PRAIRIE GROVE -- Lily Riherd cleared the bases with a two-out double that provided the winning margin in Lincoln's 5-3 nonconference softball rivalry win at Prairie Grove Friday.
Lincoln coach Brittany Engel said all season long the coaches have been trying to get the squad to understand it's about one at-bat and one pitch, which can change the game.
"Lily hadn't produced very well throughout the game and we kept telling her, 'one pitch, one pitch at a time,' and then she roped that ball into the outfield and got three RBIs. That is what propelled us over them," Engel said.
The top of the order came up with one out for Lincoln in the top of the seventh and the Lady Wolves strung together three clutch hits to load the bases. Senior Ryleigh Landrum, sophomore Brinkley Moreton and senior Saylor Stidham each singled.
Prairie Grove looked like they might get out of the jam when Chloe Hillian induced Amber Bryant to hit a ground ball to Kaylee Kincaid at third base. Kincaid threw Landrum out at the plate, but the bases were still loaded.
"I wasn't disappointed in the way that we competed. We competed and didn't roll over. In the seventh inning Elizabeth got the big hit for us and we were one base runner away from bringing the tying run to the plate, which is what we try to hope for in the last inning," said Prairie Grove coach Dave Torres.
Riherd showed bunt, then swung and missed. After a ball, Riherd swung and missed again, putting her at a 1-2 disadvantage facing Hillian, her good friend from Prairie Grove. On the next pitch, Riherd smacked a 3-run double that was held up by the wind before it landed in right center field.
"I didn't really have any confidence because Chloe struck me out twice so it just kind of happened. It's hard to hit off her because she knows exactly what I don't like to hit and gets me every single time," Riherd said.
But Riherd turned the tables in the critical at-bat.
"I'll have much more confidence in myself, and I think we'll have a lot more success after this big one today and we'll have more confidence as a team because I think we've just been lacking the confidence," Riherd said. "
Moreton, Stidham and Bryant all made for home, stretching Lincoln's lead to 5-1. The Lady Wolves would need both insurance runs because Prairie Grove senior outfielder Elizabeth Stoufer homered with two outs in the bottom of the seventh to narrow the gap to 5-3.
Moreton didn't let that faze her as she ended the contest by inducing a groundout.
Prairie Grove took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third set up by Lily Davis' leadoff walk. Moreton got Stoufer to hit into a fielder's choice and the Lady Wolves recorded a force out at second. Autumn Spatz singled into right field, placing two runners aboard for the Lady Tigers.
Moreton fanned freshman Ivey Sparkman on a called strike three, holding the runners. An error allowed Kennison Hamilton to get on base while Stoufer scored.
Moreton limited the damage by getting Kimber Hamilton to pop up to shortstop.
Rhine beat a throw to first on a dropped strike three to start the fifth inning. Juliet Martinez likewise got on base and was replaced by pinch-runner, Sophia Rothrock, who immediately stole second and was ruled safe in a very close play.
Prairie Grove got the next batter, Hannah Remington, out, but Lincoln had two runners in scoring position. Landrum scored Rhine with a sacrifice fly, knotting the score at 1-1 in the fourth.
The Lady Tigers intentionally walked Moreton. Hillian ended the threat with two Lady Wolves on base with a strikeout.
The ball took some crazy bounces.
Lincoln capitalized on a double when Addie Pershall made hard contact, bouncing the softball off first base over the head of Prairie Grove's infield in the top of the sixth. Kristen Rhine followed that with a single into right field that enabled Pershall to score from second and push the Lady Wolves ahead, 2-1.
"That's part of the game; it happens. We'll get our turn. It was a well-pitched game by both pitchers. Chloe keeps us in every game and their pitcher [Moreton] is a really good pitcher. She did a good job," Torres said. "It was a good, competitive game, one that will us get ready for conference I hope."
Prairie Grove tried to answer with catcher Kimber Hamilton avoiding an 0-2 count when Moreton was called for an illegal pitch, that instead evened the count at 1-1. Kimber Hamilton singled into left field on the next pitch but the Lady Tigers left her stranded. Moreton got out of the inning with a strikeout.
Mark Humphrey/Enterprise-Leader Prairie Grove first baseman Jill Emerson leaps off the bag to catch a high throw too late to prevent her Lincoln counterpart, Kristen Rhine, from safely reaching base after a dropped strike three in the top of the fifth inning. Getting the leadoff runner aboard became the catalyst for the Lady Wolves tying the nonconference softball rivalry game at 1-1 three batters later on Ryleigh Landrum's sacrifice fly. Lincoln won 5-3.
Mark Humphrey/Enterprise-Leader Prairie Grove senior Elizabeth Stoufer dives across home plate to score on an error giving the Lady Tigers a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third inning in a nonconference softball game game against their rival, Lincoln, on Friday. Lincoln won the game 5-3.