BENTONVILLE -- Many of Bentonville West's hitters should have been familiar with Maddy Prough, having hit against her during scrimmages while they were teammates last year.
It was a little different against Bentonville High's senior pitcher in a game-type situation Tuesday afternoon. The right-hander, who struggled a little in games at Rogers High and Rogers Heritage last week, was back on track with a three-hitter and led the Lady Tigers to a 7-0 victory during 7A-West Conference softball action at the Tiger Athletic Complex.
"It was comforting," Prough said. "After taking a loss, with everybody's high expectations, I think it hit everybody hard. We kept thinking we need to come back, play the best we can and not let it get to us.
"It was a mix of both pitching against them because they were my teammates. On the inside, you want them to do well, but you also want to do good for your team. When I was pitching to them, I needed to do what I knew I could do and not worry about that."
Prough (13-1) struck out a personal-high 16 batters and walked only one in a 98-pitch performance for her ninth shutout in 14 games this season. She didn't allow a runner until the fourth, when Jazmine Dodd singled for one of her two hits.
Bentonville (18-1, 6-1) gave its pitcher all the run support she needed in the second inning. Keelah Griffith belted a two-out single off Hallie Wacaser (3-2), then came home when Morgan Nelson blasted her fourth home run of the season, a deep shot over the left-center field fence.
"Maddie threw the ball well and spotted her pitches pretty good," Bentonville coach Kent Early said. "That home run by Nelson eased her up a little bit, knowing that she can keep pounding the zone.
"That home run was a no-doubter, right off the bat. She picked a good pitch, and she squared that thing up. She's doing a heck of a job for us."
Nelson gave the Lady Tigers some insurance by driving in two more runs with a fourth-inning sacrifice fly and a sixth-inning single in the sixth. Jordan Gartman drove in two more runs with a sacrifice fly and a squeeze bunt as West (15-8, 3-3) suffered its fifth straight loss.
"We're in a part of our schedule right now where the scheduler didn't do us any favors with the last four games," West coach Anthony Cantrell said. "We just have to make some adjustments. We played cleaner than we have the last three or four games, so that's an improvement."
Rogers High 15, Springdale High 0
Sarah Hulsey's grand slam highlighted a 10-run third inning by the Lady Mounties in the run-rule win.
Every starter had at least one hit for Rogers (10-4, 6-1 7A-West) and seven of the nine drove in at least one run. Faith Edwards went 2-for-2 with a double and drove in a run. Kaylan Melvin picked up the win in the circle.
Rogers Heritage 7, Springdale Har-Ber 3
Sarah Pollock struck out 14 in the circle and also drove in two runs to lead the Lady War Eagles to the win.
Heritage scored three in the top of the third inning and never trailed, but Har-Ber pulled within a run twice. The Lady Wildcats got within 4-3 in the bottom of the fifth, but Pollock left the bases loaded.
The Lady War Eagles (8-9, 3-3 7A-West) added three in the top of the seventh -- two coming on Pollock's single. Kelsey Hamlin added two hits and an RBI. Pollock allowed three runs (all earned) on nine hits in the complete-game.
Van Buren 18, Fayetteville 5
The Lady Pointers bashed 16 hits and routed Fayetteville.
Baylor Miles, Whitney Ellis, McKennah Sikes and Lauren Suggs all homered for the Lady Pointers, and Ellis had seven RBIs. Suggs had three RBIs.
Sikes earned the win in the circle, allowing six hits with four strikeouts.
Maggie Mabry took the loss for the Lady Bulldogs, lasting just 2 1/3 inings and allowing eight hits. Katy Bell Ezell led Fayetteville (4-8) at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a double and three RBIs
OTHER GAMES
Gravette 5, Pea Ridge 2
The Lady Lions broke a 2-2 tie with a three-run fifth inning, and freshman Cally Kildow allowed just three hits.
Kildow struck out 12 and walked just one in a complete-game win. She was also 3-for-3 at the plate with a double and a triple. Sumer Kaba was 2-for-4 with a double for Gravette.
Stephanie Chase took the loss for Pea Ridge, allowing eight hits with four strikeouts. Hollyn Davis was 2-for-3 with a double for Pea Ridge. Quinley Roses doubled and had an RBI.
Elkins 12, Gentry 5
The Lady Elks jumped out to a big early lead and held off Gentry on Tuesday.
Elkins knocked out 12 hits and also took advantage of four Gentry errors.
Morgan Caler was 2-for-5 with a double and three RBIs for Elkins, and Lyndsey Dugan was 2-for-4 with a double and drove in four runs. Sophia Hollingsworth was 2-for-3 with a double, triple and two RBIs.
Brooke Boston was 2-for-4 with a double, and Taylor Hull was 2-for-3 with a double. Alyssa Kelton drove in a pair of runs for the Lady Pioneers.
Farmington 11, Bentonville West 8
Brandy Wallace collected four hits to lead the Lady Cardinals to a nonconference win on Monday.
Wallace banged three doubles and a single in the win.
Farmington (16-6) jumped on West early, plating eight runs in the first inning. Paige Devecsery (10-2) earned the win in the circle, but was touched for eight runs and 10 hits. Brittany Crowson took the loss and did not make it out of the first inning.
Anna Bennett and Madison Parrish also had multiple hits for Farmington, and each drove in two runs along with Wallace. Sydney Sneed, Emily Roberson and Jazmine Dodd all had multiple hits for the Lady Wolverines.
Sports on 04/12/2017