By Rob Patrick
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Twelve runs, 10 hits and one major bruise.
The Bryant Lady Hornets took one more step toward an outright 7A-Central Conference championship with a 12-0 thumping of the Little Rock Central Lady Tigers at Interstate Park on Friday. They're one win away from wrapping up the title and the No. 1 seed from the league to the State tournament in Bentonville but they'll have to go a long way to get it. They finish the season with a doubleheader at Van Buren on Tuesday, April 28. A sweep will make them undisputed champs, a split would create a tie for the title with North Little Rock but the Lady Hornets would retain the top seed because they beat the Lady Cats in both meetings this season.
Bryant improved to 18-7 overall and 10-2 in the league with the win over the Lady Tigers who were overmatched just as they had been when they lost to the Lady Hornets, 13-0, at Bryant back on March 3.
Jessica Cudd handled the pitching duties for the Lady Hornets. Usually the JV starter, Cudd whipped up a two-hit shutout, striking out 10 without a walk.[more]
Offensively, Jenna Bruick and Shanika Johnson each had three hits. Christen Kirchner added two. But it was a case of the ball hitting Kirchner rather than the other way around that provided a scary moment for the Lady Hornets. With two out in the top of the fifth and the eventual final score on the board already, Kirchner was at third with two out with Kim Wilson at the plate.
In a marathon at bat, Wilson fouled off eight two-strike pitches. Among those was a shot down the third-base line that Kirchner just got out of the way of. A pitch later, on another one, she didn't. The shot struck her in the right side. She turned and crumpled to the ground as the coaches hurried to her. Wilson obviously felt bad — though it was hardly anything she could've prevented.
But it was quiet at the park for a few minutes as Kirchner, a four-year starter, and an obvious team leader beyond the fact that she's a key pitcher and one of the team's best hitters. With the State tournament looming, the thought of a serious injury, had everyone on the Bryant side holding their breath. Fortunately, the ball had missed her ribs, her pitching arm and her hip.
Wilson went to check on her teammate and the playful Kirchner feigned anger for just a second. Wilson turned away but Kirchner chased after her and gave her hug before returning to her spot at third base. Wilson fouled off a few more pitches before striking out to end the inning.
Cudd retired the Lady Tigers in order in the bottom of the fifth and the win was in the books.
Central's only hits were a lead-off single in the bottom of the first by Kayla Dillard. Cudd and her teammates then set down 11 in a row before Kayla Patton slapped a double just inside the third-base back with two down in the fourth. After that, the final four were retired to close out the shutout.
The Lady Hornets took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Kirchner singled, advanced to third on a pair of passed balls then scored on an error.
In the third, Bruick singled and took second on an error. Kirchner then hit a liner to center that was misplayed allowing Bruick to score. Kirchner wound up at third and she came home a pitch later on a groundout by Jessie Taylor, making it 3-0.
The Lady Hornets blew the game up in the fourth, starting with an inside-the-park home run by Johnson. Cudd's fly to center was dropped. Cassidy Wilson, in as a courtesy runner for the pitcher, stole second and advanced to third on a bunt single by Ashley Chaloner who raced to second on the play when the Lady Tigers left the bag untended. Kelsie Works' grounder to second was booted allowing Cassidy Wilson to score and she too hustled to second when no one covered the bag as Chaloner was held at third.
Bruick brought both of them home when she slapped a spinning double down the left-field line, making it 7-0. Bruick stole third and scored on Kirchner's groundout to short for the first out of the inning.
Taylor followed with her own inside-the-park round-tripper on a drive to deep left to make it 9-0.
Paige Turpin got the inning going again when she reached on an error. Kim Wilson popped to short but when Dillard tried to double-up Turpin at first, he throw sailed and the Lady Hornets' senior advanced to second. Johnson singled her home then eventually scored to make it 11-0.
The final Bryant run was a result of Bruick's one out infield hit in the top of the fifth, followed by a double from Kirchner. A two-out walk to Turpin and a double-steal had runners at second and third to set up Kim Wilson's extended plate appearance.
