Bailey’s blooper as good as a blast
Posted on Wednesday, March 26, 2008
BENTONVILLE - Clutch hits have been eluding the Bentonville softball team lately. When Tandie Bailey finally delivered one Tuesday afternoon, she got a little something extra.
Bailey's high bloop to right in the sixth inning was as good as a blast for the Lady Tigers. It scored Robyn Carter from third, then turned into an inside-the-park home run to help Bentonville beat Siloam Springs 2-0 in a nonconference game at Lady Tiger Field.
Faith Lund retired the last seven batters and struck out the side in the seventh to earn the win for Bentonville (4-2 ), which endured a frustrating stretch of 19 consecutive innings without a run before Carter and Bailey scored.
The last run BHS scored before Tuesday came in the fifth inning of a 10-0, runrule win against Gravette on March 5. They were then shutout at Fayetteville (7-0 ) and Van Buren (2-0 ).
"That puts a sick feeling in your gut because those are conference losses, then we have to sit around a week thinking about it because it's spring break," Bentonville coach Kent Early said. "But we had something positive happen for us. We had a shutout instead of being shutout."
Siloam Springs drops to 0-5.
Bailey's hit caught Siloam Springs right fielder Meghan Kenney on an in-between hop. She charged the ball and the sidespin shot it right past her and all the way into the right field corner.
Carter's run was likely a given even had the ball been caught. Bailey, though, ran hard all the way and was waved home at third and scored standing up.
"We practice high balls out here (defensively ) because the players know they've got to stay back and read the bounce off the turf," Early said. "It helps the home team (being familiar with the turf ) … as long as we can hit the ball out there. That's the key."
Carter was running for Lund, who started the sixth with a single to put the leadoff runner aboard for the second straight inning. The Lady Tigers began the fifth with two on and nobody out, then popped up a bunt and grounded back to pitcher Lauren Mills twice.
Mills struck out four in seven innings and was also backed by great defensive plays by Shelby Briley (LF ) in the fourth and Maci Lewis (2 B ) in the fifth.
"Siloam Springs did a great job," Early said. "Lauren kept 'em in the ballgame and (Lewis ) made a backhand play that looked like a dadgum major leaguer."
Gabby Dawes, Jordan Rackleff and Kenney had the hits for the Lady Panthers. Kenney's was the last, a single in the fifth to start a two-out rally before Rackleff lined a shot to second that was caught by Jackie Saumweber to leave two stranded.
Bentonville will host Har-Ber on Thursday and then compete in a two-day tournament in Conway this weekend.
Siloam Springs will host Alma on Thursday and then compete in a two-day tournament in Van Buren this weekend.
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