CLASS 7A SOFTBALL : Fayetteville simply too strong for Bryant
Posted on Tuesday, May 13, 2008
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/adg/Sports/225620/
RUSSELLVILLE — The Fayetteville Lady Bulldogs ’ combination of good pitching, good hitting, and good luck was too much for the Bryant Lady Hornets.
Fayetteville junior pitcher Amanda Summerford allowed six hits and struck out seven, and junior left fielder Sadie Callison and senior right fielder Morgan Keller each had two RBI to help lead Fayetteville to a 7-3 semifinal victory in the Class 7 A State Softball Tournament at Hickey Park on Monday.
Fayetteville (29-3 ) will play for its third consecutive state championship Saturday.
Junior shortstop Whitlee McGill, Fayetteville’s seventh batter, batted with runners on first and second, no outs, and Fayetteville leading 4-1 in the sixth inning. Her bunt found a gap and rolled into right field for an RBI double. McGill scored on a fielder’s choice by Sadie Callison, and Callison scored on Camie Bales’ single to give Fayetteville a 7-1 lead.
“[McGill ] executed beyond what we were hoping for,” Fayetteville Coach Jason Shirey said. “It was supposed to be a simple sacrifice, but she made a heady play and we got a little extra out of it.”
Callison, batting eighth, knocked in two runs with a single in the bottom of the second inning to give Fayetteville a 2-0 lead. “That got us off to a good start, and it allowed us to settle down a little bit,” Shirey said. “When your eighth batter is contributing to what you’re trying to accomplish, good things better be happening. We’ve had some kids struggling who normally haven’t struggled, so when we’re able pick them up throughout the lineup, it just makes us that much better.” Summerford (22-2 ) allowed Bryant (20-7 ) one hit through the first three innings. She has
2 253 strikeouts in 145 / 3 innings and pitched 73 consecutive innings without allowing an earned run. She has an ERA of 0. 52. “They have a good selection of players,” Bryant Coach Lisa Dreher said. “It’s not easy to lose, but when you go down to a team like that, it’s not so heartbreaking as to go down to a team you felt like you should’ve stomped on.” Bryant...................................... 000 100 2 — 3 6 3 Fayetteville................................ 020 023 X — 7 7 2 Kirchner and Hart; Summerford and L. Davison NORTH LITTLE ROCK 1, BENTONVILLE 0
Junior pitcher Jessica Sheldon threw a onehitter and struck out 14 to lead North Little Rock to victory over Bentonville.
North Little Rock broke a 0-0 tie in the bottom of the sixth inning when Sheldon scored on a fielder’s choice from third after sophomore Natalie Moses reached first on a bunt, and was thrown out trying to steal second.
Bentonville junior pitcher Faith Lund led off the top of the seventh inning with a single, but Sheldon struck out the next three batters.