CLASS 5A SOFTBALL
VILONIA 5, GREENBRIER 4 (8)
FAYETTEVILLE -- Vilonia relinquished the lead in the bottom of the seventh inning.
The defending Class 5A state champions redeemed themselves, though, in the top of the eighth and repeated as the top team in the state's third-largest classification.
Senior pitcher Sydney Wader had the game-winning single to help the Lady Eagles defeat 5A-West Conference rival Greenbrier 5-4 in eight innings at Bogle Park.
It was Vilonia's fourth state championship overall as the Faulkner County school was making its third consecutive state finals appearance.
"It's a little overwhelming," Vilonia Coach Kevin Sullivan said. "Our town is such a small town. It's probably a Class A town with a 5A school. There's not a whole lot. But our community is amazing. The crowd was full today.
"To do it three years in a row and win it twice in a row, that just doesn't happen. I don't want anybody to get into a lull and think this is supposed to happen every year. That's not the case."
Vilonia (27-7) led 4-3 going into the bottom of the seventh inning after Morgan Gray's RBI single in the top of the inning. But Wader got into trouble with two outs as she walked Greenbrier's Maggie Garrett and gave up an RBI double to Maranda Clendenin that tied the game at 4-4.
Vilonia began the eighth with junior Natalie Hare at second base. After Skylar Lee's sacrifice and a strikeout, Wader lined a 1-1 pitch from Jaylee Engelkes to right field to score Hare with the go-ahead run.
"I was like, 'Don't swing at the riseball, because I like the high ones,'" Wader said. "I had to square up and help my team out."
Greenbrier (20-9) had a chance to tie the game in the bottom of the eighth inning and had runners on second and third, but Wader struck out McKenzie Shannon to end it.
"It's been magical," Greenbrier Coach Brian Butler said. "We came back all year. But we came up a little short today against a great team. Vilonia is always a good team. They're always in it and we're just glad to get back to where we were a few years back."
It was Greenbrier's first state championship game appearance since 2010 when it won the 5A crown.
Despite making four errors and losing the seventh-inning lead, Vilonia showed its resiliency in extra innings.
"Truth be told, we haven't had to play from behind a lot," said Sullivan, whose team outscored Sylvan Hills, Paragould and De Queen by a combined 33-2 in three state tournament games last week. "For them to come out on this stage and fight through that, you can't ask for anything better than the kids."
Wader (17-3) scattered 7 hits and allowed 4 runs -- 2 earned -- and struck out 7. She was 2 for 4 with two RBI. Kristen Wade had two hits for Vilonia, which outhit Greenbrier 11-7.
Greenbrier took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first on Kailey Hamilton's RBI single. But Vilonia tied the game at 1-1 in the top of the fourth when Wader doubled to center field, scoring Abby Hightower.
The Lady Eagles scored two runs in the top of the fifth inning to take a 3-1 lead. Callie Eary walked with one out, Cassie Leach reached on an infield single and Eary scored on Gray's squeeze bunt to make it 2-1. Hightower followed with a sacrifice fly for a two-run lead.
Three Vilonia errors led to Greenbrier tying the game at 3-3 in the bottom of the sixth inning. Maggie Garrett, who led off the inning with a base hit, scored when Engelkes reached on Eary's fielding error at second to pull the Lady Panthers within 3-2. Hamilton scored the tying run to make it 3-3 as Eary committed her second error of the inning on Hamilton's grounder.
Engelkes (19-6) allowed 5 runs on 11 hits in 8 innings. She struck out seven.
Vilonia (27-7);000 120 11 -- 5 11 4
Greenbrier (20-9);100 002 10 -- 4 7 1
Wader and Gray. Engelkes and Gandy. W -- Wader. L -- Engelkes.
Sports on 05/21/2016