GENTRY -- A strong first two innings gave the Lady Pioneers the runs they needed to beat the visiting Lady Tigers from Prairie Grove on March 17 at the Merrill Reynolds Memorial Complex in Gentry.
The Lady Pioneers answered a stolen solo Lady Tiger run in the top of the first by putting three runners across the plate in the bottom of the inning. Jaime Pierce and Sabra Phillpott both made it home on a Brooke Boston single to center. Shamere Corter, who was walked, stole home just before the close of the inning.
In the second, Baeley Metz reached on an error, made it to second on a sacrifice by Christina Barber and scored when Pierce hit a fly ball to center for a single. Jessica Sykes also managed to score during the play and Taylor Hull hit a long fly ball over the center field fence to drive in Pierce and score, making it 7-1.
The Lady Pioneers added a run, making it 8-1, in the bottom of the fourth when Sykes, courtesy runner for Alyssa Kelton after she doubled to center, tagged and scored after Hull hit a long fly ball to the center fielder.
Prairie Grove attempted a comeback in the final inning with four singles and three runs, but it wasn't enough. Gentry won, 8-4.
Gentry finished with five hits and eight runs. Prairie Grove had eight hits but only four runs.
Hull had one home run and three runs batted in during the game. Pierce and Boston each had one hit and two RBIs. Courtney Brown and Kelton each picked up hits as well.
Kelton pitched all seven innings for the Lady Pioneers. She had 11 strikeouts in the game.
Sports on 03/25/2015