SOFTBALL : Benton’s Burks provides spark
Posted on Thursday, June 19, 2008
FAYETTEVILLE — Benton’s Elizabeth Burks isn’t used to batting ninth in the lineup, but she is used to delivering big hits.
Burks provided a two-run triple Wednesday evening to help the West All-Stars defeat the East All-Stars 7-0 in the first game of the Arkansas High School Coaches Association softball doubleheader at Lady ’Back Yard.
Burks’ hit dropped just inside the right-field line to stake the West to a 3-0 lead. She also drew a walk before substitutes from both teams began entering the game.
“Any hit’s a hit, and I was just trying to get on base,” said Burks, who ran hard for third as the ball squirted away from the right fielder. “We needed runs, and I just wanted to get my teammates around so we could have more fun.”
The East All-Stars didn’t have much fun, making four errors and being held to one hit by West pitchers Kayleigh Cody of Foreman and Jamie Fleming of Ashdown. Two of the errors came in the outfield and allowed runners to advance after reaching base on singles.
“When you look at the scoreboard it’s pretty easy to see what the outcome is,” said East Coach Dell Leonard of Mountain Home. “We didn’t do much offensively and had too many errors on defense. It’s not hard to figure out who’s going to win.”
A throwing error by pitcher Maggie Butterfield of Smackover aided the West rally in the fourth inning. Brittany Hawthorne of Taylor reached on an infield hit and advanced to third when Butterfield threw past second on a forceout attempt. Butterfield struck out the next batter before Burks hit her two-out triple over the head of the first baseman to give the West All-Stars a 3-0 lead.
The West then broke open the game with two more runs in the fifth and seventh innings. Morgan Keller of Fayetteville had two hits, including a two-run single. West.................................. 001 220 2 — 7 8 0 East................................... 000 000 0 — 0 1 4 Cody, Fleming (4 ) and Boyles, Martin (4 ); Roberts, Butterfield (4 ) and Grinnell, Bates (4 ). W — Cody. L — Roberts. EAST 1, WEST 0 The East managed a split of the doubleheader when Kacey Roberts of Woodlawn scored the game’s only run in the top of the seventh. Roberts came home from third when a throw went to second base after a flyout to center field. Roberts hesitated, then rushed home to beat a relay throw. The West All-Stars threatened in the bottom of the seventh by putting a runner on second base with one out. But East pitcher Chase Brown of Marion retired Morgan Keller on a popup to the mound, then forced a groundout to end the game and earn a save. East....................................... 000 000 1 — 1 5 1 West...................................... 000 000 0 — 0 3 1 Brown, Watkins (4 ), McCampbell (6 ), Brown (7 ) and Grinnell; Williams, Caywood (5 ) and Martin, Powers (5 ). W — McCampbell. L — Caywood.
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