Washington County Enterprise-Leader
Slugger Has Base-Running Skills
LINCOLN’S CUNNINGHAM NAMED ALL-STATE
LINCOLN — Lady Wolves’ Tristan Cunningham was a factor during Lincoln’s run to the State 4A tournament, and has been named All-State in softball.
In 31 games played, Cunningham batted .435. She had 116 plate appearances and 108 at-bats. The Lincoln junior scored 27 runs on the season off 47 hits with 21 RBIs, 11 doubles, 1 triple and 1 home-run. Cunningham only struck out 5 times during the year while taking 5 bases on balls and was hit by a pitch 3 times. Her on-base percentage was .474 and she reached on an error 13 times. Her slugging percentage was .583. She also contributed 12 stolen bases for the Lady Wolves.
Cunningham topped the Lincoln roster in fielding-percentage, posting .956 at first-base. She was charged with 8 errors, having a miscue only about once every four games.
Together with starting pitcher, junior Aayden Massey, Cunningham kept the Lady Wolves in the game for 7.5 innings during a tough, 1-0, eight inning loss to Heber Springs at the State 4A softball tournament at Lonoke.
Lincoln managed just 2 hits with Cunningham (1-for-3) having one, and Kinley Webb (1-for-3) getting singles.
As a team, the Lady Wolves went 2-for-25 in the batter’s box and struck out 12 times. Madison Jones contributed a pair of bases on balls, and Cunningham added a stolen base.
Against Pottsville, during the 4A North Regional consolation game May 8, Cunningham did her part, going 3-of-4 at the plate, and scoring Lincoln’s only run in the seventh. Her teammates weren’t able to drive her in. She had a stolen base and produced the run through her base-running skills. The Apaches pushed 3 runs across in the fourth inning to take a 3-0 lead; but Lincoln couldn’t make up the difference.
In another extra inning game, Lincoln edged Dardanelle, 11-10, in the first-round at Regionals. The scored was tied, 5-5, at the end of seven innings. Cunningham’s run in top of the 11th inning put the pressure on, giving Lincoln a 1-run lead. Dardanelle couldn’t answer, and Lincoln clawed their way back to the 4A state softball tournament for a second consecutive year under coach Beau Collins. Cunningham was 4 for 6 with 2 doubles and 4 RBIs.