CENTERTON -- Anthony Cantrell liked the way Bentonville West's softball team swung the bats before spring break, and he couldn't wait to get the Lady Wolverines back on the field again.
West wasted no time regaining its hitting touch Monday afternoon as every batter in the lineup had at least one hit, and the Lady Wolverines rolled to a 13-3 nonconference victory over a short-handed Greenwood team at Wolverine Athletic Complex.
BENTONVILLE WEST 13, GREENWOOD 3
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West^090^13^—^13^14^1
Colyer, Clem (2) and Chapple; Wood and Holt. W-Wood. L-Colyer. HR-West, Rassi (1).
"I'm glad to see that because we swung it pretty good in the Farmington tournament," Cantrell said. "That's why I wanted to play this game. Greenwood was without its stud, and I'm sure (Kaila) Cartwright would have made it a different game. But we are swinging it good right now."
West (8-1) spotted Greenwood (5-3) a 1-0 lead on a Paxtyn Hayes RBI single in the first inning, then erupted in the second. The Lady Wolverines sent 12 batters to the plate -- scoring eight of their nine runs with two outs -- and eventually chased starting pitcher Kimmie Colyer, who filled in for the injured Cartwright in the circle.
The Lady Bulldogs could have held West to just a 4-1 lead, but Anna Griffin's fly ball into shallow left field was misjudged and fell for an RBI single to extend the inning. Endya Moler and Sydney Sneed kept the inning alive with singles to load the bases, then freshman Ryen Rassi belted a grand slam over the center-field fence for a 9-1 West lead.
"We're just getting girls back healthy and coming off injuries," Greenwood coach Ronnie Sockey said. "Our leadoff hitter, this was her first game back in about two weeks after getting hurt against Farmington. The lefty, Paxtyn, this was her first time back in the lineup, and our pitcher is out right now. We're throwing JV pitchers at teams right now.
"They're doing good, but we have to make plays behind them. We had a couple of times where we didn't make the plays, and we can't walk people."
Rassi and Moler each had three hits in West's 14-hit attack, with Moler ending the game when her two-run double in the fifth forced the 10-run rule. Griffin drove in three runs, and Hallie Wacaser added two RBIs when her double gave the Lady Wolverines a 3-1 lead.
Hayes had two hits and drove in two of Greenwood's runs.
Bentonville 3, Sheridan 2
Tymber Riley's fifth-inning sacrifice fly drove in Jenna Wildeman and snapped a 1-1 tie as Class 7A Bentonville slipped past Class 6A Sheridan in a nonconference battle between two defending state champions Monday at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway.
Wildeman hit a one-out infield single, then stole second and third before Riley delivered the fly ball to left field and drove in the run. Bentonville (8-1) added another run in the sixth when Megan Crownover singled and later scored on a squeeze bunt by Keelah Griffith.
Wildeman had two of the Lady Tigers' seven hits. Cailey Cochran went the distance and threw a five-hitter while striking out seven, but one of those hits was a solo home run by Bailey Bibb in the seventh.
Gravette 15, Prairie Grove 5
Lexi Gerner's bases-clearing triple snapped a 2-2 tie and began Gravette's six-run outburst in the second inning as the Lady Lions knocked off Prairie Grove in a 4A/3A District 1 game.
Lizzi Ellis and Gabbi Scott each had three hits for Gravette. Emily Ellis had two hits and drove in two runs, while Sumer Kaba drove in three runs.
Preps Basketball on 03/27/2018