Benton stays perfect in routs
BENTON – After a 15-0 victory over Sheridan to begin the Drew Melton Forever Young Tournament at Lady Panther Field Wednesday, the Lady Panthers picked up where they left off Friday, shutting out Mountain Home
6-0 before downing Marion 9-1 Saturday morning when tourney play resumed. The Lady Panthers took on Cabot Saturday afternoon to wrap up the tourney, with results coming in Tuesday’s edition.
In Friday’s 6-0 shutout over the Lady Bombers, sophomore Alyssa Houston was dominant in the circle giving up just one hit and one walk while striking out 13 in five innings for the win. Benton senior Tuesday Melton pitched the final two scoreless and hitless innings, walking one and striking out three.
The Lady Panthers (13-0) would get on the board early as junior infielder Shelby Samples singled and scored on senior Addison Davis’
RBI triple for the early 1-0 lead, which became 2-0 when Davis scored on a wild pitch.
Three straight singles to start the second inning resulted in a run when junior Elana Scott’s single to center plated Melton for the 3-0 advantage after two. Benton picked up two more in the fourth when sophomore Dakota Hobson hit a two-out RBI single to score junior
Aubree Goodnight and Samples tripled in Hobson the next at-bat for the 5-0 lead.
The Lady Panthers picked up their final run in the sixth when Davis walked with the bases loaded to force in a run for the RBI.
In the circle, Houston struck out the first five batters she faced before a twoout walk in the second. She struck out the next three before giving up a two-out single in the third, the only hit she allowed all night.
Four Lady Panthers had multi-hit games as Hobson went 2 for 2 with an RBI, while Samples (RBI), Scott (RBI) and Goodnight all went 2 for 3. Davis went 1 for 3 with two RBIS, with Melton and junior Gracie Redmon adding a hit apiece.
In the 9-1 victory over Marion Saturday morning, Benton was up three thanks to Gilmore’s 2-run homer in the third before the
Lady Patriots picked up an unearned run in the fourth to make it 3-1. But, Benton blew it open in the bottom of the fifth putting up a 6-spot.
Scott gave up just the unearned run on three hits and a walk, striking out seven in five innings for the win. Houston gave up a hit and walk in two scoreless innings, striking out four.
Redmon went 2 for 3 with her homer and two RBIS, with Gilmore 2 for 4 with two RBIS. Scott went 2 for 3, Davis 2 for 4 with two runs and Houston was 2 for 4 with two runs and an RBI. Samples added a hit and RBI.
Benton takes a trip to Cabot on Thursday in nonconference play.