FAYETTEVILLE -- After falling behind 4-1, the Rose Bud Lady Ramblers scored the final five runs to defeat the Bald Knob Lady Bulldogs to win the Class 3A state softball championship Friday at Bogle Park.
It's the first state title for the Lady Ramblers (30-5), who ended the three-year title reign of the Lady Bulldogs (30-5).
It was also the first victory for Rose Bud over Bald Knob this season in three tries. Bald Knob came into the state championship game on a 16-game winning streak, which included a 4-0 victory over Rose Bud two weeks ago in the finals of the Class 3A-2 regional tournament.
"I told the girls when we lost to them in the regional that if we were going to lose to them that was the one to lose because we were going to probably see them again in the finals," Rose Bud Coach Scotty Starkey said. "I told them that we were going to be that team to go 4-0 [at state] and keep them from a four-peat. And when we were down 4-1, I kept telling them to not give up."
The Lady Bulldogs used the long ball to take a 4-1 lead. Kynlee Brimer opened the bottom of the second with a triple to right center, which was followed by a home run from Janna Smith over the left-field wall.
Rose Bud got one run back in the top of the third when Joley Mitchell reached on a two-out error before a single from Jenna Hipp.
Madi Pierce hit a two-run home run over the left-field wall in the third for a 4-1 Bald Knob lead.
Kameron Pierce kick-started Rose Bud's rally in the fifth with a single, then took second on an error. A walk to Mitchell and an infield single by Hipp loaded the bases. Pierce scored when Hope Hartle reached on an error, and a single by Gracie Hartle scored Hipp. Carissa Caples' sacrifice bunt scored Hipp to tie the game at 4-4.
In the top of the sixth, Trina Allen was hit by a pitch with one out and Mitchell singled. Both scored on a double by Hipp for the go-ahead runs.
Hipp had 3 of Rose Bud's 10 hits, and she was also the winning pitcher by allowing 4 runs on 7 hits while striking out 7 and walking 1.
"Jenna stepped up big, but she's always done that for us since she's been here," Starkey said. "She got in that 4-1 hole, but I told her to just go out there and do her thing."
Allen was named MVP of the tournament.
Smith finished with 3 hits for Bald Knob, scoring a run with 2 RBI and 2 stolen bases. Kinlee Varnell was the losing pitcher as she struck out two with one walk.
Sports on 05/20/2017