Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Prough a catalyst in Bentonville reign
The Prep Rally: Best in the West series will highlight the all-time best players in western Arkansas as selected by the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Kent Early remembers the first time he met Maddy Prough in 2014, when Payton Wildeman brought her into the Tiger Athletic Complex to meet the Bentonville softball coach.
“I asked her, ‘Maddy, have you ever been in a weight room?,’ ” Early said. “She said, ‘No, sir.’ I told her her life was about to change.”
Prough’s life did change and the Bentonville softball program was the beneficiary.
Prough developed into a three-time all-state player who led Bentonville to consecutive Class 7A state championships in 2016 and 2017. She was the Arkansas Gatorade Player of the Year in 2017 and finished with a record of
60-7 at Bentonville before signing with the University of Central Arkansas.
“Maddy rose to every challenge she was faced with,” Early said. “She was tough and coachable. She wanted to be in that uniform with the ball in her hand and battle with her teammates.”
Prough won 20 games in 2016 when Bentonville crushed North Little Rock 12-1 at Bogle Park to deny the Charging Wildcats a fourth consecutive state championship. It was the first state title for Bentonville, which reached the finals in 2010, 2012, and 2014.
“Her development is what stood out to me,” former Fayetteville coach Jason Shirey said. “We actually beat her when she was a freshman at Rogers High, but it didn’t happen again. She matured physically and had a bit of a mean streak, which a good pitcher needs.”
Prough won 23 games in 2017 when the Lady Tigers finished 30-1 on the season. She was named Most Valuable Player in the championship game when Bentonville again beat North Little Rock 11-3 at Bogle Park in Fayetteville.
“We were goofy and best friends but once we got on the field, we went out there to win,” Prough said. “We’d get in a zone.”
Prough remained one year at Central Arkansas before she transferred to Crowder Community College in Neosho, Mo., where Wildeman played. Prough re-established herself at Crowder, where she was selected second-team All-American by the National Junior Athletic Association. Crowder finished 54-5 and Prough was named Region 16 Player of the Year after she went 22-1 and finished with a 0.99 earned run average.
“Maddy was a little firecracker
out there,” Crowder Community College coach John Sizemore said. “She had to battle through some injuries with her hip, knee, and her back but she worked hard and became one of the two best pitchers in JUCO that year.”
Prough’s performance led her to Arkansas Tech, where she’s reunited with former Bentonville teammate Tymber Riley. Prough was 4-5 in the circle before the season was canceled because of covid-19.
“Everything happened so fast and it hurt my heart for our seniors when the season was cancelled,” Prough said. “But I like Arkansas Tech and being in Russellville with its small-town field. Plus, I’ve still got two years left to play and I’m looking forward to that.”