Lady Bulldogs find way to tournament

Westside Eagle Observer/MIKE ECKELS
Stephanie Sandoval delivers a pitch to home plate during the Decatur-Yellville conference softball game at Edmiston Ballpark in Decatur April 21. Sandoval and the Lady Bulldogs will return to the diamond for a regional 2A North softball tournament appearance in Flippin May 6.
Westside Eagle Observer/MIKE ECKELS Stephanie Sandoval delivers a pitch to home plate during the Decatur-Yellville conference softball game at Edmiston Ballpark in Decatur April 21. Sandoval and the Lady Bulldogs will return to the diamond for a regional 2A North softball tournament appearance in Flippin May 6.

WESTSIDE -- The Decatur softball team's 2021 season came to an end Thursday night when the team faced the Lady Bobcats in Flippin in the first round of the 2A-1 district tournament. The results were yet another blowout against the Lady Bulldogs, as Flippin took the overwhelming victory in the bottom of the third inning.

Lightning struck the Lady Bobcats as they brought 16 runs, including two home runs, across home plate to establish Flippins' control of the contest. Six additional runs, including yet another homer, sealed the win for the Lady Bobcats, 22-0, over the Lady Bulldogs.

Flippins' Cheyanne Merkel hit a pair of home runs over the outfield wall, while teammate Kaylee Warren popped one more.

Senior Stephanie Sandoval was on the mound for her last pitching assignment for the Lady Bulldogs. She completed two innings, delivering 74 pitches. Sandoval allowed 22 runs on 14 hits (nine earned runs) while walking four and allowing three home runs.

Just when it looked like the Lady Bulldogs' season was done, an announcement from the Decatur coaching staff put the Lady Bulldogs in the Regional Tournament.

Normally the regional tournament takes the top three teams in each district. But the Arkansas Activities Association (AAA), the body that governs high school sports in Arkansas, found that there was a shortage of teams to fill the slots in the 2A West brackets. So the AAA decided to allow the fourth-place team, in this case, Decatur, to fill the open slots.

The Decatur Lady Bulldogs will travel to Flippin once again to play in the 2A West Regional bracket on May 6. The regional bracket has yet to be set at press time.