Bentonville West smashes Conway

Three Bentonville West batters drilled shots to left and left-center field to drive in a combined five runs, and the Lady Wolverines made their first appearance in the Class 7A state softball tournament a good one Thursday with a 10-4 victory at Asbell Park. "We took advantage of it," Bentonville West Coach Anthony Cantrell said of the gap in left center. "We had some good at-bats." Hallie Wacaser's home run, her 14th of the season, gave Bentonville West (21-13) a 3-2 lead in the third inning and also helped open up the field for the Lady Wolverines. Before hitting her home run, Wacaser hit a long drive that went foul down the left-field line, causing Conway to move Tremere Harris closer to the line. Karlie Stafford was the first to hit one into the left-center field gap and drove in two runs for a 5-2 lead. Brittany Crowson hit one in the same location in the fourth inning to drive in two more runs. Jazmine Dodd tripled to the right-field fence in the fifth, then Emily Roberson went back into left center for an RBI single and Bentonville West's final run. "Bentonville West is a good team," Conway Coach Chata Hickey said. "They're a young team, but you can't tell from looking at them. They hit the ball well and have all season. "I was really shocked to see them turn out as the fifth seed. I was almost assured they would be the third seed. They started figuring out where our pitchers were throwing, and that's the strategy of the game -- know where they are pitching." Dodd was 3 for 5 and scored 3 runs, while Stafford, Crowson and Sydney Steed each had two hits for Bentonville West, which returns to action with a noon quarterfinal game against defending state champion Bentonville. Holly Stewart had two hits for Conway (15-13), including a game-tying two-run home run in the first.

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Bentonville West High School Athletics

BENTONVILLE WEST SMASHES CONWAY

HENRY APPLE

Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette | 5/11/2017

PHOTO CREDIT: Andy Shupe