PRAIRIE GROVE -- No one enjoyed the Lady Tigers' 11-0 softball win over Huntsville more than Prairie Grove High School Principal Ron Bond, who filled in as first base coach Friday.
With assistant coach Katie Chavis coaching third base in the absence of head coach Brandy Carte, Bond volunteered to man first and thoroughly enjoyed himself in the capacity.
"I'm having a blast," Bond said in response to curious inquiries from Prairie Grove fans while coming in to the dugout between innings. "She (Carte) couldn't be here today."
The quality of Bond's relationship with PGHS students was obvious. The softball girls were all smiles as their principal greeted them coming into first and on this night the Lady Tigers had several base runners.
"We have great kids," Bond said. "They work hard and they want to do (the right thing) so standing over there on first base is pretty easy."
"I'm just a cheerleading coach, really a model at first base," Bond said.
Despite downplaying his role, Bond was instrumental in helping the Lady Tigers end the game early by run-rule.
In the bottom of the second inning Prairie Grove scored six runs. Starting pitcher Madie Stearman, who struck out 5 of the 16 batters she faced, helped her cause by leading off with a single. The next batter was out and sophomore Sydney Lowery came up with a runner at first. Lowery hit a short pop-up that was not fielded and bounced off the catcher in the field of play. The hit was ruled fair and with a runner going to third, Bond recognized an opportunity signaling for Lowery to take an extra base while Huntsville's infield tried to locate the ball.
The play loomed large putting two runners in position to score and both did when Kelsey Pickett followed up the play with 2-RBI double. Prairie Grove extended the lead to 9-0 on freshman Sydney Stearman's RBI ground-out.
Madie Stearman retired the Lady Eagles in order in the top of the fourth and again in the top of the fifth replicating what she did in the third inning. Madie Stearman needed only 57 pitches to get through 5 innings, allowing no runs and no hits with 1 base-on-balls. She appeared much sharper than she did three-in-relief-days earlier in a 20-4 loss to Farmington played admid high winds on Tuesday.
"It's really easy to play when it's not windy," Chavis said. "It's more about she's got some games under her belt and she knows what to do."
Huntsville got the first two Lady Tigers out and threatened to extend the game in the bottom of the fifth, but junior Brianna Byerley dug in to beat a throw to first keeping Prairie Grove alive. Sydney Stearman was hit by a pitch and senior Kylie Scott closed out the contest by smacking a 2-RBI double. Prairie Grove won 11-0 by run-rule.
Chavis praised the lineup for adjusting in the batter's box and cheering each other on after a scoreless first inning.
"They've got to keep their hands up," Chavis said. "Once they figured that out everything started working. They are really good about picking each other up."
With the win Prairie Grove improved to 2-3 after an 0-3 start.
Sports on 03/14/2018