The GHS girls’ softball team took a week off from live action for spring break, but hasn’t missed a beat in their return, winning seven of their last eight games, including a pair of doubleheader sweeps over Van Buren and Harrison in conference play. They are currently 14-2 overall and are unbeaten (6-0) against 5A West foes. They already have a 10-game winning streak this season that was snapped last week with a loss to Class 6A Bentonville West.
After taking two from Van Buren in their delayed return to action after the break, they played in a tournament at Van Buren last weekend, winning three of four. They then swept the Lady Goblins of Harrison on Tuesday this week before the varsity squad gets a break and the junior varsity girls play at Russellville on Thursday before hosting Lavaca on Friday in a pair of 5-inning twinbills.
Returning to the field after spring break, the GHS ladies had to wait a bit longer to resume live action. A March 25th game against Fort Smith Southside was cancelled and their scheduled conference doubleheader at home against Van Buren was moved from Tuesday to Thursday last week. But the delay was worth it as Greenwood swept the Lady Pointers, 7-4 and 10-1.
Van Buren game #1
The home team didn’t waste any time jumping on the Lady Pointers, scoring four runs in the bottom of the first inning. Greenwood added a single tally in the second inning and two more in the fourth in their 7-4 conference victory. The visitors scored two runs in the second and fifth frames off GHS hurler Tori Howard. The senior went the distance, pitching seven innings, allowing six hits, two walks, and three earned runs for the win. She threw 98 pitches, 61 for strikes.
Offensively, the Lady Bulldogs had seven hits, two each by Saylor Hart and Howard with Haley McAdams, Daisy Parker, Rylee Floyd all getting solo hits with one RBI each. Hart had two RBIs and Howard had a double. Parker’s hit left the yard for a homerun and she scored two runs. Brilea Rofkahr also drove home a run and scored one.
Van Buren game #2
Once again, the Lady Bulldogs pounced on Van Buren pitching with four runs in the first inning in route to an easy 10-1 victory. Greenwood added two more runs in the fourth and four in the fifth to seal the win. The visitors plated their only run in the third, getting five hits in the game off GHS starter Haley McAdams, who threw 87 total pitches, 62 for strikes. She fanned five Van Buren hitters and gave just one walk. The home defense was also good, making just one miscue.
At the dish the Lady Bulldogs had 11 hits, including a pair of triples. Piper Pitts, Brilea Rofkahr, Bri Taylor, and Rylee Flord all had two knocks each with Pitts and Rofkahr each getting a three-bagger. Saylor Hart, Daisy Parker, and Tori Howard all had solo hits. Pitts scored two runs and drove home two while Rofkahr and Taylor had one RBI each. Rylee Floyd led the team in RBIs with three and scored a run. Saylor Hart walked twice and scored twice while Parker and Howard had solo RBIs.
Vilonia Lady Eagles
The offenses of both teams was on display when Greenwood faced Vilonia last Friday in their opening game of the Van Buren tournament as the Field of Dreams Sports Complex. Both teams scored two runs in their first at bat and combined for eight more runs in the second inning. Trailing 7-5 after two frames, the Lady Eagles outscored Greenwood 3-2 in the third inning, but still trailed by one run when the game was called due to time constraints. Vilonia led 8-7 heading into the bottom of the third before Greenwood plated two runs to retake the lead, 9-8, which turned out to be the final score.
Two of the three GHS pitchers were touched up for two runs each. Haley McAdams started and got four outs before being relieved by Alyssa Lovell, who went one inning before being replaced by Tori Howard. The senior got the last two outs to keep the game a one-run affair, giving her team a chance to come back in the bottom of the frame. The GHS defense made four errors, allowing four unearned runs by Vilonia.
With the sticks, the Lady Bulldogs had nine hits and got three walks and three errors from Vilonia. McAdams, Emily Creason, and Saylor Hart all had two hits each, with McAdams stroking a double and a homerun with four RBIs. Brilea Rofkahr, Emmy Burton, and Tori Howard all had solo hits with Rofkahr getting an RBI while Burton drove home two runs. McAdams, Creason, and Howard all scored two runs each.
Pea Ridge Lady Blackhawks
Greenwood’s next game, also last Friday, couldn’t have been more different, a 1-0 victory in a pitching duel between Tori Howard and Pea Ridge starter Abigail Rogers. Howard gave up four hits in five innings of work while Rogers allowed six hits. Howard fanned five enemy hitters and walked no one, spinning 65 total pitches, 48 for strikes. Both teams played excellent defense.
The Lady Bulldogs scored their lone run in the top of the fourth inning when Brilea Rofkahr crossed the plate after reaching base with a hit. She was driven home by Ryleigh Decker with a sacrifice fly. Daisy Parker had two of Greenwood’s hits, with Rofkahr, Haley McAdams, Bri Taylor, and Saylor Hart getting the other four knocks.
Mena Ladycats
Just before noon last Saturday the Lady Bulldogs beat the Mena Lady Bearcats in another nailbiter, 2-1. Sophomore hurler Alyssa Lovell started the game for Greenwood and pitched very well into the sixth inning before being relieved by Haley McAdams. Lovell allowed just three hits and one run with seven strikeouts and no walks. McAdams got the game’s final two outs after Mena had scored its only run in the top of the sixth inning.
Both of Greenwood’s runs came in the second inning and they still led 2-0 going into the sixth. Both team’s defense made two errors, and one of the Lady Bulldogs runs was unearned. The GHS girls had only four hits in the game, one each by Piper Pitts, Haley McAdams, Emily Creason, and Bri Taylor, all singles. Pitts drove home both Greenwood runs.
Bentonville West Lady Wolverines
Greenwood’s final contest last Saturday was a 5-4 loss to Class 6A Bentonville West, ending the Lady Bulldogs’ 10-game winning streak. Both teams scored early, plating two runs each in the first inning. But the Bentonville West girls added two more tallies in the second and led 4-2 after three frames and 5-2 after four innings.
Greenwood plated two runs in the top of the fifth to make it a one-run contest, but it wasn’t enough to avoid the loss. Their late rally started with an error, a walk, a single, and another error. But a double play followed, clearing the bases. Another single gave the Lady Bulldogs two-out hope, but a ground out ended the game.
The GHS girls had five hits in the contest, two each from Brilea Rofkahr and Tori Howard, all singles. Rofkahr had an RBI, the only one for the Lady Bulldogs. Lakyn Dawson had the only other hit for Greenwood. Howard started in the circle for the Lady Bulldogs and pitched 2.2 innings before being relieved by Haley McAdams, who finished the game. Greenwood made two defensive errors, allowing one unearned run, while the Bentonville West girls made six errors, giving up three unearned runs.
Harrison Lady Goblins game #1
The weather conditions weren’t great on Tuesday, but the Lady Bulldogs didn’t let the chilly temperature slow them down. They jumped all over Harrison’s starting pitcher, scoring eight runs in the bottom of the first inning, seven earned. Having set the tone with their first inning outburst, the GHS ladies added two more tallies in the second and five more in the fourth for the run-rule victory in 4½ innings.
Tori Howard filled the circle for the home team and did a great job, allowing just one first inning run (unearned), notching six strikeouts while allowing only two hits. She needed 73 pitches to get through five frames, 49 of those offerings were strikes, a 2-to-1 ratio of strikes to balls. She faced 21 total batters and pitched around three Greenwood errors.
At the dish, the GHS girls stroked 16 hits in just four innings, led by Piper Pitts with three knocks, all singles, two runs batted in, and two runs scored. Five other players had two hits each including Brilea Rofkahr, Haley McAdams, Bri Taylor, Saylor Hart, and Rylee Floyd. Rofkahr had the team’s only extra-base hit with a double, two walks and two RBIs. McAdams drove home three runs and scored twice while Taylor had an RBI and scored a run. Floyd added two RBIs and scored three runs.
Other GHS hitters with solo knocks included Emily Creason, Daisy Parker, and Tori Howard, who matched Haley McAdams with three RBIs. Howard also walked twice and had a sacrifice fly. Creason scored a run and Parker crossed the plate three times. Harrison made four errors in the contest but they somehow managed to five up only one unearned run.
Harrison Lady Goblins game #2
The nightcap was almost a repeat of game one, with Greenwood pulverizing Harrison pitching for 10 hits and 15 runs in four innings, including an 11-run second inning to put the game away early. The Lady Bulldogs added two more tallies in the third inning and one more in the bottom of the fourth. GHS starting hurler Haley McAdams was stellar in the circle, allowing no runs on three hits and one walk, needing 77 total pitches, 48 of those strikes.
With the bats the Greenwood girls had three players with two hits – Brilea Rofkahr, Emmy Burton, and Daisy Parker – and four others with solo knocks. Rofkahr had two singles, an RBI, and scored two runs. Burton had a walk and two singles with two RBIs, scoring two runs. Parker had two singles, two RBIs, and scored twice. Alyssa Lovell, Bri Taylor, Rylee Floyd all had singles while Tori Howard whacked a double with an RBI and two runs scored. Floyd also had an RBI and scored two runs.