Bentonville’s early game pays off against Greenwood

BENTONVILLE — Bentonville High softball coach Kent Early didn’t know how many scoring opportunities his team would get Monday, so he made sure the first one counted.

He never hesitated as he waved Haley Cornell around third and sent her home on Tymber Riley’s single. Cornell scored on the play, and Bentonville went on to post a 4-0 victory over Greenwood in nonconference action Monday at the Tiger Athletic Complex.

Cornell led off the bottom of the fourth inning with a double to the left-field fence, then scored well ahead of the throw on Riley’s single to left as the Lady Tigers (7-0) extended their winning streak to 29 games.

“That was the plan as soon as we got her to second base,” Early said of Cornell, who finished with two hits and two runs scored. “Our idea was to get one on the grass and let’s send her. Let’s see what we could get out of it.

“Tymber stepped up and got a good pitch to hit, and she delivered. Put one right in the gap.”

It was all the run support Bentonville pitcher Maddy Prough needed. The senior right-hander improved her record to 6-0 as she allowed just three hits and struck out 12 batters and extended her scoreless string to 24 consecutive innings.

Greenwood (10-3) didn’t get its first hit until Tessa Shea singled with one out in the fifth, then threatened in the sixth when Hannah Booker and Erika Calderon had backto-back bunt singles with nobody out. Prough, however, escaped unscathed by retiring the next three batters, thanks to Payton Wildeman chasing down and hauling in Paxtyn Hayes’ fly ball to deep center field.

“The center fielder made a great play on a ball that was hit over her head,” Greenwood coach Ronnie Sockey said. “If she doesn’t catch it, we’re probably going to score two runs, but their outfielders made some great plays.”

Bentonville gave itself some breathing room in the sixth against Greenwood right-hander Kaila Cartright (3-1), who had only allowed four hits to that point. Jenna Wildeman and Cornell had back-to-back singles and pulled off a double steal before scoring on a single by Payton Wildeman, who later scored the final run when Jordan Gartman’s squeeze bunt single.

“I told our kids I didn’t think our plans were that good for the first three innings,” Early said. “We didn’t have a good plan of attack and offering at pitches that weren’t us. We had to make some adjustments, but that’s what this game is — a game of adjustments.

“The kids overcame and had a better plan of attack. They did their job and they responded and able to have a big inning.”

Cornell and Riley each finished with two hits for the Lady Tigers, who resume 7A-West Conference play today at Springdale Har-Ber. Greenwood .000 000 0 — 0 3 0 Bentonville..000 103 X — 4 7 1 Cartwright and Parker. Prough and Cornell. W-Prough, 6-0. L-Cartwright, 3-1. Sv-None. HR-None.