West slides by East in softball’s opener
WEST 9-7, EAST 1-7
CONWAY — Nashville’s Maci McJunkins was careful with Bryant’s Regan Dillon in Dillon’s first at-bat Friday afternoon.
The soon-to-be Southern Arkansas teammates had only ever faced one another in travel ball, and McJunkins — as she had in the pair’s previous matchups — issued Dillon a free pass.
But when Dillon, better known as Buddha, stepped up again in the third inning at the University of Central Arkansas’ Farris Field, McJunkins decided to go at her.
“When I walked up, [Maci] shook her head on the mound,” Dillon said. “Then she threw it and I just thought it was funny.”
Although Dillon got the better of things, finding the left-field bullpen with a solo home run, it was the only run her East team would manage in Game 1 of the Arkansas High School Coaches Association All-Star softball doubleheader. McJunkins and the West ran away for a 9-1 victory in the opener and the teams tied 7-7 in the evening’s second game.
Friday couldn’t entirely wipe away the end of McJunkins’ senior season with the Scrapperettes. Although Nashville went 27-5 and reached the Class 4A state final, it lost 2-1 to Valley View in the title game, mustering a mere two hits — one of which came from McJunkins.
Booneville Coach Ronnie Denton, serving as the West’s head coach, gave McJunkins a prime opportunity for redemption, starting in the circle in the opener.
The righty delivered, allowing 2 hits over 31/3 innings while striking out 5.
McJunkins came through at the plate as well, singling twice and logging both a run and an RBI in the West’s fiverun fourth inning.
“I was down for a few days [after the final] because high-school ball meant a lot,” McJunkins said. “I’ll miss [it] but I’m looking forward to the future.”
The West never looked back after going up 6-1 in the opener, closing out the final 32/3 with the tandem of Bentonville West’s Ciera Cravens and Dardanelle’s Morgan Parsons keeping the East off the board.
But the East opened the scoring in the second game, taking a 3-0 lead in the top of the second. Tuckerman’s Shanley Williams — who went 2 for 3 across the doubleheader — doubled to lead off the inning and ignite her team’s offense.
The West then answered right back with three of their own. Bentonville West’s Caroline Wilhelm tripled, scored on a single by Lily Hood of White Hall, and then two batters later, Nashville’s Ashley Chambers lifted a two-run homer to tie it.
The teams traded runs in the fourth, only for the East to score three in the top of the seventh on just one hit.
The West had one more response, scoring three to tie the game and putting North Little Rock’s Janiah Wilson on third as the winning run with two away. A groundout to shortstop, however, closed the book on the doubleheader, ending things with the sides level.
Benton’s Shelby Samples and Hood were the Most Outstanding Players for the East and West, respectively, with Greenbrier’s McKayla Betts going 1 for 4 with a walk, single, stolen base and run on her way to overall Most Valuable Player honors.
“The girls came out and they competed,” Denton said. “They worked hard, they did everything we asked them to do in the hot sun and they never complained.
“[They had] such great attitudes and such great talent, it’s just an honor to be chosen by my peers to come out here and coach wonderful ladies and softball players.”