Smeltzer, Magnet Cove down HSV in tourney
SHERIDAN — Trailing 3-0 in the sixth inning, Hot Springs Village made a late rally against Magnet Cove in Friday night’s American Legion baseball game but was unable to complete the comeback.
After Matthew Herron scored on an error, Josh Smeltzer worked out of a bases-loaded jam to make Magnet Cove a 3-1 winner in the second round of the Sheridan wood-bat tournament.
Herron, Weston Buchanon, Kirk Shildgen and Josh Walpole were in their first game with HSV, which was without six players.
“It definitely shows they have grit; these kids aren’t going to give up,” HSV coach Clint Turner said. “They’re going to play hard and I think they’re getting a lot better. If that’s not the best, it’s certainly the second-best team we’ve played.”
One of five batters to reach base in the top of the sixth, Buchanon nearly scored on a Chase Pedersen single but was called out on a close play at the plate.
“I’m not going to ever blame an umpire for a loss, but that was big,” said Turner. “We got an extra out and weren’t able to get that other run on the board. It goes back to needing a timely hit, and we’re having trouble getting one.”
Herron ran into trouble in the third. The right-hander walked three straight to load the bases and allowed the first two runs of the game on wild pitches before retiring the side.
Herron scattered three runs on three hits with four walks and six strikeouts in five innings.
“It was great; he was the main reason we were even in the game,” Turner said. “He hasn’t played with us all year and he comes up and throws 94 pitches like that; it was awesome. He did a great job.”
While Herron dazzled for HSV, his counterpart matched him stride for stride. Smeltzer surrendered just two hits through the first five innings, HSV stranding two runners in the fourth and fifth.
The right-hander picked up the win with one run allowed on three hits in a complete game,
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Lexi Thompson shot a 64 on Saturday on the Blythefield layout reduced to a par of 69 because of flooding, giving her a one-stroke lead in the Meijer LPGA Classic.
The fifth hole was played as a par 3 instead of a par 5 because of the flooding from overnight rain.
Coming off a playoff loss to Ariya Jutanugarn last week in Canada, Thompson had six birdies and a bogey to reach 15-under 196.
Brooke Henderson, the leader after each of the first two rounds, had a 67 to drop into a tie for second with Lee-Anne Pace (61), Sung Hyun Park (62) and Jenny Shin (63).
Hyo Joo Kim (65) was 12 under, and Lydia Ko (64), Michelle Wie (64), Moriya Jutanugarn (67) and Carlota Ciganda (68) followed at 11 under. Ko dropped to No. 2 in the world Monday after an 85-week run at the top. The top-ranked Ariya Jutanugarn, Moriya Jutanugarn’s younger sister, was 9 under after a 64.
Thompson won the Kingsmill Championship last month in Virginia for her eighth LPGA Tour title after losing the ANA Inspiration in a playoff after being penalized four strokes for a rules violation reported by a television viewer.
At Rancho Mirage in early April, Thompson was given the four-shot penalty with six holes to play in the final round. She had a 15-inch putt on 17 in the third round when she stooped to mark the ball, and quickly replaced it about an inch away. The television viewer contacted the LPGA Tour the next day, and officials determined it was a clear violation.
Thompson was assessed a two-shot penalty for where she replaced the ball, and because it happened the day before, she received a twoshot penalty for signing an incorrect scorecard. She went from a three-shot lead to one shot behind, and eventually lost to So Yeon Ryu in the playoff. striking out seven while issuing three walks.
Korey Wasson singled and later scored on an error to stretch Magnet Cove’s lead to 3-0 in the bottom of the fifth. The Arkansas State signee reached base twice in three plate appearances, finishing with a walk, a single and two stolen bases.
Ben Slate singled and walked in three plate appearances for Magnet Cove, scoring a run in the bottom of the third. Buchanon and Montana Carden each singled and reached base twice for HSV.
“Weston was big for us tonight; he was Brooks Robinson at third base, making every play over there,” said Turner. “I hate that he’s the one that got called out at home, but he played great just like all the guys we brought in tonight.”