Lady Lions edge out Lady Apaches, fall to Lady Wolverines

WESTSIDE — The Gravette Lady Lions started the week out with a pair of road trips, one to Centerton to face the Bentonville West Lady Wolverines March 15 and a longer trip to Pottsville March 16 to square off against the Lady Apaches. Gravette split the two contests with one win and one loss for the week.

Up first was the Gravette-Bentonville West softball game. The Lady Wolverines jumped out in front in the bottom of the second with three runs and six in the third innings to take a 9-0 lead. The Lady Lions were able to bring three runs home in the top of the fourth to cut Bentonville West’s lead back to six.

Bentonville West picked up a run in the fourth and two in the fifth to lead by nine. Gravette closed the gap with a pair of runs in the fifth and three in the sixth inning to cut the Lady Wolverines lead to four. The Lady Lions were unable to pick up any runs in the top of the seventh, which allowed the Bentonville Lady Wolverines to take the win, 12-8.

Lady Lions Bryanne Romine and Brooke Handle led the way in the batting department with two runs on two hits each while Trinity Burnett had two runs on one hit. Lizzy Ellis, Page Greer had one run each.

Gravette had a total of 33 at-bats with eight runs on nine hits and eight RBIs with three strikeouts.

Brooke Handle was on the mound for the Lady Lions, lasting the entire six innings, delivering 129 pitches. She allowed eight runs on nine hits and eight RBIs and three strikeouts.

Next, the Gravette Lady Lions took a road trip to Pottsville to square off against the Lady Apaches.

The Lady Lions got off to a great start, bringing home three runs in the first inning to take an early lead. The Lady Lions added one more run in the top of the third, extending their lead to four. Pottsville managed a three-run rally in the bottom of the third to come to within one run of Gravette. In the top of the fourth the Lady Lions staged a rally of their own, bringing home six runs to pull out in front by five.

The Lady Apaches played catch-up in innings four, five and six, with two runs each to close the gap to one. One run in the top of the seventh moved the Lady Lions ahead by two. Pottsville was unable to score in the bottom of the seventh, giving the Gravette Lady Lions the win, 11-9, over the Lady Apaches.

Romine posted another great showing, scoring three runs on two hits, while Keeley Elsea posted three runs on three hits and three RBIs for the night. Ellis, Taylor Neustel, Trinity Burnett and Rylie Fitts each had one.

Gravette had 34 at-bats with 10 runs on 18 hits and eight RBIs, five walks and one strikeout.

Handle was on the mound once again, lasting the entire seveninning contest and delivering 132 pitches. Handle allowed nine runs on seven hits, four earned runs. She had four strikeouts, seven walks and allowed a home run by Lady Apache Sadie Saul.