Benton blasts Trojans in DH before break

ALYSSA HOUSTON — Benton senior Alyssa Houston makes contact in a recent game. Houston went a combined 6 for 6 with a grand slam and six RBIs in a doubleheader sweep over Hot Springs Tuesday in Benton.
BRAEDEN BOTTS/Special to The Saline Courier

BENTON – The Benton Lady Panthers had no trouble improving to 4-0 in the 5A South Tuesday with a doubleheader sweep at Lady Panther Park in Benton. Benton downed the Hot Springs Lady Trojans 16-1 in the first game before freshman Azzy Morrow no-hit Hot Springs in a 15-0 blowout in the second game of the nightcap.

Morrow would walk the first Lady Trojan of the game in the second contest, but retired the final nine batters in the three-inning affair. Morrow struck out seven in the no-hitter with just the one walk in three innings.

The Lady Panthers (6-1, 4-0) put a run on the board in the first frame with seniors Addison Davis and Alyssa Houston both singling to start. The two runners advanced a bag on a wild pitch before a pop out and RBI ground out by freshman Caroline Hicks had Benton up 1-0 after one.

The Lady Panthers tacked two more on in the second with two outs as both Davis and Houston had RBI singles for the 3-0 lead.

It was the third when Benton ended it, putting up 12 runs, with Houston’s grand slam and Morrow’s RBI double the only extra-base hits for the inning and game, to invoke the sportsmanship rule of being up 15 runs after three innings.

AC LACKEY — Benton freshman AC Lackey slides into a base in a recent game. The Lady Panthers would sweep Hot Springs 16-1 and 15-0 in 5A South Conference play Tuesday in Benton.
BRAEDEN BOTTS/Special to The Saline Courier

Houston was huge at the plate going 3 for 3 with the granny and five RBIs. Morrow was also excellent at the dish with a 2-for-2 day with two runs and two RBIs. Davis also went 2 for 2 with two runs and an RBI, with sophomore Lydia Bethards adding a hit and run in the win.

The Lady Panthers invoked the mercy rule again, this time after four innings, in the 16-1 win despite Hot Springs (2-6, 0-6) taking a 1-0 lead on an RBI single in the top of the first. It did not take long for Benton to respond as Davis singled and scored on Houston’s RBI single to center, with the Lady Panthers adding two more on freshman AC Lackey’s bases-loaded base on balls and Bethards, who reached via single, scored on an error for the 3-1 lead after one.

Benton took total control in the second as junior AC Mitchell’s 2-run single started the scoring, while freshman Cameron Culclager and Lackey followed with RBI singles. A sacrifice fly from senior Dakota Hobson made it a 9-1 game before Davis, Houston and Bethards all had RBI singles for the 12-1 advantage.

Senior Violet Mendez hit a 2-run double in the third for the 14-1 lead and Benton ended it in the fourth when Houston doubled and scored on a Bethards triple, with Bethards scoring on senior Mallory Crosby’s RBI ground out to seal it.

Houston again went 3 for 3, adding an RBI and four runs scored, with Bethards 3 for 4 with three runs and three RBIs. Culclager was 2 for 3 with two runs, while Mitchell (two runs), Lackey (two runs) and Mendez all went 1 for 2 with two RBIs each.

Crosby earned the win in the circle giving up one run on seven hits and a walk, striking out four in four innings.

Benton, tied atop the South with Sheridan and White Hall at 4-0, gets the rest of the week and spring break off, resuming South play against Lake Hamilton on Tuesday, March 28, in Benton.