Springdale Can’t Finish Inning, Loses To PG

PRAIRIE GROVE — Springdale (0-5) ran into all kinds of trouble in the fourth and never finished the inning because Prairie Grove (5-1) won 16-1 on a mercy-rule Thursday.

The Lady Tigers capitalized on a combination of walks, Springdale errors and timely hits to end the game early.

“That’s what we do, try to put the ball in play and make their team play catch,” said Prairie Grove coach Dave Torres.

The Lady Bulldogs, using their third pitcher of the contest, didn’t record a single out in the fourth. Makinsey Parnell (3-for-4, 4 RBIs) led off with an infield single, reaching base safely when the field umpire ruled Springdale’s first baseman had a foot off the bag. Kelsey Pickett (1-for-3, 2 RBIs) homered, clearing the bases for the Lady Tigers and upping their lead to 10-1. Rhiannon Umfleet singled and Charity Stearman hit a blooper over second. Hayden Vertz singled to load the bases.

A passed ball with Maddie Hutchinson batting brought in another Lady Tiger run. Hutchinson smashed a 3-0 pitch up the middle, striking Springdale’s pitcher on the leg and taking her out of the game as a run scored. Prairie Grove led 13-1 at that juncture.

Springdale then brought in its third pitcher, freshman Kadence Bennett, but she fared no better than her predecessors, walking Karaline McConnell with a run and scoring on a passed ball. Elizabeth Stoufer walked, loading the bases for the second time in the inning. Sydney Stearman took ball-four on a 3-1 pitch, walking in Prairie Grove’s 14th run and setting the stage for Parnell, whose double off the wall ended the contest by driving in two runs, enough to invoke the 15-run mercyrule.

Springdale similarly experienced a host of problems in the bottom of the second inning.

Umfleet got on base and scored the first of 7 Lady Tigers’ runs in the inning when Charity Stearman reached on an error. Springdale starter Madeleine Downing walked the next two batters, loading the bases before inducing a pop-up for the first out. Stoufer singled, driving in 2 runs. Sydney Stearman also singled, plating another run and increasing Prairie Grove’s lead to 4- 0. Parnell’s stand- up double into left center drove in a pair of runs.

Prairie Grove consistently stole bases, moving runners into scoring position. Hutchinson stole second, then third, scoring when Umfleet made contact and the ball bounced off the third baseman’s glove, extending the Lady Tiger advantage to 7-0

The Lady Tigers dodged a bullet in the third inning. Prairie Grove got the first batter out on a long fly ball, but allowed the bases to fill on two errors singled around Madisyn Lindstrom’s single. Josephina Rodriguez hit into a fielder’s choice and Prairie Grove got a force-out at home and nearly turned a double play. However, a throw to first wasn’t fielded, allowing a run to score. Sydnie Burkett walked to load the bases but Prairie Grove starter Kaylee Kincaid, who scattered 6 hits over 4 innings, got Victoria Hennarichs to pop-up to third, leaving all three runners stranded.

Torres wants those miscues cleaned up, but otherwise was pleased with the overall performance.

“We had one inning where we made three errors and gave them six outs,” Torres said. “Our philosophy is to give them 21 outs. If we can do that we’ll be successful. If not, we’ll struggle.”

Parnell doubled and drove in 4 runs for Prairie Grove with Sydney Stearman (2-for3, 2 RBIs) and Stoufer also hitting doubles.

MARCH 11, 2021 AT PRAIRIE GROVE

PRAIRIE GROVE 16, SPRINGDALE 1 Springdale (0-1)... 001 0xx x — 1 6 4 P. Grove (1-0) ....... 071 8xx x — 16 14 1 W— Kincaid (5-1), L — Downing (0-5).

MARK HUMPHREY ENTERPRISE-LEADER Prairie Grove senior Makinsey Parnell went 3-for-4, driving in 4 runs during the Lady Tigers’ 16-1 run-rule victory over Springdale in non-conference softball action on Thursday, March 11.