PRAIRIE GROVE -- Prairie Grove (11-6, 3-3) won a slugfest as the Lady Tigers and Gravette (7-9, 1-5) combined for 29 hits in a 4A-1 Conference softball free-for-all on Monday, April 19.
The setback was the fourth straight league loss for Gravette, all by three runs or less. The Lady Lions got two doubles apiece from Lizzy Ellis and Paige Greer while Brynne Romine went 3-for 5. Gravette surrendered four runs in the fourth inning and couldn't overtake Prairie Grove in the late innings.
The win enabled Prairie Grove to even its conference record at 3-3 after starting April with three straight league losses to Pea Ridge (3-0), Gentry (4-2), and Harrison (15-0). The Lady Tigers also fashioned a 3-game win streak with decisive victories over Huntsville (17-2) and Elkins (14-4) coming into the game.
Gravette went to work, trailing by a run in the bottom of the second, beginning with Kaidence Sandoval's single into right field that Prairie Grove assistant coach Katy Chavis argued shouldn't count because she thought Sandoval stepped out of the batter's box. The plate umpire conferred with the field umpire and the play was ruled a hit. Abbi Edgmon reached on an error to put two runners aboard for the Lady Lions. Megan Woodmancy hit into a fielder's choice and Prairie Grove senior catcher Karaline McConnell tagged the lead runner out at the plate while Edgmon went to third with two outs.
Ellis plated her by smashing a double into left center evening the score at 2-2. A ground out ended the rally with two runners left stranded, a trend for both teams throughout the contest.
Prairie Grove got the run back in the bottom of the inning. Madison Hutchinson singled up the middle with two outs and Prairie Grove pitcher Chloe Hillian, who was 3-for-3 helping her cause at the plate, drove a single on the ground past second base, moving Hutchinson into scoring position. Stoufer drove in a run with blast into left center for a double, but Sydney Stearman hit a line drive into the glove of the Lady Lion second baseman, leaving two runners stranded.
The inning ended with Prairie Grove leading 3-2. Gravette couldn't answer in the third despite Kelsey Pembleton's single as Greer went down on a called strike three.
Gravette surrendered four runs in the fourth inning and couldn't overtake Prairie Grove in the late innings.
Souffer homered and drove in three runs for the Lady Tigers while Makinsey Parnell also had two hits and drove in two runs.