GENTRY -- After keeping up with Van Buren through the first four innings of an April 22 game at Gentry High School, the Lady Pioneers fell behind in the fifth, 3-2, and were unable to score in the final two innings.
Van Buren scored the first run of the game in the top of the third after a line drive to center brought in the first batter of the inning, who grounded to the Gentry shortstop and reached first on an error.
Gentry matched that score when Malea Wilson singled to left and later was brought home by an Afton Finnell line drive and a Van Buren error.
The game was still tied up at one in the top of the fifth when Van Buren put runners at second and third with a single and a double, only to have the next batter hit a line-drive double to second base and bring in two runs.
Gentry responded with another run in the bottom of the inning on an error out in left field followed by two ground outs which brought Emily Haag home to make it 3-2 Van Buren.
But that was the end of the scoring on both sides. Finnell got the only hit in the past two innings of the game, a grounder to the pitcher. The other batters went down, one-two-three.
Kyleigh Wheaton was in the circle for Gentry. She allowed five hits and three runs over seven innings, striking out seven and walking no one.
Taylor Norman, Wheaton, Wilson, Finnell and Liberty Brannon each had hits in the game.
