Lady Hornets edge Conway, clinch at least a share of league crown
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Photos courtesy of Jon Staton
By Bridget Bauer
CONWAY — Fortunately, three runs were enough for Bryant as the Lady Hornets held off the Conway Lady Wampus Cats and escaped with a 3-2 victory Friday.
Bryant (15-2, 11-0 6A/7A-Central) scored in the first inning. After Regan Ryan reached on an error, she scored on Abby Staton’s single.
The Lady Hornets added another run in the third and one in the fifth inning for a 3-0 margin. Conway tallied a run in the bottom of the sixth and another in the seventh and threatened for more in the seventh before pitcher Raven Loveless ended it.
With runners at second and third with two outs, Conway tallied a run on an RBI single. The Lady Wampus Cats then had a runner at third and first with two outs when the ball was hit to Loveless. She calmly threw out the runner attempting to score.
“Raven knew exactly what to do,” Bryant Coach Debbie Clark said. “Their coach told the girl at third not to go if the ball was hit to the pitcher. We will take that and use it as a teaching lesson next week.”
Bryant’s second run in the third occurred after Ryan reached on an error, stole second, went to third on a passed ball and scored after Cayla McDowell reached on an error.
The run in the fifth stanza came courtesy of Staton’s RBI-double that sent in Macey Jaramillo, who reached on a single. Of Bryant’s four hits, Staton slapped two, and Loveless also doubled.
“Regan Ryan hit two really hard that they couldn’t handle,” Clark said. “That shows you have to hit the ball. The statement for tonight is I told the girls they are growing up and maturing and I’m growing older.”
The Lady Hornets clinched at least a tie for the conference championship with Friday’s win. They’ll travel to Van Buren on Tuesday, May 5, with a chance claim the title outright.
