Liberty-Eylau defeats Dierks
ASHDOWN, Ark.— Liberty-Eylau blasted out 21 hits in the championship game of the Ashdown Softball Tournament Saturday evening, defeating Dierks, 16-5, at City Park.
L-E broke on top early with four runs each in the first and second innings for an 8-2 lead, and continued to pull away for the victory. L-E is now 6-2-1 on the season.
Savannah Phelps led the Lady Leopards with four hits that included a single, double. and two triples, while McKenzye Williamson had five singles.
Getting two hits each were Victoria Sosser, Mariah Coleman, and Kayla Norris.
Isabella Gunderson was the winning pitcher.
Liberty-Eylau and Dierks won two games each to advance to the championship game.
L-E defeated Horatio, 14-6, Friday evening, and then run-ruled Glen Rose, 11-1, Saturday afternoon.
Dierks edged past Waldron, 11-10, Friday evening before downing, Arkansas High, 5-1, Saturday.
In other Friday games, Arkansas High trounced Hope, 21-1, and Glen Rose shut out Ashdown, 10-0.
In other Saturday games, Waldron defeated Hope, 17 -2, Horatio defeated Ashdown, 12-2, and Ashdown downed Hope, 16-1.
Semifinal DIERKS 5, ARKANSAS HIGH 1
The Lady Outlaws jumped out to an early 2-0 lead, and held that slight lead until the fifth inning when the Ladybacks scored.
With runners on first and third base, Tata Johnson laid down a perfect squeeze bunt to score the run. Winning pitcher Delaney Eckert, who struck out nine batters in the contest, struck out the next two batters to
end the inning.
Dierks picked up three insurance runs in the top of the seventh for a 5-1 advantage.
Lexi Simmons singled around a pair of walks to load the bases with one out. Jaycee Runnels then cleared the bases with a triple down the rightfield line.
Semifinal
L-E 11, GLEN ROSE 1
After L-E scored one run in the first, the Lady Leopards lit up the scoreboard with three runs in the second frame, taking advantage of their speed with infield hits, beating out bunts, and taking extra bases on the base paths.
Makayla Power walked and Tyrah Venable beat out a grounder to short. Torie Foster beat out a bunt, and McKenzie Williamson drove in two runs with a single up the middle for a 4-0 lead.
L-E added two runs in the third, and finished their last at-bat with five runs in the sixth inning.
Savannah Phelps, Venable, Williamson, and Kayla Norris had two hits each for the Leopards.
Isabella Gunderson was the winning pitcher, allowing just five hits and losing her shutout in the top of the seventh.
Third Place ARKANSAS HIGH 6, GLEN ROSE 5
The Ladybacks came from behind to defeat Glen Rose in eight innings.
Adison Wright’s walk0ff triple triple scored the winning run.
Wright went 2-3 with a triple and single, Kailey Burns, Jordyn Standley, and Shelby Robinson had a double each.
Kait Fortenberry tossed a complete game with nine strikeouts.
Arkansas High is now 2-3 on the season and take on L-E at home Tuesday at 5 p.m.