Benton, Bryant split in Big Red Series
BENTON – The Bryant Lady Hornets had suffered their first loss of the season, a 2-1 defeat to the Bentonville West Lady Wolverines
Friday late afternoon before taking on their rival Benton Lady Panthers in the Big
Red Series later that night. The Lady Hornets would get shell-shocked at the outset as Benton put a 5-spot up in the first inning before going on to rout Bryant 12-2 in five innings, remaining perfect on the season.
The Lady Panthers (3-0) have become accustomed to victories via the rout as they opened the season with a
13-2 win over Vilonia, most recently shutting out White Hall 14-0 on Thursday before handling the Lady Hornets.
Benton would get all five of their first-inning runs with two outs as junior Gracie Redmon reached on a oneout single before courtesy runner Dakota Hobson went to second on junior Elana Scott’s ground out. Benton sophomore Alyssa Houston would come through with an RBI triple to put Benton on the board, 1-0.
The Lady Panthers weren’t finished, though, juniors
Arys Hart and Riley Gilmore were issued walks to load the bases before senior Tuesday Melton knocked in Houston for the 2-0 game. Still with the bases loaded, junior Aubree Goodnight unloaded them with a bases-clearing double and 5-0 lead before Goodnight was thrown out at third to end the inning.
Benton again would get some two-out magic in the bottom of the third. Gilmore reached on a two-out single to right field before Melton took the first pitch she saw over the right field-fence for the 7-0 advantage.
The Lady Hornets (2-2) would find some offense in the top of the fourth as sophomore Abby Gentry singled with one out and scored on senior Alissa Suarez’s triple for the 7-1 game. Suarez scored on senior Bella Herring’s squeeze bunt to make it 7-2 after three and a half.
The Lady Panthers added on in the bottom of the inning, putting up four more runs including Gilmore’s 2-run double, and invoked the sportsmanship rule in the bottom of the fifth when Scott’s sacrifice fly scored junior Shelby Samples, who walked to start the inning, for the 10-run lead.
Benton pounded out 12 hits to Bryant’s three, with Goodnight going 3 for 3 with two doubles and three RBIS, and Redmon 3 for 4. Melton finished 2 for 3 with her homer and three RBIS, with Gilmore 2 for 2 with two runs and two RBIS. Houston was 1 for 3 with two runs and two RBIS, with Samples adding a hit in the win.
In the circle, Melton started and gave up two runs on three hits and two walks, striking out five in
3.1 innings for the win. Scott struck out one in 1.2 hitless and scoreless innings.
For Bryant, Suarez and Herring both went 1 for 2 with an RBI, with Gentry also going 1 for 2.
The Lady Panthers will host Pleasant Grove on Monday before opening 5A Central Conference play Tuesday vs. Beebe in Benton. The Lady Hornets hit the road to Fort Smith Monday, taking on the Northside Lady Bears to start the 6A Central.