Lady Bucks advance past Centerpoint
SMACKOVER - It would've been a shame for a team to win 30 games in a season and not advance to the state tournament.
That thought was creeping into the minds of Smackover softball fans somewhere around the fifth and sixth innings Friday during a nailbiter against Centerpoint in the first round of the regional tournament.
The Lady Bucks knocked those negative thoughts out the park with a four-run sixth inning, however, and advanced past the Lady Knights 5-1. Smackover improved to 31-2 on the season and qualified for next week's 3A State Tournament.
The Lady Bucks take on Genoa Central today at 2:30 after Horatio and Fouke meet at noon.
"Some days you hit. Some days you don't. Today, we made contact when we had to," said Smackover coach Dennis Steele. "I thought Mallory pitched a good game. I thought we played pretty good defensively. We played good enough to win. That's all that counts."
Centerpoint's Emmery Boyd had the antedote for Smackover's potent offense, changing speeds and locations. The Lady Bucks helped her cause early, going after pitches out of the zone.
"She was throwing a riseball and keeping it
up. We chased a lot of up balls," said Steele.
The Lady Bucks tallied four of their 10 hits in the bottom of the sixth, when they broke open a 1-1 deadlock.
Lexi Gilbert singled before Lydia Pullin laid down a perfectly-placed bunt and legged it out for a hit. With Mekaylan Burroughs at the plate, courtesy runner Sharnes McGhee motored home on a passed ball to give Smackover the lead. Burroughs would work Boyd for a walk before Tessa Watson drove in Pullin with a single to center. Karli Goocher plated a run with a ground out before Reagan Richardson's single brought in the final insurance run.
That was more than enough for Brewer, who set the side down in order in the seventh, striking out the first two before getting a pop out to Richardson at short to end the game.
"That last inning, we got some hits strung together and put the ball in play. We used our speed. I thought we did a good job that way," said Steele.
The game was scoreless before Smackover got on the board in the fourth. Gilbert's deep fly ball to left was misplayed into a double. McGhee came in as a courtesy runner and slid into third on a passed ball. Pullin battled Boyd, fouling off several pitches before she delivered a clutch sacrifice fly to get the run home.
The Lady Bucks, who left the bases loaded in the first, threatened again in the fifth. Watson beat out an infield hit and stole second. Goocher worked Boyd for a hard-earned walk. A wild pitch put runners on second and third with no outs. But, Richardson's lined shot was snagged by Centerpoint's third baseman. Heather Haltom's bunt attempt was caught by the catcher before Crawford popped out to third.
Steele's was asked about the bunt attempt.
"Yeah, I'd bunt her again. She's a good bunter. She's done it before," he said. "I thought she was the right girl at the right time to put it down. Hey, she got under it. Popped it up. But, no, I'm not going to second guess anything."
The Lady Knights followed that up with a run in the top of the sixth. Jaycee Jester's fly ball to right glanced off Pullin's glove and she scooted into third to lead off the inning. Boyd followed with a single to tie the game.
That Smackover was able to muster up a rally after failing to score in the fifth, Steele said was a testament to the character of his team.
"The key is the dugout. The dugout got the team up. They wouldn't let them get down," he said. "The inning before, second and third with no outs and we don't score. We could've gone in the tank, right there. But, the dugout got together and talked and said, 'Hey, let's get it together girls. Hit. Get on base.' They did that last inning."
Brewer struck out seven and walked one in seven innings. She gave up just three hits.
Watson and Richardson had three hits apiece for the Lady Bucks while Pullin had two.
Defensively, Pullin erased a hit in right field, gunning down the runner at first base in the fifth. Richardson went into the hole behind second base to throw out a runner at first.
Smackover will take on Genoa Central today in the semifinals.
"We don't want to happen what happened last year. Last year, we won our first game and then lost our next two," said Steele. "That's not going to happen. We're going to come back and we're going to play hard and get things back. Ashley will pitch (today). I think she pitched against them last year. So, she'll be ready to go (today)."
Genoa Central 8, Junction City 2
Genoa Central's Lakyn Fluker allowed five hits to hurl the Lady Dragons into the state tournament.
Junction City scored a run in the first on an error but Genoa immediately answered with two in the bottom of the inning on RBI singles by Madison Bannister and Fluker.
Charly Temple struck out five in the loss for Junction City. Taylor Smith had two hits.
Horatio 20, Drew Central 3
Laney Baker hit a grand slam in the third inning as the Lady Lions blasted the Lady Pirates.
Horatio scored 10 runs in the first before finishing the game with a 10-run third.
Leanne Beasley was the winning pitcher, allowing two hits with five strikeouts.
Alexis Jones took the loss for Drew Central.
Fouke 11, McGehee 1
The Lady Panthers scored five in the second and never looked back as they topped the Lady Owls.
Tabi Floyd was the winning pitcher, allowing three hits and two walks through seven innings.
Floyd had a two-run double and Faith Stefler had two hits for Fouke.