SILOAM SPRINGS -- Pea Ridge came out swinging in its softball game at Siloam Springs on Wednesday.
The Lady Blackhawks ripped 18 hits and raced out to an early 12-1 lead before finishing off a 15-8 victory against the Lady Panthers at La-Z-Boy Softball Park.
Pea Ridge (4-0) remained undefeated while handing Siloam Springs (4-1) its first loss of the season.
The Lady Blackhawks jumped on Siloam Springs starting pitcher Crissa Spry for three runs in the first inning and then tagged her for nine in the second and three more in the top of the third for a 12-1 lead.
When Siloam Springs cut the deficit to 12-8 with four runs in the third and three more in the fourth, Pea Ridge responded by adding three insurance runs to get the lead back to a more comfortable margin.
"Our kids came out and competed and swung the bats very well," said Pea Ridge head coach Josh Reynolds. "That little girl is a very, very good pitcher and to be able to beat a good team and be able to beat a good pitcher, you've got to hit their mistakes and we did that tonight."
The Lady Panthers gave the Lady Blackhawks some help by committing five errors in the first three innings, but Pea Ridge also banged out 12 hits in the span as well.
"They hit the ball really well, but we spotted them some things in the first inning and let them grab momentum," said Siloam Springs coach Scott Wright. "You know in fast pitch softball momentum is everything. You can't let a team get going that can hit the ball, and honestly what you had out here is two teams that can hit the ball. If you let one of them grab the momentum, that's what happens."
Hollyn Davis led off the game by reaching on an error in center field and she later came around to score on an illegal pitch.
Avery Dayberry drew a walk and Sara Whatley singled and both scored on Kiera Bryant's two-run double to make it 3-0.
Siloam Springs got one run back in the bottom of the first when Morgan Curtis doubled off the center field fence and scored on a bloop hit by Lexus Allen.
Pea Ridge went back to work in the top of the second inning, and Stephanie Chase got it started with a single up the middle. Davis then reached on an error and another error allowed Pea Ridge to go up 4-1.
Dayberry reached on a fielder's choice and Sara Whatley hit a sacrifice fly to make it 5-1.
Bryant roped an RBI single and Alli Whatley lined a double to left to make it 7-1. Alli Whatley later scored on another illegal pitch and Quincy Roses singled and came around to score for a 9-1 lead.
The Lady Blackhawks added to that lead with three more runs in the third. Dayberry singled up the middle and Sara Whatley followed with a hit. Bryant reached on a fielder's choice and Alli Whatley singled home another run to make it 10-1. Roses hit a two-run single up the middle for a 12-1 lead.
Siloam Springs answered back in the third inning. Kenlie Noel, Curtis and Allen all singled, and Hannah Evans drove in Noel on a groundout. Ally Bunch drove in another run on a fielder's choice and Yasmine Alfaro roped a two-run double as the Lady Panthers cut the lead to 12-5.
Spry retired the side in order in the fourth and the Lady Panthers went back to work offensively. Noel tripled to open the inning and she scored on Curtis' RBI single. Allen singled and both she and Curtis scored on a two-run single from Bunch to cut it to 12-8, but the Lady Panthers stranded two runners to end the inning.
Pea Ridge got two of those runs back in the fifth. Dayberry singled to open the inning and Sara Whatley followed with a single. Alli Whatley drove home one run with an RBI single and Roses made it 14-8 with an RBI single.
The Lady Blackhawks added an insurance run with an RBI single from Whatley in the sixth, scoring Davis who had reached on a single.
Pea Ridge used two pitchers in the ball game. Allie VanHouden started the game and pitched the first three innings, while Chase pitched the final four innings.
Reynolds said he used both pitchers because the Lady Blackhawks have had multiple rainouts this year and he was wanting to get playing time for lots of kids.
"That was our plan with trying to get confidence for as many kids before spring break," he said. "We've got two very quality pitchers that I trust and that can go in there and compete against anybody."
Sara Whatley and Alli Whatley each had four hits to lead Pea Ridge offensively. Sara Whatley scored three runs and had two RBIs, while Alli Whatley scored a run with three RBIs. Roses had three hits, three RBIs and a run scored, while Dayberry and Bryant each had two hits. Dayberry scored four runs, while Bryant scored two runs and had three RBIs.
Davis had one hit and scored three runs, while Brittany Harmon and Chase each had one hit.
Siloam Springs finished with 14 hits, led by three hits each from Curtis, Allen and Alfaro. Curtis scored three runs and had an RBI, while Allen scored two runs with an RBI and Alfaro two RBIs. Noel had two hits and scored two runs for the Lady Panthers.
"This is a great game to learn from," Wright said. "(Pea Ridge is) the kind of team if you don't come ready to play, they can hurt you. They have a lot of good sticks on that team. They're a very good hitting team and if you're not hooked up, they'll bring it to you."
Sports on 03/23/2016