Elkins shuts out Pea Ridge, takes district tourney
Posted on Thursday, May 8, 2008
LINCOLN - Elkins coach Paula Wheeler expects nothing but excellence when Amber Caywood takes the mound.
In the 1-3 A District tournament championship Monday night, nothing was new. Caywood struck out 12 batters and the Lady Elks shut out Pea Ridge, 4-0.
Elkins (23-2 ) took advantage of two big fielding errors in the fourth inning to score three runs onward to the title. Two of Elkins'runs in the frame came off a fielding error and wild pitch.
"Even though it wasn't a big, back-toback hitting night, there were some people that took some great strides," Elkins coach Paula Wheeler said. "Some that have struggled came out and did some things that helped us win."
The Lady Elks' win marked the fifth against the Lady Hawks this season.
Kayleigh Harriman went 3-for-4 with an RBI and double to lead the Lady Elks' 11-hit output. Elkins had a chance to put more runners in scoring position throughout the game, but running gaffes, including Caywood not running to first after a ball dropped fair in the third inning, halted the run support.
Cayood's arm on the mound, however, was more than enough for Elkins. The senior faced no more than five batters in an inning, struck out two or more in five innings in the complete game shutout and won the tournament's MVP award.
She also hit a triple, but was thrown out at home plate after turning too wide during her run.
"Every game that Amber is on the mound, we have a great ease about us," Wheeler said. "I, as well as the players, have a great confidence in her. She does an excellent job every time she's up. I couldn't ask for more out of her."
Pea Ridge (16-9 ) threatened in the top of the fourth with back-to-back base hits from Brittany Morgan and Kayla Bangs, but a double play from a pop-up and throw out from left field to second base ended the scoring threat.
Then the two errors in the bottom half of the frame cost the Lady Hawks dearly.
"That one inning," Pea Ridge head coach Heather Wade said. "We got a little down, we got doubled off and didn't capitalize like we wanted to. We didn't make the plays when we needed it."
Elkins hosts the Class 3 A Region 1 tournament starting Saturday. The Lady Elks are set to take on the fourth seed out of the 4-4 A at noon Saturday. The No. 2 seed Lady Hawks will play at 5: 15 p.m. against the third seed out of the 4-4 A. Lincoln 8, West Fork 6 (third place game )
Lincoln played without the services of two regulars in the outfield, but still put together a solid effort offensively and defensively to take third place from West Fork, 8-6, in the 1-3 A District tournament Monday.
Debbie Morton, who played right field as a reserve, had an RBI double in the Lady Wolves' 5-run fifth and an important throw-out at home plate in the fourth.
"Both of our new outfielders really stepped up," Lincoln head coach Karen Coleman said.
West Fork (7-14 ) left five runners on base and committed five costly errors. The Lady Tigers also allowed 11 hits.
"They just hit the ball well," West Fork head coach Lisa Kirk said. "We were able to get some runners on first and second, but Lincoln was tough defensively."
The Lady Tigers battled back with a 3-run seventh inning, but left two runners in scoring position following a routine 5-3 putout to end the game.
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