Lady Hornets rally to knock Lady Cats out of first place
EDITOR’S NOTE: In this time of COVID-19, with no sports action, BryantDaily.com will be posting past stories of Bryant athletics either posted on BryantDaily.com (from 2009 to the present) or published in the Bryant Times (from 1998 to 2008).
Avari Allen scored on an errant pick-off throw with one out in the bottom of the sixth to snap a 4-4 tie and, when Lexi Helton retired the side around a leadoff single in the top of the seventh, the Bryant Lady Hornets had busted out of their mini-slump in a big way by knocking the rival North Little Rock Lady Charging Wildcats out of a share of first place with a 5-4 win.
Bryant came into the game off a three-game losing streak, four setbacks in their last five, which included a 10-4 loss at North Little Rock on April 22.
The Lady Cats were 11-1 against the conference and tied with Cabot for first in the 6A-Central, 17-4 overall. Coupled with Cabot’s 10-0 romp over Fort Smith Northside on Monday, the Lady Panthers gained sole possession of first with a final league showdown between them coming up on Friday.
Bryant, now 17-10 overall and 7-5 and in fourth place in the league by a game behind Conway, is scheduled for a make-up game against Little Rock Central and J.A. Fair High School on Wednesday. With rain expected, the game will be made up on Saturday if necessary. The Lady Hornets play at Conway on Friday then wrap the regular season with Senior Night against Benton on Tuesday, May 7.
The 6A-State Tournament begins Wednesday, May 9, in Bentonville.
Maddie Thompson doubled and homered to highlight Bryant’s night at the plate.
Allen was in as a pinch-runner for Haleigh Beck who had opened the bottom of the sixth with a single to left. Bella Herring sacrificed Allen to second and, with Joely Calhoun at the plate, North Little Rock pitcher Katelynn McMahan threw the ball away, allowing Allen to make the mad dash home.
Helton, on in relief of Hannah Work, surrendered an infield hit to Lauren Lester to open the seventh. Amelia Gassman sacrificed her to second, but Helton got Janiah Wilson to fly out to Caitlin LaCerra in center. And, though pinch runner Kyle Higgins tagged and went to third on the play, she never got any further as Helton induced a grounder off the bat of Lily Douglass to shortstop Meagan Chism, who threw to first to complete the victory.
North Little Rock had opened the game with a run in the top of the first. Marissa Mitchell walked but was forced at second when Madi Bobbitt hit a grounder to Chism. McMahan doubled to put runners at second and third, setting the stage for Lester to get the RBI with a grounder to Chism.
McMahan held at third as Chism threw out Gassman and, after Wilson walked, Work got Douglass to groundout to Alissa Suarez at second to end the frame.
Chism walked to start the bottom of the inning. LaCerra sacrificed her to second then Thompson belted an RBI double to tie it. And when Regan Dillon lined a single to right, Thompson scored to put the Lady Hornets ahead.
Aly Bowers reached on an error then she and Dillon moved up to second and third on Suarez’ grounder to second. A wild pitch allowed the third run of the inning to score.
North Little Rock evened it up again in the top of the second when, with two out, Mitchell and Bobbitt each singled ahead of an RBI double from McMahan. But Work kept it tied by retiring Lester.
Calhoun walked with one out in the bottom of the second then was forced on a grounder by Chism. But Chism proceeded to steal second and third only to be stranded.
Work retired the Lady Cats in order in the top of the third with solid infield work behind her. In the home half, Dillon worked a one-out walk, took second on Bower’s groundout but, after Suarez waked and a wild pitch got the runners to second and third, McMahan got Beck to bounce out to short to end the rally.
Mitchell doubled with two out in the top of the fourth but got no further as Work got Bobbitt to ground out to Chism at shortstop.
Bryant threatened again in the home fourth when Calhoun walked and Chism beat out a bunt hit. Calhoun, however, was caught trying to steal third and Chism was left aboard at second.
Lester walked with one out in the top of the fifth and went to second on a wild pitch. After Gassman bounced out, a passed ball allowed Lester to reach third.
Helton relieved and issued a walk to Wilson before getting Douglass to bounce out.
Thompson came through again leading off the bottom of the fifth. On a 1-1 count, she cracked a bomb to left to snap the deadlock.
In the top of the sixth, a one-out walk to Alexis Hood gave North Little Rock a chance to tie it back up. Mitchell hit another double to get Hood home, tying it 4-4.
With the go-ahead run at second and one out, Helton got Bobbitt to fly out to Bowers in foul ground down the right-field line then got McMahan to pop out to Chism setting up Bryant’s decisive rally.
