BENTONVILLE -- Bentonville softball coach Kent Early was grateful for a good tarp on Tuesday. Despite rains that came through and delayed the Tigers' 7A-West game with Fayetteville for over an hour, the game was played with Bentonville taking a 6-1 victory.
"The conditions weren't the best, but we've already lost too many games and we needed to get this one in," Early said. "It was delayed, it was cold, but the girls did a good job of keeping their concentration and getting the win."
7A-West Conference
Prep Softball
Bentonville 6, Fayetteville 1
Fayetteville^000^100^0^—^1^5^2
Bentonville^102^300^x^—^6^9^0
Mabry, Pool (4) and Leutkemeyer; Prough and Cornell. W - Prough, 10-2. L - Mabry. HRs - None.
Bentonville (12-3, 6-1) kept within a game of first-place Rogers High with the win. Maddy Prough picked up the win on the mound, giving up five hits and only one run. Prough has given up only nine hits and one run over the past 14 innings to pick up two wins. The Bentonville defense has played errorless defense behind her in that span.
"When she's hitting her spots and doing the things she needs to do, our defense is making the plays and we have a chance to win," Early said.
Offensively, Shayli Martin got a chance to hit after just playing defense for the past several games and went 3-for-3 with a run scored.
"Shayli was struggling at the plate and we set her down offensively for a few games," Early said. "I think she got the message. I know she got in the cage and worked hard and it paid off. It was good to see her come out and hit the ball well tonight."
Bentonville catcher Haley Cornell had two doubles and scored two runs out of the leadoff spot to ignite the Tiger offense. Bentonville scored a run in the first and two more in the third to go up 3-0. Three more runs in the fourth made it 6-1.
"When our lead off hitter got hurt, we gave Hayley a shot at leadoff because she'll take a lot of pitches and make them throw strikes," Early said. "She's got some pop, too. She hit the ball hard tonight."
Tymber Riley also had two hits for Bentonville.
Fayetteville (6-7, 1-4) scored a run in the fourth when Cortnye Pool led off with a single and scored on an RBI hit from Rachel Pohl. Pool also came to the mound in relief in the fourth and pitched two scoreless innings.
Heavenly Lunsford also had two hits for Fayetteville.
Sports on 04/15/2015