LINCOLN -- Pea Ridge enjoyed the best of both worlds, mixing timely hitting with strong pitching during a five-inning 10-0 run-rule win at Lincoln on Tuesday, March 14.
Pea Ridge coach Josh Reynolds expressed his satisfaction with both the pitching and hitting.
"Emory Bowlin threw a great game for us. Zaylee Warden is our little sparkplug at the top of the lineup. One through nine we did a great job," Reynolds said.
The Pea Ridge sophomore threw her second perfect game in four days, controlling a Lincoln squad coming in off a double-header sweep of Valley Springs (13-1, 14-4) the day before.
"Props to Emory, she had a great game, and their team came out ready to make adjustments and put the ball in play off Brinkley. They didn't come out ready to swing for the fences or anything. They just kind of blooped it and put it in play over our heads, made something happen," said Lincoln coach Brittany Engel.
Reynolds implored his squad to rise to the occasion after suffering an 8-0 shutout at Class 6A Bentonville West a day earlier.
"Our kids were issued a challenge after last night and our kids responded just like we thought they would," Reynolds said.
The Lady Blackhawk fireballer struck out all 21 batters in order the previous week against Rogers Heritage. She was on top of her game against Lincoln, striking out 11 in the chalked circle.
"We didn't really make adjustments in the box and just kind of let Emory own the show, which was disappointing, but also that's probably one of the best pitchers we'll see all year," Engel said.
Offensively, Warden led the Lady Blackhawks, going 3 for 4 with a triple. Callie Cooper was 2 for 3 with a double and two RBIs.
Pea Ridge (5-3) forged a 3-0 lead in the first inning, then poured on five runs in the second, pounding Moreton, who went 21-4 as a freshman in 2022 achieving a 1.503 ERA and 289 strikeouts over 144.1 innings pitched.
Following a leadoff walk, Warden, a freshman, tripled into the right corner to drive in a run.
Moreton struck out Hope Konkler with a 2-2 pitch. Cooper plated Warden by smacking an 0-2 pitch for a double. Cooper moved to third on a passed ball with Rebekah Konkler batting.
Rebekah Konkler walked to posture runners at the corners. Bowlin helped her cause by doubling into left field which pushed a run across as the Lady Blackhawks' lead swelled to 7-0.
Moreton caught Gracie McGarrah looking on a 2-2 pitch for the second out. Pea Ridge engineered a delayed steal with a run scoring on a throw to second from the plate bumping the lead up to 8-0.
Moreton recorded the third out against Hailee Willey on a called strike three.
Bowlin retired the Lady Wolves in order during the bottom half of the inning to emerge with its 8-0 lead intact going into the third.
Lincoln first baseman Kristen Rhine tagged Warden after fielding a grounder. Moreton fanned two Lady Blackhawks with a walk in between to end the inning.
Bowlin needed only 13 pitches to get out of the third inning. Although a dropped strike three occurred, the Lincoln batter was quickly tagged and never got on base for the third out.
Moreton struck out Bowlin and Ashley Earley, around a pop-up caught by Lincoln catcher Lily Riherd to get McGarrah out, holding the Lady Blackhawks scoreless in the fourth.
Lincoln eyeballed a chance to rally with the top of the order coming up in the fourth, but Bowlin induced a ground out by leadoff hitter Ryleigh Landrum, then got Moreton to pop up to second, and struck out Saylor Stidham.
Pea Ridge needed at least two runs in the top of the fifth, and another scoreless inning on defense to clinch the game. The Lady Blackhawks took advantage of a error that allowed Willey to get aboard and Warden's Single to advance a runner to third.
Warden stole second with Hope Konkler batting. Hope Konkler drove in the ninth run with a single, and Cooper walked to load the bases. Moreton struck out Rebekah Konkler on a called strike three, but walked in a run when Bowlin reached a full count, then took ball-four. McGarrah hit a pop foul that was caught outside the first base line to end the Lady Blackhawks' half of the inning with the necessary runs secured.
Trailing 10-0 in the bottom of the fifth, Lincoln needed a run to extend the game, but couldn't solve Bowlin. Amber Bryant took strike three. Riherd also struck out and Addie Pershall went down swinging.
Last season Lincoln won 28 games and reached the Class 3A State quarterfinals before losing 6-5 to eventual state champion Ashdown. The Lady Wolves have struggled early during the 2023 season.
"Coach Engel does a great job with her kids. We knew we were going to have to show up and be able to compete to give ourselves the best chance to win," Reynolds said. "Our kids responded like they were supposed to and played and competed like they were supposed to."
Mark Humphrey/Enterprise-Leader
Pea Ridge junior Callie Cooper appears to be racing the on-deck batter while headed towards home plate to score a run during Pea Ridge's 10-0 win over Lincoln in a run-rule shortened nonconference softball game that went five innings on Tuesday, March 14, 2023.
Mark Humphrey/Enterprise-Leader
Pea Ridge senior Gracie McGarrah wants no part of an inside pitch by Lincoln fireballer Brinkley Moreton. Taking one for the team isn't as much fun when facing a hard-throwing pitcher. Pea Ridge defeated Lincoln, 10-0, in a run-rule shortened nonconference softball game that lasted five innings on Tuesday, March 14, 2023.