For almost too long, the Bryant Lady Hornets were shut out on one hit by Fort Smith Northside’s Cailin Massey and the Lady Bears’ defense. Northside had scored two runs in the top of the first and it held up until the bottom of the sixth when the Lady Hornets rallied.
Abby Gentry clubbed a two-run double, and Regan Dillon belted a two-run homer as Bryant extracted a 4-2 victory on Thursday night.
The win improved the Lady Hornets to 17-5 overall this season and 6-1 in 6A-Central Conference play, a game behind the league-leading Cabot Lady Panthers.
The game, originally scheduled for Friday, was moved up a day due to the threat of inclement weather. Bryant’s next outing will be at Mount St. Mary Academy on Tuesday, April 20.
Leah Hicks went the distance in the pitching circle for Bryant.
Massey singled to start the game and Tori Sumbler sacrificed her to second. Danessa Teague was hit by a 2-2 delivery then Chloe Ray singled in the first run. Teague advanced to third then scored on Hannah Entrekin delivered a sacrifice fly.
Northside threatened in the second. Keilee Robberson walked but was doubled off first when Erika Johnson’s sacrifice bunt attempt was fielded by Christine Mefford at first. She threw to Alissa Suarez who was covering first. Suarez then relayed to shortstop Bella Herring, who caught Robberson.
That proved crucial when Anna Hale followed up with a double. Massey drew a walk but Sumbler tapped back to Hicks to end the threat.
Dillon doubled with one out in the bottom of the second. Caitlin LaCerra bunted her to third then Hicks walked but Massey got a strikeout to fend off Bryant’s threat.
Hicks pitched around an error in the top of the third, a two-out single by Hale in the top of the fourth and a two-out double by Ray in the fifth.
Meanwhile, Massey retired 10 in a row going into the bottom of the sixth when Marissa Bracey snapped the string with a lined single to right. After Suarez popped out, Mefford got bunt down that she beat out for a hit.
That set the stage for Gentry’s game-tying double. And, with two down, Dillon’s game-winning blast over the boards in center.
In Northside’s last gasp top of the seventh, Massey drilled a one-out double and Teague drew a two-out walk before Ray grounded to Herring at short for the final out.
