ARKANSAS HIGH FALLS TO DE QUEEN IN BASEBALL AND SOFTBALL,
De Queen’s softball team has been playing with a purpose.
The Lady Leopards, the topranked team in Class 5A, picked up their sixth shutout in seven games, knocked a couple of balls out of the park, and run-ruled host Arkansas High, 17-0, Friday behind Jose Vaught’s 1-hitter.
Vaught had seven strikeouts and no walks, tossing 53 pitches in four innings of work.
She also has a 2-run home run in the fourth, and Carli Sneed smashed a 2-run shot in the second for De Queen (21-4).
“We played pretty well. Our pitcher is throwing it around 62-63, she’s hitting the corners well, we’re getting good senior leadership from this team, and they’re playing for a cause,” De Queen coach Tracy Neely said. “We’ve got six seniors, and they’re pretty focused; they’re on a mission.”
Starter and losing pitcher Ajahi Cheatham worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the first inning with no damage, but the Leopards touched up AHS (7-11) for six runs in the second, just one earned.
Megan Martz singled to left to start the inning and scored on Vaught’s double to right-center field. The second error of the inning allowed another run to score before a pair of flyouts. A single to left brought in another score to make it 3-0, and Sneed hammered an 0-1 offering over the left-field wall. Tayanna Trumble was walked, stole second, moved to third on a wild pitch and stole home before the final out was recorded.
The Leopards scored seven more in the third on seven hits and an error.
Vaught, who was 4 for 4 and a triple shy of hitting for the cycle, legged out an infield single to start the inning. Sydney Sneed bunted her way on, and Jessica Williams doubled in both runs. Makayla Jackson plated a run on a fielder’s choice, and Carli Sneed had a sac fly for a 10-0 lead. Lexy Taylor and Martz each had RBI doubles, and Vaught added another RBI single in the frame.
Taylor had a 2-run single in the fourth before Vaught’s big fly with two outs.
Kaitlyn Fortenberry tripled to right with two outs in the third inning for Arkansas High for the Lady Backs’ lone hit. Only one other batter reached base, making it to second on an error.
“There were a lot of mental mistakes, and you can’t defend when they put the ball out of the park,” Arkansas High coach Elizabeth Tankersley said. “Kaitlyn is doing in on the mound, at the plate, in the outfield, and I couldn’t ask for any more production out of her. We just need some help around her. We’re young, and it’s only going to get better with time.
“We’ve got a big game next week with El Dorado, and that’s the one that matters.”
Carli Sneed was 2 for 3 with a home run and 3 RBI for the Leopards, Trumble was 2 for 2, and Taylor and Martz added a double and single each. De Queen 067 4 —17 15 1 Arkansas High 000 0 — 0 1 5 Game called after 4 innings, run-rule. Josie Vaught and Jessica Williams. Ajahi Cheatham, Kaitlyn Fortenberry (3), Karen Camacho (4) and Kailey Burns, Shelby Robinson (2). WP-Vaught. LP-Cheatham. HR: DQ-Carli Sneed, 2nd, 1 on; Vaught, 4th, 1 on.