MAUMELLE — Abby Gentry blasted two home runs and drove in five while both Regan Dillon and Alissa Suarez cracked homers as the Bryant Lady Hornets rode a 10-run first inning to a 15-0 win in four innings over the Mount St. Mary Belles on Tuesday.
Bryant hammered out 16 hits including eight for extra bases. Meanwhile, Christine Mefford and Leah Hicks combined on a three-hit shutout.
The win improves the Lady Hornets to 18-5 overall this season and 7-1 in 6A-Central Conference play going into a league game at North Little Rock on Wednesday and a doubleheader at home against Little Rock Central on Thursday.
Suarez, who also belted a triple had three hits for Bryant, as did Gentry.
The big first inning eruption started with Mefford’s line drive single to right with one out. Gentry started the scoring by cracking her first homer to center.
Emma Bonvillain singled then Dillon busted her round-tripper to make it 4-0.
Consecutive doubles by Caitlin LaCerra, Macy Hoskins and Bella Herring made it 6-0. Herring stole third and scored on Marissa Bracey’s groundout.
Suarez then lashed her triple to center. Mefford’s second hit of the inning made it 8-0. Gentry’s single to left drew an errant throw back to the infield and Mefford scored. Gentry, who wound up on third, scored the 10th run on Bonvillain’s single to right.
A one-out error and a single put Mount in position to score in the bottom of the inning but a strikeout and a grounder to Suarez at second ended the threat.
Suarez’ homer came with two out in the top of the second after Bracey had worked a walk.
Singles from Dillon and LaCerra in the top of the third came to naught for Bryant but, after Hicks pitched around a pair of hits in the bottom of the third, Bryant put the finishing touches on the rout in the top of the fourth.
Herring wound up at third when her fly to left was misplayed. Bracy’s groundout got her home to make it 13-0. Suarez singled but was forced out at second on Mefford’s tap back to the circle. An error on the relay throw to first then a passed ball allowed her to reach third. Gentry then cracked her second bomb to make it 15-0.
A two-out walk in the bottom of the fourth was all the Belles could manage as Hicks and the Bryant defense closed out the win.
