Hulsey, Rogers High blast Bentonville High

Lady Tigers’ 37-game winning streak snapped in loss to Lady Mounties

ROGERS HIGH 5, BENTONVILLE HIGH 3

ROGERS — Sarah Hulsey saw the curveball tailing away from her, but it wasn’t out of her reach.

She then took a big swing and lifted the ball well out of Bentonville High’s reach. The Rogers High senior’s threerun home run put the Lady Mounties ahead to stay, and they ended the Lady Tigers’ 37-game win streak with a 5-3 victory during 7A-West Conference softball action Tuesday at Veterans Park.

“I was just looking for anything close,” Hulsey said. “I wasn’t going for a home run. It just turned out that way.

“It was a curveball and going out. When I hit them, curveballs are right in my sweet spot. I don’t want to sound cocky, but the moment I hit it, I knew it was over.”

Jadyn Heinie led off the Rogers fourth with a solid single to right, then Faith Edwards belted a one-out single to center. That set the stage for Hulsey, who belted a shot well over the center-field fence and gave Rogers (7-3, 4-0) a 3-1 lead.

It was the first time Bentonville (15-1, 4-1) had trailed this season, and it was the first earned runs Maddy Prough had allowed in 511/3 innings. Rogers had twice as many hits — 12 — in Tuesday’s game as the Lady Tigers’ senior standout had given up in her first three league outings.

“We hit the ball really solid,” Rogers coach Mike Harper said. “I really think going to Van Buren over the weekend and seeing good pitching going into this game helped us a lot. Because of that preparation, we did a good job of contacting over the ball.

“Maddy’s a good pitcher. She’ll come back next time, and we’ll have to be even better.”

Bentonville, which took a 1-0 lead on Tymber Riley’s solo home run to start the second, pulled within 3-2 in the fifth when Morgan Nelson hit her home run to left-center for her third of the season. Rogers, however, added crucial two-out RBI singles by Mikelyn Bush and Cassie Gonzalez in the bottom of the sixth to increase its lead 5-2.

Those runs became crucial because Cailey Cochran dropped a two-out single to right-center in the seventh and allowed pinch-runner Amy Springer to score, making it a 5-3 game. Megan Crownover became the tying run, but her fly ball was caught just inside the rightfield fence to end the game and move Rogers into sole possession of first place in the 7A-West.

“The home run was clutch,” Bentonville coach Kent Early said. “They got some timely hits, and they had a good plan and attacked it.

“We hit some balls in the air, and they caught every one of them. They didn’t make a defensive error, so tip your cap to them. They did a good job, and they whipped us.”

ROGERS HERITAGE 10, BENTONVILLE WEST 1

Allyson Fultz went 3-for4 and drove in two runs, and Brittany Dean added two hits and two RBIs as Heritage handed West its first 7A-West Conference loss during Tuesday’s game in Centerton.

Dean singled to start the game and scored on a single by Kelsey Hamlin, who also had two hits. Heritage then added three in the fifth before erupting for six runs in the seventh.

Lady War Eagles pitcher Sarah Pollock fired a four-hitter and struck out 13 batters. West (15-5, 3-1) scored its only run when Jazmine Dodd walked and scored on Anna Griffth’s single.

“I was just looking for anything close. I wasn’t going for a home run. It just turned out that way. It was a curveball and going out. When I hit them, curveballs are right in my sweet spot. I don’t want to sound cocky, but the moment I hit it, I knew it was over.”

— Sarah Hulsey, Rogers High

SPRINGDALE HAR-BER 11, FAYETTEVILLE 2

The Lady Wildcats (6-11) scored 8 runs in the sixth inning and rolled to a big win over Fayetteville.

Har-Ber led 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth when it took the game over. Brooklyn Morgan was 2-for-3 and scored 3 runs for Har-Ber. Claire Collier and Cearra McPherson were both 2-for-4, and Vanessa Meadors was 2-for3 with 2 RBIs. Honestly Holt and Chloe Wheeler each had a double and 2 RBIs.

Adriana Weaver earned the win, allowing 5 hits with 4 strikeouts.

Shalin Charles homered and drove in 2 runs for Fayetteville. Maggie Mabry was 2-for-3.