pannells. Tate and Rothwell each scored three runs. Smackover finished with 10 hits, two each by Leslie Weaver, Reagan Richardson and Heather Haltom. Richardson and Claire Arrington hit back-to-back home runs in the bottom of the second. ... Camden Harmony Grove scored a single run in each of the second, fourth and fifth innings off eight total hits to defeat Valley Springs 3-0. Brooke Bearden and Lauren McMahen each had two hits for Harmony Grove and Bearden scored two of the three runs. McMahen's triple in the fourth was the Lady Hornets only extra base hit. Valley Springs had just three hits, with Kortney Carlton's double in the second the only extra-base hit for the Lady Tigers. ... Atkins scored four runs -- only one earned -- in the bottom of the first for the only scoring in a game in a 4-0 victory over Perryville. Atkins had just two hits in the game, an RBI single by Stephanie Aldrete in the first and a single by Payton Harvill in the second. Atkins left-hander Alex Webb allowed just one hit to Perryville, a single by Emma Skinkle in the fourth, while striking out eight. ... Fouke became the second four seed of the day to knock off a regional champion as they pounded out 17 hits to clip the Melbourne 14-4.Madison Oliver, Jamie Johnson and Emily McFerrin each had three hits for Fouke. Hannah Hardin and Bailey House added two apiece. Johnson smacked a two-run home run and also scored three times. Marian Reynolds had three and Mary Hannah Sipe had a home run as part of Melbourne's six hits. ... Benton Harmony Grove pounded out got 14 hits to take down Booneville 10-3. Faith Otts led Harmony Grove with four hits, including a three-run home run in the second inning. Leighton Withers had three hits while Josee Carman, Laura Helmich and Robyn Baxley added two apiece.Ashdon Ross had two of Booneville's four hits. ... Harding Academy, last year's state runner-up to Bald Knob, matched the Lady Bulldogs with an exact 11-0 score in beating Lamar in five innings. Pitcher Amanda Berry struck out 10 batters for Harding Academy, which had 12 hits on offense. Berry, Mary Mills Lochala and Allison Lester each had two hits for the Lady Wildcats and Stephanie Williams blasted a two-run home run in the bottom of the first. Shian Sparks and Peyton Preece each had two hits for Lamar. ... Genoa Central was the first first visting team to win Thursday with a 9-1 victory over Piggott. Genoa Central put the game away in the top of the second by scoring six runs on five hits. The Lady Dragons added two more in the fourth and another in the top of the sixth. Genoa Central had eight hits, two each by Bailey Flournoy and Callie Beckham. Flournoy was also the winning pitcher as she struck out 10 Piggott batters.
-- Scott McDonald
Sports on 05/15/2015