Pea Ridge girls edge Gentry in extras
GENTRY — The Lady Blackhawks outlasted the Lady Pioneers in a thrilling 7-6 victory on April 16 in Gentry. The game remained a nail-biter until the final inning, with both teams showcasing resilience throughout.
Gentry struck first in the bottom of the first inning, plating two runs, thanks to a single by Evey Tomlinson. Pea Ridge responded quickly, with solo home runs from Audrey Bowlin and Macy Warden in the second and third innings, respectively. The Lady Hawks added two more runs in the top of the third on an error.
Gentry clawed its way back in the fourth inning, tying the game at 4-4 with a double by Alexis Lopez and another costly error by Pea Ridge. The scoring continued in the top of the eighth, with Pea Ridge regaining the lead on RBIs by Maddie Wayland and Chloe Rogers. However, Gentry refused to go down without a fight. Olivia Nations launched a solo home run to tie the game once again in the bottom of the eighth.
Pea Ridge finally secured the win in the top of the ninth inning. With a runner on third, Warden delivered a sacrifice fly to score the go-ahead run. Defensively, the Lady Hawks held on for the narrow victory despite Gentry’s seven hits.
Both starting pitchers displayed grit, with Callie Jordan of Gentry allowing five runs (three earned) over eight and one-third innings and Pea Ridge’s Audrey Bowlin conceding five runs (four earned) over nine innings. She struck out 12.
Cindy Barger and Tomlinson paced the Gentry offense with two hits apiece, while Nations and Tomlinson contributed RBIs. Warden led Pea Ridge with two RBIs, while Wayland paced the team with three hits.
The Lady Pioneers also lost to the Northside Lady Bears on Friday, 7-3. Northside scored four runs in the first inning and three more in the third. Gentry’s three runs came in the bottom of the seventh on doubles by Alexis Lopez, Hailie Kreger and Iris Still, and a single by Olivia Nations.
BASEBALL GENTRY 8, PEA RIDGE 4
The Gentry Pioneers rallied past the Pea Ridge Blackhawks in a high-scoring game on April 16 at Gentry High School, defeating their conference foes by a score of 8-4.
The Pioneers got off to a quick start in the bottom of the first inning. After Riggs Harper and Bennett Roberts walked, Briar Mayberry singled to score Harper and advance Roberts to third. A Pea Ridge error, along with a single by Houston Nance, plated two more runs for Gentry.
Pea Ridge answered back in the top of the second, taking the lead. Kole Kasischke doubled and Waylon Fletcher singled, leading up to a Jacob Ogburn single that drove in two runs. A ground out by Brayden Cook plated another for the Blackhawks. Riggs Harper, Gentry’s starting pitcher, limited the damage with a fielder’s choice that scored another Pea Ridge run.
Gentry tied the game at 4-4 in the bottom of the third inning thanks to a double by Nance. The Pioneers then took the lead for good in the fourth. Harper tripled, Bryson Woodall singled and Drew Nash followed with a single to score three runs for Gentry.
Harper scored one more time in the bottom of the sixth, making it 8-4, after being hit by a pitch.
Harper was stellar on the mound for the Pioneers, pitching a complete game. He allowed five hits and four runs, while striking out five and walking one. Gavin Dixon took the loss for Pea Ridge, surrendering ten hits and seven runs, five earned, over five innings. He struck out seven and walked two.
Offensively, the Pioneers were paced by Nance’s three hits in four at-bats. Mayberry and Nance each drove in two runs for Gentry. Nash and Harper also collected multiple hits for the victors.
Ogburn led Pea Ridge with two RBIs from the number seven spot in the lineup. The catcher went one for three on the day. Fletcher paced the Blackhawks’ offense with two hits in three at-bats.
The Pioneers won a highscoring game, 16-12, at Jay, Okla., on Thursday, and they lost, 11-1, at Elkins on Friday. They were scheduled to play in Huntsville on Monday (after press deadline).
GENTRY 16, JAY, OKLA. 12
Bennett Roberts had three extrabase hits and drove in four runs, while Riggs Harper had a threerun home run in Gentry’s nonconference road victory.
The Pioneers led 3-1 after one inning before Roberts hit a two-run double in the second, then drove in a run with a triple in the sixth to give Gentry a 12-9 lead. Harper then belted his home run in the seventh, and Roberts drove in Gentry’s final run with his second double.
Harper, Briar Mayberry, Dillon Duncan and Bryson Woodall finished with two hits apiece as the Pioneers compiled 13 hits, and Woodall drove in three runs.