Lady ’Dogs lose season opener to Lady Patriots

SPRINGDALE — It has been an uphill battle for new head softball coach Cali Lankford and her assistant coach Tajhi Turner but, at last, the Decatur Lady Bulldog team came together for its season opener against the Rogers-based Providence Academy Lady Patriots Friday night in Springdale.

Just before the start of the regular season, the Lady Bulldogs began losing players to the girls’ soccer team and it looked as though the team would have to be scrapped. However, the numbers began migrating away from soccer in favor of softball. Eventually, the girls’ soccer program was scrapped and Lankford and Turner were back in business.

The softball contest was played on the softball fields at J.B. Hunt Park, located on the northern side of Springdale. This softball complex is the home of the Lady Patriots.

The game was originally scheduled for a home game at Edmiston Park in Decatur. However, heavy rains on Wednesday and Thursday flooded the softball field, forcing the contest to be moved to the Springdale venue.

For seniors Stephanie Sandoval, Ithzel Martinez, Skyler Bell and Olivia Verser, the softball season would be the last sporting event played in their high school careers.

Sandoval was on the mound for the Lady Bulldogs. This would be her first pitching assignment in a softball game. Behind home plate was Lady Bulldog catcher Martinez, who played this position last season.

Rounding out the Lady Bulldog team would be junior Lilly Lee, sophomores Kaylen Burkes, Annette Hernandez, Morgan Sutton and freshmen Katrina Batres, Jazmine Herrera, Jackie Mendoza, Annabelle Bell and Bianca Arana.

The opening game jitters plagued the younger Lady Bulldogs in the first inning as the more experienced Lady Patriots grabbed the lead early and never let go. Providence Academy Lady Patriots eventually claimed the nonconference softball contest in four innings, 13-3, over the Decatur Lady Bulldogs.

Bianca Arana scored the first run of the season for the Lady Bulldogs, pinch-running for Morgan Sutton, who got a single in the third inning.

The Decatur Lady Bulldogs will be back in action after spring break when the team hits the road to take on the Lady Bobcats in Flippin on April 1.

Westside Eagle Observer/MIKE ECKELS Stephanie Sandoval goes into her windup just prior to delivering a pitch to home plate during the Friday night Providence-Decatur softball game at J.B. Hunt softball field in Springdale. Sandoval, an accomplished volleyball player, played her very first game as a softball pitcher. MIKE ECKELS meckels@nwadg.com

Westside Eagle Observer/MIKE ECKELS Bianca Arana (left) crosses home plate for the Lady Bulldogs’ first run of the game.