Ecclesia College earns NCCAA World Series berth
Ecclesia College earned at-large bid to the National Christian College Athletic Association World Series in Mason, Ohio.
The Royals (32-20) are a No. 9 seed and will take on No. 4 seed Alice Lloyd College from Pippa Passes, Ky., at 4 p.m. Wednesday in their first pool game at Prasco Park.
This is the first World Series berth for the fifth-year program.
Oklahoma Baptist University, the defending champion, is the No. 1 overall seed. Southwestern Christian University also earned an at-large bid.
Ecclesia College will take on Oklahoma Baptist at noon Thursday, then Bluefield College at 3 p.m.
The Royals, coached by Derrion Hardie, will complete pool play at 1 p.m. Friday against Campbellsville University.
The top four teams in pool play will move into bracket play Friday. The championship game is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday.
JT Stalnaker, a 5-11, 220-pound junior catcher from Tallahassee, Fla., led the Royals this season with a .410 batting average, seven home runs and 48 RBIs. Former Springdale Har-Ber player Matt Garrison, a sophomore, batted .284 with 32 stolen bases and 33 RBIs.
Former Har-Ber pitcher Madison Bates, a junior right-hander, led the team with a 10-1 record with a 3.217 ERA and 63 strikeouts.
Fayetteville to hire softball coach
Pending board approval, Sue Carpenter will be the next softball coach at Fayetteville.
Carpenter last coached the 18U team for the Impact Gold Softball Organization in Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas. She was an assistant at the University of Arkansas from 2009-15. The Razorbacks reached the NCAA Regionals four times during that span.
Bulldogs athletic director Steve Janski said he was "fired up" about the hire, for a number of reasons.
"It's not just one thing; it's a combination of factors," Janski said. "It starts with her collegiate and high school experience. Couple that with her seven years here, and she knows our area, our people, our community. What impresses me is the relationships she'll build with our student-athletes. It's going to be a phenomenal experience for our players."
The position opened when Jason Shirey resigned at the end of the Lady Bulldogs' 6-18 season. Shirey won state championships in 2006 and 2007.
Janski said he received about 15 formal applications for the opening as well as numerous inquiries from coaches "interested from across the region and state, in just about every class-action and in college" before zeroing in on Carpenter. She also was an assistant at Wright State University and Cedarville University, where she was a two-time All-NAIA shortstop.
"There is a standard of excellence that is Bulldog Athletics," Carpenter said in a release. "And I am so grateful to be a part of it and to continue to build on the foundation that has been created.
"My family and I called Fayetteville 'home' for seven years, and we are truly excited to be home."
Fayetteville superintendent Dr. Matthew Wednt will recommend Carpenter's hiring to the school board during Thursday's meeting.
-- Mike Capshaw • @NWACappy
Victoria Mitchell set to become Banana Slug
The Bentonville High two-sport athlete chose track and cross country as her sports during her college years and took the next step when she signed her national letter of intent with California-Santa Cruz during Monday's ceremony at the Tiger Athletic Complex.
"The entire high school experience has been so surreal, being able to play two sports," Mitchell said. "It's been so insane how far and how long it's taken for me to get here. I've worked really hard, and I'm excited it came to something.
"I didn't love running my entire life. I used to love soccer more, but throughout the season this year I started growing in my love for running and how much I loved the 800 meters. It became my race, and I wanted to do it and the 4x800 (relay)."
Mitchell ran a leg for Bentonville's winning 4x800 relay team, teaming with Trinity Walker, Lainey Quandt and Sophie Quandt for a time of 9 minutes 52.96 seconds during the Class 7A state meet at Springdale Har-Ber. She also ran the 800 in a personal-best time of 2:20.55 seconds for a third-place finish in the Class 7A state meet.
She said it's the race she hopes to run at UC-Santa Cruz, an NCAA Division III school, and she plans on running cross country as well.
-- Henry Apple • @NWAHenry
Sports on 05/23/2017