Fifth-inning outburst sends Lady Hornets past Southside
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FORT SMITH — The Bryant Lady Hornets blew up a close game on Friday night with a six-run top of the fifth on their way to an 11-4 victory over the Fort Smith Southside Lady Mavericks to improve to 4-0 in 6A-Central Conference play this season.
Maddie Thompson had three hits, Aly Bowers had two including a homer. Regan Dillon added two knocks and Alissa Suarez drove in three runs.
The win set up a first-place showdown on Tuesday, April 2, when the Cabot Lady Panthers, also 4-0 in league play after a 9-4 win over Little Rock Central on Friday, come to Bryant.
Bowers’ solo shot started the breakout uprising in the fifth. Joely Calhoun singled and took second when the ball was misplayed in right. Thompson’s infield hit put runners at the corners for Suarez. After Thompson stole second, Suarez cracked a single up the middle to drive both home, making it 5-1.
With one out, Meagan Chism drilled a double to left. She then followed Suarez across the plate when Dillon blooped a single to right, making it 7-1. Avari Allen, running for the Bryant catcher, stole third then scored on an error to cap the inning.
Junior Gianni Hulett pitched the first three innings, blanking the Lady Mavs on two hits. Freshman Christine Mefford took over in the circle to start the bottom of the fourth and was greeted by Southside’s Madi Conklin, who homered to center to make it 2-1 at the time.
Mefford struck out Meliah Hunter but a walk to Ella Kohler and a single by Piper Morgan had the Lady Mavericks in position to tie the game or take the lead.
But Mefford got Hayley Hall to foul out to Dillon then Kendall Willis grounded out to Chism at third to end the threat.
The Lady Hornets built a 2-0 lead with single runs in the initial two frames. Thompson led off the game with a double, went to third on a passed ball and scored when Suarez grounded out to second.
Dillon singled to start the top of the second inning. Bella Herring sacrifice Allen to second then, with two down, Bowers came through in the clutch with a single to center to make it 2-0.
After Bryant’s outburst in the fifth, Mefford retired the first two in the home half. A bunt single by Mackenzie Farrar gave the Lady Mavs a chance to whittle on the lead.
Hulett returned to the circle and Conklin looped a single to right. And, when the ball was misplayed, Farrar was able to scamper home.
But Hulett struck out Hunter to send it to the sixth.
Bryant tacked on. With one out, Calhoun’s bunt was misplayed and, moments later, she raced home on Thompson’s single to right. Thompson beat the play at second on Suarez grounder to short to set the table for Hulett who drilled a double to right, making it 10-2.
Though Suarez was thrown out trying to score on Chism’s bouncer to short, Hulett scored when Chism got into a rundown between first and second.
Hulett struck out the side in the bottom of the sixth. In the seventh, an error with one out and a two-out single by Farrar, led to a pair of Southside runs. Conklin’s third hit plated a run then Hunter singled to center to make it 11-4.
Hulett finished it then with her eighth strikeout.
