The sky is clear, the sun is finally shining and we are ready to play ball here at the Benton Sports Athletic Complex on the final day of the Arkansas State High School Softball Championships, 2 titles on the line today starting in the 3/8.
Between the Hoxsey Lady Mustangs, any Baptist prep lady Eagles welcome everybody alongside former Arkansas Razorback sitting part.
I am Dorian craft happy to have you with us once again.
Now Sidney it is been awhile but Baptist Prep has been here before.
2 state titles the 1st in 2005, the Second Coming in 2010, but the Hoxie Mustangs.
This is their first ever trip to the title game.
So how do the Lady Mustangs counteract the experience of their opponent right?
Dorian Baptist Prep they are experienced Hoxie.
This is their first time, so you know there's going to be some nerves.
I think it could go one or two ways, right.
They are experienced, so there might be a lot of nerves.
There might be no nerves at all.
Because of that mentality of hey, we don't have anything to lose.
Head coach Scott Brown told us that his girls don't even really realize how big of a game this is.
They've never been here before.
They don't know whether or not they should even be nervous about playing in this championship game and they will get sent to pace the Baptist.
Prep Lady Eagles 28 and six coming into this game.
Head coach Tim Yelvington very excited about his team's chances, said he felt like they would have been a favorite in the three.
A had the 2020 season not been cancelled.
Of course, due to COVID-19 right in COVID-19.
That was such a tough year for so many athletes across the country throughout the world.
Sometimes you know the high school athletes they kind of go unnoticed the more there's more of the focus on college athletes losing their season.
But I mean they're here so it might have happened in 2019, but they are.
Here in 2021 sees the day as we get ready.
Just start with the first pitch here in the three A state championship for the Hoxsey Lady Mustangs.
It will be Jayden Brown followed by her sister JC Ashton, Wallace, Kaylie Moody, Kylie Jones, Micaela Johnson Alley Melbourne, Chloe Prater, anhana Riggs.
Rounding out the batting order and there you see in the circle they will be going up against these senior Macy Welch Macy.
Well it has been dominant for this Baptist prep team.
She's going to sit in the lower.
60s.
She is a lefty.
She's going to throw a drop drop curve rise, change an screw.
She throws a lot of pitches.
This is going to be a change of pace.
Dorian.
We've been seeing a lot of pitchers who arise bald dominant.
Here she is a drop ball pitcher.
She really gets a lot of hitters to hit ground balls, and that's exactly what she wanted just to make your defense work behind you.
Welch, 64, and a third innings pitched on the season.
14 starts, 17 appearances with a record of eight and two.
Miniscule ER a of .544 on the season.
And already you see Brown taking control of the box, stepping out, calling time as well.
Step back off the rubber, right?
I think she was trying to re get her signal.
I don't think she was so sure about the pitch called.
First pitch swinging, grounded to short over the 1st in time to get Brown by a step and that was a great play by the shortstop Taylor Borns.
That is a tough plate.
It's hit very soft.
She did a great job of being aggressive coming to get it to throw it across the diamond.
Brown runs well, but she is out by a step and he had any nerves.
That's a way to get rid of them pretty quickly.
First pitch swinging in the state championship exactly right, Doran?
Jayden sister, JC stepping in, takes a first pitch strike.
I mean, how cool is that getting to play with your sister in the state championship game?
JC Brown leading this team with a 605 average, she said four home runs with 29 RBI's as she swings and misses at strike two and there is that phenomenal drop all that Welch throws.
She throws that pitch.
She executes it so well.
Tim Yelvington, believing that his pitching staff is a strength of this team is the O2 misses high.
And that's a good thing to have.
If you've got dominant pitchers who can get on the mound and really grind to work hard for your team so that you can be successful on offense, that's what you want the one to.
Hit **** ** the ground, but fell that curveball came really tight in on JC Brown's hands.
She did a good job in that count.
Just trying to get a piece of it.
And you might have guessed by the last name Brown, but head coach Scott Brown, the father of Jayden and Jaycee Brown, talk about sisters playing together.
Then you have your dad coaching you.
It's a family affair at Hoxie is the one too?
Lined into left just on the other side of the foul line.
And that was just a Fallon for JC Brown and we saw her kind of clap her hands.
Like man, you know it's your first at bat.
You're just getting settled in.
She's already seen a lot of pitches from Welch.
She would have liked for that to have been fair.
So he always wanted to be fair, right?
Mrs With the 1/2 and that just misses down and out.
That was her drop curve that she throws spectacular.
And count even at two and two here in the first inning.
And again, brown.
Makes good contact, but pulls it foul.
He's not letting up in this at bat.
She's making a statement within her first at bat, just like we saw her sister do.
It's not always bad swinging at the first pitch strike, but as the one hole to hole you want to gain as much information on the picture as you can so you can relay that back to the dugout.
The two two not one line in the left for a base hit, and that is a great at bat.
We talked about it yesterday.
That's most definitely oqab driving that pole through the five six holes.
She was predominantly getting pitched inside.
She knew what was to be expected.
That's right for those of you who may have missed the broadcast yesterday.
Qab is apparently the acronym for a quality at bat.
You can credit the coaching staff at Arkansas for coming up with the khwab stuff in Italy.
We even had a huge chart that said in bold print coach Matt Mike we're talking about you squares.
The bomb pulls back, Brown is on the run and she is going to be out at second.
What a great throw by Macy Henderson that was right on the money.
We even saw Welch give a big jump in the air.
I mean not about could not have been a better through.
We saw JC Brown right there I think as she got her jump off the first base she kind of got tripped up just a little bit.
Worth noting that this field here at the Benton Sports Athletic Complex is on turf.
Is that ball spins foul and the majority of these teams not used to playing on the turf field.
No, you're exactly right.
Dorian.
We talked to Baptist prep.
They've been able to use Joe T. Robinson, and you see a softball field to their advantage, but they're not on it consistently in the same thing.
For Hoxie, they don't play on this surface often.
Not one stays outside for a ball.
I feel like you see a is the unofficial field of the Arkansas State Championships here.
Because so many teams have been practicing on the UCA field, you see of course also turf.
Not quite the same as here, but just to get the same feel.
Apple ripped down the line in left field.
Ashton Wallace, turning for seconds, and she is going to be in there with a stand up double and that is another great swing put on the ball.
Ashton Wallace doing exactly what JC Brown just did.
She got a double out of it, but we're seeing we just saw Ashton Wallace being worked inside just like JC Brown, she got her hands inside of it and really state threw that pitch.
And for Hoxie, this is a big confidence boost coming out and getting a couple hits off of starter Macy Welch.
That is a big confidence boost.
That's exactly what you want in the top of the first inning to be able to see your hitters have quality at bats and really hit the ball hard.
Instans Kaylie Moody.
The 01 stays low.
Right now we've kind of seen already a common trend by Macy Welch really working these Hoxie batters inside low and inside.
The one one.
Make that two and one.
Is that curveball missed?
And then, as I say that she goes right back outside so.
The two one swung on and missed.
And there's that drop ball that she throws so well.
She gets a lot of ground ball outs on that pitch and in that count with the runner at second.
This is what you want right now.
You want Kaylee Moody to hit a ground ball to end the inning.
Well, it's the big lefty.
The two two swung on and missed for strike three and that is going to end the inning.
Hoxie gets a couple of hits but can't bring them in.
We head to the bottom of the first.
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We're happy to have you with us for this final day of Arkansas State High School softball championships in the bar during craft with you.
Happy to have you here on this gorgeous day here in Benton, AR.
As we are in the bottom of the first between the Hoxie Lady Mustangs in the Baptist Prep Lady Eagles and it is Ashton Wallace who will be taking the mound for the Lady Mustangs.
Ashton Wallace is an impact pitcher for this team.
She's going to give this team a chance to win.
She throws 5 pitches, a fastball, curves.
True change rice.
She can throw it all people.
And another thing that she does well as she just spots the ball well.
Spins it in for strike one against Taylor Borns and it will be borns.
Welch Childers followed by Slayton Midkiff in Henderson for Baptist Prep as that one stays high.
And another thing about Ashton Wallace says she's going to sit around the mid 50s.
And really just depends upon her spin.
Straight to the bournes to even the count.
And Taylor born, she is a right-handed hitter.
But she is super speedy.
An has a lot of pop to her back.
The two too **** ** the ground, but foul just outside the bag at 3rd.
We're seeing so far in this game, the ball being pounded through the left side of the field.
In Sydney, do you think that's a product of the balls being on the inner part of the plate?
Or are batters not letting it travel far enough and getting their hands out around?
I think it's most definitely the pitches being thrown to the inner part of the plate.
We're seeing all of these hitters between Hoxie.
Swung on and missed for strike.
Three borns.
Didn't realize that Brown dropped it and she jogs back to the dugout and there's that rise ball that Ashton Wallace throws so well.
She really, really trust her spin and as a pitcher your main job is to spot the ball and that's one thing that Coach Brown said she knows where it's going.
Instans Macy Welch.
And here it is.
Another picture that we can see step up to the plate and do damage as well.
Welch wearing #30 today.
Typically she's #8 as she flares that one out to left center field that ball deep but nice recovery out in left field.
By Micaela Johnson.
That wasn't out.
That was a great recovery by Micaela Johnson.
She got a good read and she was actually shaded over more towards the left centerfield gap.
She could have taken about 2 steps deeper.
I don't think she realized how far the ball was traveling, but she got the out.
The thing about this Hoxie outfield as head coach Scott Brown told us none of them had picked up a softball prior to this season.
This is a completely new outfield hat and played in a pitch not even ending up pitch of high school softball prior to this year.
Not really something special, but I think that goes a lot to Coach Brown being such a great coach.
The 01's Childers with a line drive in another defensive gem.
Jayden Brown makes the grab to end the inning as Baptist Prep goes down in order that we're still scoreless as we head to the top of the second.
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We're in the top of the second of the three, a state title between the Hoxie Lady Mustangs in the Baptist Prep Lady Eagles.
As we take a look down the third baseline at head coach Scott Brown in his fifth year at Hoxie Horse coaching, both of his daughters, Jayden and Jason.
As we mentioned at the top of the OR in the bottom half of the first inning.
Rather, this is a team that had five girls that didn't play softball prior to this year, and honestly hearing that out of his mouth.
That's kind of crazy to think that they are here in the state final game.
I think that really goes back to who he is as a coach developing his athletes.
No one one tapped back to Welch over to 1st in time for the easy out and that's a great pitch by Welch doing what she does best.
Getting the hitters to hit ground balls filling her position very well.
That would be bad.
Players that have never played high school softball prior to this year.
They also didn't have a practice until after their first six games.
The majority of the team also played basketball, so they had a basketball game on Thursday in the first softball game, the following Monday, and not a practice in between.
Not some adversity right there.
Tauriainen itself, and it is Michaela Johnson who made that fantastic plate of Rob Welch of a hit in the bottom of the first stepping to the plate.
Take strike one.
Swings and misses it strike too.
I really want to know what their practices were like OK.
They've missed half the season.
They're trying to develop their outfielders and some of their players.
I bet they were flat out, getting after it.
You have to be to make it to this level, right?
Exactly go to.
I don't want stays outside.
Certainly getting off to a slow start didn't hurt them anyway.
Started one and four, they've ripped off 30 straight wins coming into today.
Strike three for the second out of the inning to go back to your point door and you have that kind of start, but then you have 30 straight wins as you as you progress throughout your season, it is just going to continue to get better and better as it goes on.
These athletes are learning, learning what their strengths are, their weaknesses are what areas they need to progress in and get better at.
I need to correct myself.
That's a 20 game win streak.
We've caught a lot of games folks over the last couple of days.
All the numbers start to bleed together at this point.
As Ali Melbourne swings it, strike one that's OK. 20 games is still wanna games with C dollars.
Yeah is is very good.
Not one tapped found towards the first base side and a little bit different approach by Macy Welch.
Right now she was going hard inside to these Hoxie hitters.
Right now she's doing a great job of staying away from them, throwing that screwball, and then also her killer drop ball.
The 02 Baptist Prep headed towards the dugout as they thought that was definitely strike three, but the home plate umpire thought that ball just missed Macy Henderson.
She was ready to get back to the dugout and get going.
That one will be strike three, though.
As Hoxie goes, three up three down in the top of the second, we head to the bottom of the inning.
Still scoreless.
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We're underway in the bottom of the second inning between Hoxsie and Baptist Prep.
Lady Eagles head coach Tim Yelvington has been a familiar face for this team.
He's in his 20th season.
With Baptist Prep, that is a lot of season story and you do not see coaches lasting that long.
Typically before moving on to somewhere else.
They were here pretty early too.
I want to note there here at 7:30 for a ten o'clock game.
That's right, the team made a Starbucks run prior to coming to the field today.
They said it was tradition.
They did it for their big games in both the regional and the state championship games and just a note about him.
Yelvington he got involved with this program because his daughters were playing, but his oldest or I guess technically his youngest daughter.
Graduated in 2006 so he is just stuck with it.
He told us that you know every year he kind of tells his wife.
I'm thinking about giving it up and she's like don't you dare.
As Wallace gets the strike out of the leadoff batter live slate and you know I told people Dorian all the time that once you get into this game, it's like it sucks you in it's so addictive and there's so many things to love about it.
Katie Midkiff stepping to the plate.
First pitch swing is she fouls it back over to the first base side.
Ali, Melbourne couldn't quite come up with it I think for Katie Midkiff right there in this at bat.
This is her first time seeing Ashton Wallace.
I think she's really happy that Milburn just took that off of her glove to give her another chance.
Midkiff, one of the four pictures on this Baptist prep status, she takes strike two.
391 average 45 hits, twelve doubles for Midkiff.
She looks like that one high and outside.
So, interestingly enough, Katie Midkiff.
She was there lead off earlier in the season.
Coach Yelvington moved her.
Tapped on the ground foul.
To the five spot.
But we talked about it prior to the game.
We talked about it with him.
He's more of a fuel coach.
His assistant is a big numbers person.
Hey so they go out and practice of field by numbers as Midkiff sends that out to right field and well played by Bailey Prater.
For out #2.
That was a great play by Bailey Prater as she went back to make the grab.
That ball was carrying a little bit.
I don't know if it's because the wind is picked up.
It actually looks like it's.
Coming into home plate but she stuck with it to get the out.
Macy Henderson swinging.
At the first pitch falls back into the screen.
And talking to coach Tim Yelvington.
He talked about Macy Henderson at the plate.
She finds a way to get the job done.
Apple's guide out into right center field.
Who's going to come up with it?
Chloe Prater in Bailey Prater collide in right center field, but Chloe comes up with it and holds on for out #3.
We're headed to the top of the third.
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We're going to crater in Rexahn Prater again to start the top of the third for proxy.
Chloe Prater just held on for that out in.
Centerfield colliding with her sister, Bailey Prater, what a recovery that was.
They did collide but she stuck with it, takes a lot of concentration is the 01 shows bunt.
I'm gonna say she offered at it.
And this is the first time that we've seen a Hoxie batter try to square around and bump.
This is something that Coach Brown said that his hitters will do quite often today.
Is tried a small ball.
Put the ball in play, put some pressure on the defense.
The 02 swung on and missed for strike three.
Now it's three straight strikes dating back to last inning for.
Welch.
I think, well, she's been phenomenal so far these three innings, but she's really found her stride these past three batters.
We're seeing her really mixed up.
Her pitches go inside, outside, down, and out.
Hannah rigs the freshman showing bunt.
Pulls back to take it for a ball rig, squaring around a bun again, as we saw the corners crashing very hard and they're not scooting back, they're still staying in.
Tim Yelvington, clearly expecting to see some small balls.
She swings through that one.
And Cindy, I like the idea.
Actually it was coach Yelvington that talk to us about it during pregame.
He sometimes has his team, but if they're not seeing the ball well, so I like the idea.
Nearby Hoxie to try and get a little better site on these Macy Welch pitches to turn and try and bump this first time through the order.
I agree with you Dorian and talking to Coach Yelvington.
Even his power hitters.
He has them but at times Hoxie right now showing bunt it's never a bad thing to do early in the game.
Strike two on the corner which we've talked about this.
I'm kind of old school.
I love the small ball.
I would expect nothing less from a lefty slapper.
I love it.
Every everything about it as a third baseman.
I hated to defend it.
The two two.
That one stays low.
Miss Riggs has run the count full at 3/2.
Well, she had to give up a walk.
That one strike three on the outside corner, and that is now four batters in a row that have been victims of the strike out right now.
Messi, Welches absolutely dealing you just talked about.
She was in a full count.
She's like no problem.
I'm going to bring this one right in there.
Yeah, right?
This brings us back to the top of the order in Jaylen Brown Jayden Brown.
Brown hit the ball harder first time up, but a nice play it short from Taylor Bornish in the heart of this hoxsie lineup.
It is going to be the one to hold the sisters Jayden Angasi.
10 Taking low for ball tune Jayden.
Coming in with a 521 average nine home runs, 24 RBI's has worked herself a hitters count.
Now we've seen some good batting averages Dorian, but over 500 that's getting on almost every time.
Swinging in its fair by Justin inched inside the left field line and Brown will cruise into second with a stand up double and again.
This is another great at bat, but Jayden Brown really hitting the ball hard.
She got that tight inside curve keeping her hands inside working or barrel around it and we talked about it earlier.
It's a game of inches.
Staying right inside the line.
Midcalf well positioned with that ball.
Just hit too hard to get to it on time and keep an eye on Jayden Brown.
She's got 27 stolen bases on the year.
We've already seen Scott Brown.
Not afraid to put these girls in motion so he's not afraid at all, especially with his daughters Jayden and Jaycee.
They are the ones in this lineup who do have a lot of speed, so right now if JC could get a base it Jayden is going to score from 2nd.
The 10 that one in the left field Brown going to be waived around there will be no play at the plate as Hoxie takes the lead on the RBI double by JC Brown and as we saw in her first at Bat JC Stick into the left side of the field, that ball is absolutely mash.
She gets another inside curveball really staying with that pitch like I just said prior to that pitch, Dorian Jayden is going to score from 2nd and she sure enough did with two out.
She was going on contact.
And that is the sister to sister connection right there.
And that brings a passion Wallison a delayed steal by Brown.
Who my gosh they do have the speed and that's such heads up baserunning when you're on 1st on 2nd and you see the picture isn't quite looking you back or you know, really being attentive to you, that was really good too with two outs.
Delayed still not something you see often in the game anymore, especially not from 2nd to 3rd.
Wallace fouls it back up into her body.
You're exactly right.
I don't really think I've ever seen that second to third.
I've seen it maybe a handful of times I haven't seen.
I haven't seen a delete steel since travel ball.
I don't think I ever saw one.
You know my time in college?
Probably not, since at Travel Tournament last time I saw it was in high school and I think that was like my freshman year.
Piece of heads up baserunning by Brown is the 01 or the 02 rather swung through by Wallace, but Hoxie gets on the board first courtesy of a RBI double by JC Brown.
The Lady Mustangs take a 10 lead into the bottom of the third.
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Today's student athlete of the game is Sydney Shepherd out of Rivercrest High School senior picture with a 3.9 inch idiot GPA, She plans to attend Arkansas State University and become a physical therapist, graduation Sydney.
Good for her.
Do you think we'll see her?
Maybe when she gets done back at her high school working for the team as I might need to see it.
This Cindy and I were so inspired by what we saw today without throwing the ball around a little bit in the outfield prior to today's game.
And I'm going to tell you my shoulder started hurting a little bit already.
We just couldn't resist good.
We've been seeing such great softball.
We wanted to get a piece of it.
Massey, Turner and Bennett coming up to bat for Baptist Prep in the bottom of the Third Lady Eagles trailing Hoxsie one to nothing after.
Back to back hits from the Brown Sisters and Coach Brown.
He talked about Baptists or excuse me, Arkansas.
Baptist Prep pitching staff being so phenomenal and he said we're really going to have to dial in.
Settle in, have really great quality at bats to put the ball in play and they've done just that and the one thing that really stood out to me about what Coach Brown told us is that.
This team has Heart Baptist Prep, might be more talented on the field, but he doesn't think anybody has more heart than his team and heart goes a long way in this sport.
If you can go out there and lay it all out on the field and give it everything that you've got, sometimes that just matches talent, maybe even goes a little bit above it.
The one to Tomasi.
Swung on and missed for strike three, and that's a great pitch right there by Ashton Wallace.
She throws that changeup in there to catch her off balance.
Wallace has struck out the first batter in each of the first three innings.
That makes a statement in itself.
She doesn't want this leadoff hitter to get on how many times this weekend have we seen the leadoff batter get on and eventually come around to score is that one is dropped for a bunt.
Ali Melbourne can't glove it at first in Keras.
Turner is on on the error cares Turner that is really a well placed bunk right there as we saw JC Brown trying to go out.
Kaylie Moody making the throw alley Melbourne like you said just couldn't quite hold on but that's what speed does.
Putting bone the ground it always makes it a Bang Bang play.
Eli Bennett squares a bunt.
Pulls back is that one stays up out of the zone.
And bunting is going to be one thing that we see well throughout this game.
Both coaches talked about how their plan is to bunt their hitters often.
Lays it down.
This time the play at first, this time Milburn able to make the grab for Baptist Prep.
Now has a runner in scoring position and Ellie Bennett.
She just did her job there.
There are two outs but she advanced her to second base to turn it over to the top of the lineup alley Milburn that was a great job.
She saw her square round the first pitch.
She was there crashing hard for the second pitch.
That brings up Taylor Born's who struck out the bottom of the first swings at the first pitch and found it back over the press box.
And this is another athlete that has a lot of speed so she could get something through the infield here in a gap.
We will see a runner score and she potentially get extra bases.
Takes that one high.
In an 01 count, that's typically a tough pitch delay off of that was just about at the letters on her chest borns with one of the higher averages for the Lady Eagles 433.
Is that one?
Flared back to the mound.
An an easy out made by Ashton Wallace, and that is going to end the threat here in the third.
We go to the top of the fourth with Hoxie leading.
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By signing up to receive our newsletter at my AR PBS dot work backslash, sign up Oxy leading one nothing here in the top of the fourth inning against the Baptist Prep Lady Eagles.
Is Macy Welch runs account that you know?
And, well, she's really been the driving force for this Lady Eagles team this year.
She is committed to Memphis to play softball and continue her career.
Tap to 1st.
Over in time to Carress Turner, who was covering to make the out and a great job again.
By Macy Wall Street.
But to go back to her, Memphis is a outstanding program.
They're very gritty team.
I was supposed to play against them when I was at Arkansas.
Our game ended up getting cancelled, but they are just so well coached.
That's a great program.
She's going to have a lot of success there.
Head coach Tim Yelvington telling us that Welch actually at one point considered transferring over to Greenbrier, wanted to get some more experience against some of the bigger programs in the state.
Decided to stay at Baptist Prep and told him earlier this year that she was happy that she decided to finish her career.
Being a lady eagle.
On the ground, a short bourns over to 1st.
Pitching catch for out #2.
And there it is again, getting that ground ball out and to go back to what he said.
I'm sure he is so happy and pleased as punch that she stayed.
But he also talked about and she is one of the top pitchers in the state.
I wonder if one of her conditions of staying with him no longer catching her because he used to catch her.
He catches all the pitching staff and he used to catch her in the gym and he said he almost she almost killed him one day and then that was no more.
She threw too hard.
That was, it wasn't going to do it anymore.
Not to compare, but whenever I was younger I hit my mom in the face and she was like OK, no more so.
I think that my Gran father in the forehead.
So I think it's just a thing that tends to happen.
As we're all growing up the 01.
Found towards the right side.
Yeah, and her being a lefty, yeah no thanks.
So much like in baseball, coming out of the left hand, the spin is always going to look different no matter the velocity with which throne.
Go to stays outside much different and right now we don't see left handed hitters in Hoxie's lineup.
That would you know work more to Macy Welch's favor, but she has done very well against these right-handed hitters.
The 1/2 not one driven into the ground welches there.
Over to Slayton at 1st 123.
To end the inning.
Lady Eagles coming to bat in the bottom of the fourth trailing one to nothing.
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You know, I think sports are really big to a lot of people, and because it is an important part of our fabric in our community and one good thing about what I've seen is its high quality production.
You know, you think of the small communities all over Arkansas.
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PBS is doing a great job and I think it's part of education.
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Consider becoming a member to support Arkansas High School sports today at myarpbs.org Backslash donate Hoxie holding on to a one nothing lead here in the bottom of the fourth over Baptist Prep and one of the big reasons for that City has been the play of pitcher Ashton Wollesen.
It's even a miracle that she's out on the field right now.
She suffered a car accident during her freshman year.
She did.
She suffered that car wreck, it was traumatic.
She broke her neck having to come back, do a lot of rehab.
To go back to her, she had to go through extensive rehab.
She was in the hospital for a month and this was her freshman year, so that was three years ago.
She had to work back from that.
The COVID year took a year away from her that was going to be actually her first year getting back at it, so she's thankful for this last year.
It's been a slow recovery process, according to head coach Scott Brown and actually last night at Manila.
Is that ball into the right centerfield gap.
Well, it's actually played travel ball with the Arkansas for years with his two daughters.
They convinced her to come over to Hoxie prior to her junior year was just getting set to be back and actually coach Brown.
Didn't really think that she was 100% of that time has had the extra year to kind of work back and it's it's taken her awhile but he feels like she is finally back to the picture that she was during her freshman season.
Prior to that car accident and certainly everyone happy to see her healthy, happy and back out on the field.
You're exactly right Dorrance.
Sometimes these athletes they go through way more off of the field than they do on the field.
That shows how resilient though she is as a person, you undergo such a harsh thing like that.
Slayton swings through the offspeed.
She struck out in the bottom of the second.
Down 1/2.
Takes that load, even account.
Right now this is really a big inning for Baptist Prep, as they're down by one run.
That was a really great piece of hitting by Mackenzie Childers driving that ball to right field.
Not one stays outside that single by Childers.
The first hit of the day for the Baptist Prep lady.
Eagles and I want to go back to that really quickly, Bailey Prater.
She did a great job of cutting that ball off and getting it into.
Just hold her to a single fouled back out of play.
In this lineup, coach Tim Yelvington, he talked about one through nine.
They can all get it done.
They all know what their role is and what they bring to the plate.
Again, found back.
Slayton, a 295 hitter, 14 doubles five homers.
So definitely some pop in the bat.
She's second on the team in that Category, 29 RBI, 36 runs.
And she works a walk as Baptist Prep has something going here in the bottom of the fourth with two on and one out.
And again, this is a huge inning for them.
We see Coach Brown going out to the circle as they're really getting going.
This is a second time through their lineup, so they've seen Ashton Wallace.
They know what sheet where she has been attacking them as we can see there making a little bit of some noise.
Head coach Scott Brown only going with 10 on the Hoxsey roster, so it's pretty much Ashton Wallace.
He does have a secondary picture that help bring in on occasion, but for the most part for the Lady Mustangs, it's going to be Wallace going the distance and 10 people on your roster.
That doesn't give you a lot of room.
I'm sure when they're at practice and they're trying to attempt to enter Squad, they're not able to do so because they only have those ten players, but they have done great with just ten players to get to the state championship game.
We've talked about how effective Wallace has been, she's turned.
42 pitches, thirty one of which have been strikes through three and a third innings, and I think that stems from Coach Brown saying, as a pitcher she spots the ball so well.
She knows exactly when she releases it, where it is going.
Katie Midkiff up to the plate.
I have never held John in.
Perhaps expecting some small ball from Midkiff.
She is ahead in the count oh or two and oh.
Coach Elvington he referred to her as an absolute beast.
And it was Midkiff that flared that ball to.
Fairly deep right field in our last at bat and nice play by bailing praytor able to make the catch, but she's got some some power in that.
Frame.
30 Taking all the way and it's in there for a strike.
And that's not a bad first at bat.
Hitting a ball deep to right field.
It's your first at bat for the state championship game.
That's usually when you have the most nerves.
Back to back walks for Baptist Prep and the bases are loaded for the Lady Eagles.
Right now for Ashton Wallace.
She's really going to have to just dial in, let her defense work behind her to get the out.
Two back to back walks.
I expect her here to go at this hitter.
Macy Henderson Henderson leading the team in RBI's as she is swinging at the first pitch.
And this is a batter that coach Tim Yelvington he talked about.
If he wants someone at the plate, this is one of the athletes.
He said he would like to see in a big time situation.
Henderson, pure power and she chases that one.
High snap throw by brown.
In coach Scott Brown told us he feels like she's one of the best catchers in the state, regardless of size, so most definitely.
And that's not a bad job right there.
That's actually a really good idea to try to pick Macey Mackenzie Childers excuse me off at 3rd.
Henderson waves it, strike three.
She is down on 3 pitches for out #2 and that is a huge out for Ashton Wallace.
She just had two back to back walks to load up the bases.
She just went at Macy Henderson and said they felt like maybe a case of trying to do a little bit too much in an amped up situation.
You're exactly right.
Macy Henderson.
You know this is a big time moment bases are loaded, you're down by or run as a hitter.
You can't apply pressure to yourself.
You have to remain disciplined.
Stick to your approach and there's enough pressure out there.
You don't need to go search for anymore.
Is the 01 in there for strike number 2 on Kali Masi who struck out back in the third?
Massey hitting 2:30 on the year.
20 hits and she strikes out as Ashton Wallace.
Loads the bases, but gets back to back strikeouts to end the threat.
Oxy holding on to a one.
Nothing lead.
We go to the top of the fifth.
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And we're less than an hour in an already into the top of the fifth here in the three, a state final between Hoxsie and Baptist Prep, the Lady Mustangs gotta run in the top of the third.
And that is all the scoring so far here this afternoon.
As Hoxie has been able to manage four hits.
Against the Memphis commit.
Macy Welch.
The one one.
And Allie Milburn up to bat.
This is actually her first year playing high school softball and I would say what a first year it's been getting to play in the state championship game on the biggest stage possible in front of your community.
The 1/2 leaves it outside as the count evens at two and two and send it to your point.
A lot of players don't ever make it to the high school state championship and they they could be playing for years.
So to get this opportunity in your very first year something fantastic not just for Allie Melbourne but for the rest of these hockey players exactly, and this is something she'll remember for the rest of her life.
She's worked the count full at three and two.
Melbourne struck out looking at her at bat back in the 2nd and of course not just a fantastic moment for Hoxie, but for Baptist Prep as well.
As we mentioned, the Lady Eagles have been here before.
Is that one hit on the ground towards the right side, ranging over his cares?
Turner over to 1st in time to make the out and that's great range by cares.
Turner going back she read that that ball was going to be hit a little bit deeper in the 3-4 hole to get the outworking.
Her body around it.
Not sure if that's one of the places that I would like better on turf versus dirt because of the way that ball was spinning as it came off the bat.
I feel like maybe a little bit truer.
I feel like on dirt, maybe that might you might have gotten a little bit of a weird hop there, right?
You're exactly right, Dorian.
Squares bundt.
Dropped a third coming over and making the play is Katie Midkiff and that is a great job.
By Katy midkiff.
That really is a good bunt by Prater.
She does a good job getting her body around it to throw on the run.
Throwing across the diamond to get the out as she stays through this but she reads it right off the bat throwing off that right leg to get the out.
That's something we've seen a lot more of its trickled over from baseball into softball.
Braxton, Burnside, Arkansas does it a ton that running through.
That throw is that one driven into the ground and just buy a step.
Do they get Hannah Riggs?
Three up, three down in the top of the fifth for the Hoxsey Lady Mustangs.
They're still leading.
We go to the bottom of the inning.
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Arkansas PBS is proud to bring you the high school baseball and softball state finals.
Live will be back in the fall with the football state finals.
It's just nice to have state finals again.
It is so nice and actually during in the first inning I was painting over the crowd and it almost makes me a little bit emotional.
See all of these fans in the stands once again coming together for such an exciting moment.
We have had big crowds for the first two days of the Arkansas State High School softball championships here at the Benton Sports Athletic Complex.
Today is no different.
We haven't gotten attendance number yet, but I'd say there's a couple 100 people in the stands in front of us easily and it's pretty weather.
The past two days.
Or just whether what gloomy?
What else could you beat?
You got the sun out?
We got softball going baseballs coming up next is that one fouled back to the screen by Carus Turner Soccer going on over.
On the field, there's just a lot going on.
The Great Place to be.
There's a fun energy walking up in the morning.
People are excited.
I know everyone obviously is.
There's a little bit more excitement after losing that last year took over people just coming back.
Out in the sun, getting a little bit of normalcy again, right?
Normal sees the biggest thing.
Just getting to have that back in life.
Whether it be sports or just everyday life.
In general, normal normalcy is a great thing.
Turner, the two and two leaves it high is she's worked.
The count full here to start off the bottom of the fifth inning with her team trailing by one Baptist prep loaded the bases in the bottom of the fourth, but were victims of back to back strikeouts in Henderson and Massey.
As Turner works a leadoff walk.
In that last inning, that was a huge inning for them offensively.
They just couldn't quite get a run across, but expect for them to put pressure on the Hoxsey defense again this inning as they get to the last three innings of the game.
You see already.
Kaylie Moody and Kylie Jones moving in from that first.
That third and 2nd is Bennett.
Squares to bunt lays it down.
Moody gets the out at first.
But the Lady Eagles get a runner into scoring position, and if you're Ellie Bennett right there, you're clapping your hands and you're excited because she did her job.
She executed to get care sterner over to 2nd.
Right now they just need to match that one run and anything beyond that.
That's bonus, obviously.
Infield staying up for Taylor Borns.
High flyball, out to right field crater under it.
But Turner tags and moves to 3rd, and that's really great baserunning by carers.
Turner tagging on that ball she saw how Deep Bailey Prater was.
That's a tough play for Prater to get behind that ball and get the throw all the way to third base.
So now she's just 60 feet away from home and that brings up Macy.
Well, she was flied to left and grounded out to 2nd in each of her two at bats.
Good job by Brown to keep that one in front.
That was a great job this backstop.
It's not very deep.
It is padded so balls that get thrown up against it.
They bounce pretty far.
Well, it takes ball too low.
Down heading out to the pitchers mound to talk to Ashton Wallace and I would too if I was facing Macy well cheating 553 on the season.
And as we mentioned wild normally in #8 today she's wearing #30.
That's because earlier in this season she forgot her jersey.
They gave her number 30 as you hit two home runs in that game, right right door and and you know what?
That's like.
The superstitious thing right now.
20 leaves it loafer.
And she is in there to tie the game.
And that's great baserunning right there.
Reading it off the glove of Brown, I wanna give major props to Ellie Bennett getting that SAC fly to right field to get her moved over to third base to be put in that position to score.
That ball was on the turf.
It skip pass Brown no hesitation from Karas Turner.
She was off and running and she is in there safely as we are tide at one here in the bottom of the fifth.
She went in head first, No Fear, love it.
Two very different conversations being held on the field.
Right now you've got Scott Brown talking to his team, have just given up the tying run and Tim Yelvington talking to arguably his best hitter in Macy Welch.
Now batting with the bases loaded and she can change this game in one sling, she sure can change it in one swing and I think Tim Yelvington is just telling her settling.
We've got two outs.
Let's keep it going.
Three, you know that ball in the turf and Mount Welch.
Works of four pitch walk.
I keep wanting to say in the dirt it's not dirt, so it's technically not correct, but that's what you typically say, no?
In the turf with the rubber pellets as it doesn't quite have the same ring to it.
And in steps Mackenzie Childers, who had the first hit of the game for Baptist Prep.
Single right center field on the 4th.
That one to right field as well greater.
Falling down in the outfield.
Welch being waved around 1/3 and Childers.
In the second.
As the Lady Eagles have a two out rally going and that's another great piece of hitting by Mackenzie Childers.
Staying on that curve on the outside part of the plate to drive it over to right field.
Really great.
Great baserunning.
By Macy Welch.
Going from first to third.
Look at it to Tim Yelvington on that too, because he has to be aware of what's going on.
Call 1 to live Sling who is over two 1 / 1 rather with a strikeout in a walk.
Last inning was a huge inning for them offensively, but this has been even bigger now that they've tide the game there.
They have a little bit of a two out rally right here.
In Sydney for Ashton Wallaces.
JC Brown goes out to talk to her.
How does she get back on track?
Because she walked Macy Welch on 4 pitches.
Mackenzie Childers just hit that one to the right.
Centerfield hard and now she's behind two.
And oh.
To live, sleep, and I think she just needs to settle back in, not over, you know, make the moment bigger than what it is.
Get back to what makes her great as a pitcher.
She is great because she spots the ball well and she knows where it's going.
Right now we've seen her lose it just a little bit.
So get back to spotting it up.
That one closer over the point, but Lois Slayton.
I had three and oh in the count.
Taking all the way in that one in there for a strike and I will say Dorian something that I've observed from Ashton Wallace.
Justice in English is working much quicker.
She's back on the mound much faster.
And it's a walk to Slaton as the base is once again loaded for Baptist Prep Anthony.
What would you like to see from here?
Would you like to see your take maybe another moment and kind of collect herself right?
Yes, and you know every athlete playing this game.
You have this internal clock.
You need to slow it down.
Take the pace of the game at times and situations.
Your internal clock speeds up a little bit.
You start going faster because you get a little bit overwhelmed when you're rattled, so I'd like to see her just slow down just a little bit.
Make it back up the middle.
That's going to score one.
Childers being waved around, no play at the plate, she will score.
As Baptist Prep has pleaded three in the bottom of the fifth, the last two coming on an RBI single by Katie Midkiff and what a swing by Katie Midkiff sending it right back where it came from up the middle to drive in two runs.
She did her job right there with two outs.
Two out rally for the Lady Eagles has been beneficial as they have two on with two outs in three runs in here in the bottom of the fifth to take the lead over Hoxie in this 38 state championship.
And then you kind of felt that with their at bats it was just a matter of time before Baptist Prep got on Ashton Wallace, right?
Dorian.
And you know, it's their third time through the lineup.
Timely hitting is a huge part of this game in the fourth inning.
They didn't have that timely hitting right now they are, and typically once you've seen a picture your second your third time, you're more familiar with her.
What she's going to throw, how she's going to attack you.
Although we talked about it, a lot of the college game, but the third time through the lineup really where you start to see those adjustments kick in.
What kind of adjustments as Baptist Press been making?
They've been attacking earlier in the count that something that they've been doing at the first part of the game, or they did in the first part of the game is they got behind in the count their more aggressive right now attacking those pitches early, and we talked about it yesterday.
Adjustments are a huge part of this game.
The faster you can make adjustments, the quicker you're going to have success.
The two and two Tomasi rip back up the middle.
Slayton being waved around third.
Here comes the throw in his cutoff by Wallace as Slayton slides in safely.
And that's another ball that is absolutely ripped back up the middle.
Macy Henderson.
Staying on that outside pitch to shoot it back up the middle.
Another great piece of hitting in.
This all goes to being aggressive.
This Baptist lineup.
Right now their offense.
They're being aggressive.
This will be the ninth batter in the inning for Baptist Prep is Kaylee Massey stands in.
Something to this inning that I've seen Ashton Wallace do.
She's gotten away from staying really far off the plate.
That earlier in this game was getting the Baptist prep hitters to chase.
Massey quickly down in the count oh in two.
Taking the sign from.
Third, base coach head coach Tim Yelvington.
The 02 taken on the outside part of the plate for strike three, but Baptist Prep puts together A2 out rally.
They bring in four in the bottom of the fifth to take a three run lead over the Hoxie Lady Mustangs.
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Let me take you for a ride on the baseline.
Welcome back into the Benton Sports Athletic Complex, where Baptist Prep has scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth as they take a 4-1 lead over the Hoxsey Lady Mustangs alongside Sidney.
Mark Dorian craft, happy to have you with us on this gorgeous day for the final day of the Arkansas State High School Softball Championships in Sydney.
What an inning.
By Baptist Prep they did all their scoring with two outs.
That was a huge inning for Baptist Prep.
They're down by one run, but down by one run no problem for them.
They had a lot of timely hitting.
This game is big.
On time, and they had a lot of time, we hit her step up to the plate, hit some doubles, some basics to drive in a 2, three runs.
They did their job and that was a huge inning, right?
That were being in the fifth.
They are down to their last six outs.
Then we talk a lot about adjustments.
What adjustments did the Lady Eagles make that allow them to get those big hits?
So earlier in the game they were getting behind in the count to Wallace this inning?
They are being more aggressive early not getting behind in the count to where they had to hit her pitch.
The Lady Mustangs will come to bat in the top of the sixth and it will be Jayden Brown followed by Sister JC and Ashton Wallace, followed by Moody Jones in Johnson coming up behind them and four Hoxsie.
This has been the dangerous part of the order all year in brown, Brown and Wallace.
That one had a little extra juice behind it is that is Mackenzie Childers coming in here in the top of the sixth and Mackenzie Childers.
She is great also for this pitching staff.
She's gonna sit around the mid 60s, touching a little bit in the upper 60s.
She throws a curve, a backdoor curve, a change doesn't throw it a lot.
And she had also has a pitch that coached him.
Yelvington called the Bluebird.
Haven't heard that quite often to be honest.
I I had never heard it prior to our conversation with him.
Never heard that, but her pitching coach Jennifer, it's a pitch that she came up with 'cause it moves a little bit funky than what you're accustomed to.
The 02 it spins away and brown goes down on three strikes.
And I think this is a good decision here for Baptist Prep, changing pitchers in the top of the sixth inning.
You know Macy.
Well, she really grinded for this team.
But to see someone different the third time through the lineup and Hoxie they were at the top of the line up.
Like you said, the heart of their lineup.
So I think it was a good decision.
Tim Yelvington told us he's a field guy.
And clearly he felt like Hoxie was getting on.
Macy Welch wanted to go with a change he brings in McKenzie Childress and he mentioned to us that he feels like he's got the best staff in the entire state of Arkansas regardless of classification because he's got 4 pictures he feels comfortable throwing in at any point.
And ahead on the division piece of it, they played against some six a 5A schools and were very successful against those schools.
Pitching wise, Childers actually has the majority of the innings this year for Baptist Prep 85 inning spit.
She's 15 and one on the year and she gets brown chasing way off the outside for out #2.
And there we saw Childers.
She worked ahead in the count kind of threw that waste pitch on the outside part of the plate to get JC Brown to chase.
And that's exactly what you want the hitter to do in that count.
Right now McKenzie, Childers, very Kevin cops like 6 pitches, 6 strikes, two outs.
She's getting it done.
188 strikeouts on the year for McKenzie Childers.
Yes, that make that 190 after the last two.
And you know, being a pitcher that's coming in and this situation up by three runs, you are able to be relaxed a little bit.
This is, you know, hurt.
I'm throwing in the state championship game.
There are no nerves.
She is aggressive on the mound right now.
I'm pitching with a three run lead.
Yo one swung on and missed.
Great inside pitch by her throwing that screwball, tighten the hands city we have an opportunity for a perfect inning.
We most definitely do now.
It's probably going to be broadcasters Jinx.
The 02 swung on and missed as 9 pitches.
9 strikes for Mackenzie Childers.
She sits down the lineup in order as we head to the bottom of the sixth with Baptist Prep leading 4 to one.
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Hey Sports fans get the live game stats before we do by downloading the Engage Arkansas PBS app for your mobile device will be a lot of stats to keep up with here.
This afternoon is Baptist Prep is taking a 4-1 lead over Hoxie here in the bottom of the sixth.
All four of those runs coming in the bottom of the fifth with two outs.
As they go back to work with Turner Bennett in Bourns, which is exactly how the bottom of the four started.
Turner worked a leadoff walk in the fourth.
Eventually came around to score.
On the double, by Mackenzie Childers, or Rather, she scored on the wild pitch.
Yes, she did.
She scored on the wild pitch.
And here we're seeing Ashton Walls again.
She's working at an uptempo, very fast pace.
She's getting on the mound before the hitters even back in the box.
That ball hammered but found down the left field line.
She kept her weight back on the changeup.
She did in that change.
It was actually a little bit elevated up in the zone.
I think she might have lost it a little bit, but cares Turner.
She did keep her hands back just barely getting around it enough to make it foul.
Another off speed flared back out of play.
And so far in this game we haven't seen Wallace Ton through a lot of offspeed pitches.
I think right now, being down by three runs, she's really going to work that pitch to keep these hitters off balance.
Ternero for one, she reached on an error in the 3rd and she takes a ball one.
What?
And that's a great job by cares Turner right there, taking that pitch, it was a waste pitch.
He didn't chase after it, staying disciplined.
That one flared to short, but right into the waiting glove of Jayden Brown.
And to talk about Jayden Brown, Ann Kylie Jones.
They make a really good middle infield coach.
Brown said that Kaylee Jones actually has one of the best gloves in an outstanding arm.
Ali Bennett takes that low for ball one.
Backing out of play.
So we've seen Ellie Bennett so far this game square around a bunt SAC bunt move.
Runners over her job right now is to get on base to turn it over to the top of the lineup.
She takes ball too low.
In which so far in this game, she's done a phenomenal job of doing.
Two sacrifices on the day for Eli Bennett, so hasn't recorded at an official at bat here with his state championship game.
Home plate umpire Diane Harris wants to talk something over with Tim Yelvington something in the dugout.
And what Eli Bennett's done at the plate.
It is been so impactful for her team.
She knows her.
She knew her role when she went up to the plate to move the runners over so that the top of the lineup could drive those runners in.
Harris now walking towards the Hoxsey dugout.
Think we might be out of balls Dorian?
There have been a lot of foul balls in this.
Then we got.
More balls coming in.
Eugene Peterson handing two more to Diane here's got a scuff em up.
They got that new ball slick on him.
You know there's no dirt to sit enrollement to make him a little bit more rough.
The two one.
Found backing out of play.
Get that one back in here.
We need it.
Two and two on Bennett.
That ball stays up as though count has gone full.
I think right now for Baptist Prep, the ball is in their court.
I don't think they need to lose momentum here.
I think they need to keep putting their foot on the gas pedal.
Without backing out of play and really remain aggressive in their at bats.
481 here at the Benton Sports Athletic Complex to watch this 3A final.
They're starting to get allowed, especially on the Baptist prep side.
It's a beautiful day to come out and watch some softball.
It really is and you can't beat a pretty day getting to watch a softball game.
Two teams compete for the state championship game.
Ellie Bennett works a walk that pitch didn't miss by much.
And you're exactly right.
Dorian the Baptist prep crowd.
They are getting a little bit louder as they are just three outs away from winning a state title.
I'll be their third state championship in program history.
They won their first back in 2005, a second in 2010.
Taylor born.
Send a shot to right center field.
That ball is gone.
Talk about momentum.
Taylor, Bourns, driving it over the right centerfield wall.
She does a beautiful job with that outside curve stays on.
It stays through it to blast it.
And that is a big time that that right there by Borns to give her team a little bit more cushion.
As we can see that balls on the outer part of the plate.
She really stayed through that ball.
The 8th home run of the year for Taylor Borns.
Her 28th and 29th of RBI's of the season have given Baptist Prep a 6-1 lead here in the bottom of the sixth inning.
And that's an athlete you love to have.
She's got speed and also has power.
I'm coming up right behind her, Maisie Welch.
Just as much power in her back, she has eight home runs on the year, so certainly not someone that you want to make a mistake too.
Is that ball?
Found back out of play on the 100th pitch by Ashton Wallace.
The one one.
At ball slicing into the left field corner hit hard but just fell and right before that pitch I was just about to make the comment that earlier in the game Wallace was pitching Welsh outside the beginning of this at bat she was pounding her inside, but we saw you go back to that outside pitch that last throw.
And she paints the outside with that one as Macy Welch.
Looks at strike three.
A little bit of confusion there between.
Home plate umpire Diane Harrison JC Brown.
I don't think she was quite certain that she had two strikes on her.
I don't think if she would have known she would have taken that pitch so close.
Not Ball filed back and out of play.
I mean, that's.
That's a hitters responsibility.
It happens sometimes, but you know they've got it out on the scoreboard and in right center left center field.
Rather, you know.
It's up there and you gotta pay a little bit more attention to what the count is exactly right, and it does happen at times Dorian, like you said, but you walk away from that.
That going man, I wish it would have been about, yeah.
Now Yelvington in her is going to talk it over.
I think he disagreed with the account call as well.
I see some handshake shaking over there like just I don't know I'm not, I'm not certain.
Oh Harrison.
The other umpires going to talk it over, I guess to check the pitch count.
And as we see, head coach for Benton, Coach Cox, she's coming up here.
I think to the press box.
To get a second opinion, I had it as 1/2 and my two strikes in my book I had the same thing as well.
Not that my book is the official book, but in in the book that Sidney and I are keeping up here each on our own I had.
It is 2 strikes.
But in this situation Dorian, she's already walked back to the dugout.
She's not going to get back up now plate, so.
I think it's unfortunate Wallace is already thrown a pitch to Mackenzie Childers so that at bat, regardless of what the count was the about should be over.
You're exactly right.
The game has moved on already.
I have been told that what it is is actually another softball issue so.
I guess we have the county get out the Council they had it figured out on the field.
It has been a replenished softball.
Issue that has been going on here this afternoon is that changeup just misses.
And that is a great changeup thrown by Ashton Wallace for Mackenzie Childers.
That is also a really great take.
Tough pitch to take.
Childers, 2 for three this afternoon with a line outs and then she had a single to lead off the 4th.
And she had that RBI double in the 5th.
Now I know I keep making this point Dorian, but this is another pitcher who can hit.
I just love the versatility that I'm seeing.
It's been awhile since I was in high school and college.
You don't see the pictures hit, so I'm really enjoying this right now.
Ball behind childers.
Of course, Childers coming in in the top of the sixth inning to replace the starter Massey Welch and got three outs on just 9 pitches, all of which were strikes.
And that is a perfect ending.
You can't paint it any better than that.
You don't see a perfect getting very often.
Right now, Ashton Wallace.
She keeps exchanging balls, I think since their new kind of like what we talked about.
It's not dirt, so you can't scuff them up.
The three one.
And again, that ball behind children's.
She will work a walk.
Insignia to your point, I think that's exactly what what's happening.
The balls are new there.
A little bit slick.
I can't tell from here how raised the laces are.
Balls vary in terms of the lease.
Raison am just looks like right now.
She just can't get a get get a good grip to spin or pitches, and I think that's what Scott Brown is arguing right now with Diane Harris.
Right, that's exactly what he's arguing.
And as he's pointing to the balls and looking at him with, I think a little bit of frustration.
I do see a little bit of frustration there from Hoxie head coach Scott Brown.
It's unfortunate that deal with a scenario like that in a game like this at three A state championship, but you know, we talk about adversity all the time, falls being put out of play.
You need new Balsam comment is just unfortunately a part of the game.
But you have to deal with in the turf field here it meant and you know it's just it's conditions that are equal for both teams.
Yeah, you're exactly right.
It's not just one sided.
So whenever Childers comes back out, she'll have to deal with it.
Fouled back to the screen by Liv Slayton.
Slaton over 1 two walks, but did score in the 5th.
Stays low for Vol 2.
And right now for Ashton Wallace, there's a little bit of some frustration.
She's losing it just a little bit on the outside part of the plate low.
I was struggling to find the strike zone as the counters run to three and one.
That ball caught enough of the plate.
And now it is 3 two with two outs here in the bottom.
Of the sixth inning.
That is another walk.
And a lot of times Dorian, whenever pitchers lose it, they typically lose it arm side.
So for a right-handed pitcher, that would be the inside part of the plate.
Right now, Ashton Wallace, she's going to have to take, you know what she's given the adversity that she's facing and really just try to fight through it.
That is the 8th walk issued by Ashton Wallace here today.
Five hits, six runs for Baptist Prep.
Katie Midkiff had the big two RBI single back in the fifth inning that really broke things open for Baptist Prep.
And another rocket shot Childers, going to be waved around.
She will score.
Ask midkiff.
With their third RBI of the game on another RBI single, I mean have a game a Katie Midkiff that ball is absolutely ripped past the third baseman Kaylie Moody to left field.
That's a great piece of hitting by her.
She remained disciplined.
She took first pitch strike because live Slayton had walked previously before her, but the pit showed up and she put a really great swing on it.
Baptist Prep now up 71.
Here in the bottom of the sixth that they they have gotten a four run in a three run inning and back to back inning so take a commanding lead.
Here in the three, a state tournament and coach Tim Yelvington.
His biggest thing that he tells his players, is just to have fun and I was going to make the comment in the third inning about how you felt about that Dorian.
But I think they're having fun now.
And is always a whole lot more fun when you're playing well.
As I told Sidney back when I played in college, our coach would occasionally when we weren't playing well, yell at us to have fun, and I always wondered what was fun about being yelled at.
At Ball is deep, but it will be playable as it is tailing.
It is dropped in centerfield by Chloe Breiter.
Two runs come in to score.
And that's a great job by the Baptist Baptist Prep baserunners, ensuring that they.
Ran on the pitch.
They had two outs and for Chloe Prater.
That's a little bit challenging right there.
That ball seemed to be have been hit deep.
She had to run into get it.
I think the wind carried it a little bit just a little tough to hang onto.
That ball tailing away from Chloe Prater in centerfield as it got caught by the wind up there in the air.
We could see her she in that that replay right there that she took a step back and then had to Sprint in.
Two more runs in for Baptist Prep on the air, so it is 9/1.
For the Lady Eagles, as they have exploded offensively here in the last two innings.
And we talked about a little bit earlier.
Dorian.
It is a game of momentum and they have all the momentum right now.
Kali Masi quickly down.
Oh, and two is that ball found back over the press box.
For the second ending in a row Baptist preposition, nine batters.
To the plate and offensively, that's what you love to see.
It just doesn't go down as 1239 hitters to go through.
You're going through your entire lineup.
Popped high that one will be fell out of play.
Kaylie Moody makes the output Baptist prep hangs A5 spot in the bottom of the sixth inning.
They lead 9 to one as we had to be top of the seventh.
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Mackenzie Childers will try to finish things off here in the top of the 7th with Baptist Prep leading 9 to one thanks to another big inning in the bottom of the sixth.
And it will be.
Moody Jones and Johnson for the Hoxie Lady Mustangs as they've got their work cut out for them.
If they want to try and extend their season.
They sure do Dorian and at the bottom of the sixth inning before we cut to break.
We saw Jayden Brown, going to hug her dad on the sideline that touched me a little bit, maybe a little bit, emotional with that father daughter bond that wasn't an ending that they really wanted to have happen to them.
It's always tough to come out and play a state championship game and.
And to be on if what the score holds, what will be the losing side for Hoxie?
But certainly as we've talked about nothing to be ashamed about for this Lady, Mustangs team got off to the slow start, twenty wins in a row to make it to their first title game in program history.
As Moody takes ball one low, that's exactly right, and to put some perspective out there, this is one game.
This one game doesn't define who you are as a player or a coach or a team.
The one O swung on and missed.
When was the first ball thrown by Mackenzie Childers start off beginning, it was going to happen.
I think it's on point.
I went in there for strike two and that was popping the glove with intensity.
She is bringing that pitching in there.
I think she's probably out of the past three days.
One of the hardest throwing pictures that we've seen.
Little extra amped up though because of the situation almost definitely.
Another strikeout for Mackenzie Childers is that is 4 out of the four banners that she's faced.
Well, you know what?
Patty Jones.
Kylie Jones over 2 today a ground out in the second and a ground down in the 4th.
She will stand in with one out here in the top of the seventh inning.
She goes after the first pitch is a good cut but just posture by Childers Holly Jones.
Just missing that pitch.
The curveball in the outer part of the plate really had tight spin on it.
The 01 curveball again for strike two.
And right now, Childers, she is living on that side of the plate.
This inning.
So far, the past two batters that she's faced or excuse me.
The last batter she's faced.
And now Kylie Jones.
The 02 they say she offered in IT is another strikeout for Mackenzie Childres that is five in a row and that brings the Baptist Prep fans to their feet as the Lady Eagles are one out away from capturing the three A state championship.
And as we can see right here, the Baptist prep side their fans are up on their feet.
They are ready and for children's right here she has come in and has done phenomenal work.
She starts off Michaela Johnson with a strike on the inside corner.
She just went outside to the last two batters coming in tight to Johnson with that screwball in the inner part of the plate.
The old one.
Swung on and missed for strike two and now the Hoxsey Lady Mustangs down to their final strike.
Childers is absolutely bring it in there.
She has a lot of junk behind it.
The 02 the fans wanted it.
Macy Henderson tried to frame him with that curve just a little too far outside.
It was just a little too far outside.
But props to Macy Henderson.
She was trying to get children's that strike.
Childers, looking into the dugout, she's got the signal.
1/2 swing on in this for strike three as Baptist Prep wins.
The three A state Championship 9 to one over the Hoxsey Lady Mustangs.
The third state title in program history talk about a total performance by Baptist Prep.
They got it done defensively in the circle.
May see well to Mackenzie Childers being the 1/2 punch in offensively.
Really powerful at the plate to drive in nine runs.
Well strike outs combined between Childers and the starter Macy Welch.
But it was the big bats of Baptist prep that came alive in the bottom of the fifth thing that really propelled them to this victory.
They most definitely did that fifth inning was huge.
Also the bottom of the sixth inning.
They had timely hitting.
They executed they small bald.
They also were allowed some walks which helped them within their timely hitting to get more runners across.
We will have more celebration from the Benton Sports Athletic Complex as Baptist Prep will receive their trophy.
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Baptist Prep gets nine runs on six hits, all nine of their runs coming over the final two innings as they defeat Hoxsie 9 to 143 A state championship.
And they celebrate with head coach Tim Yelvington their third state title in program history.
The most recent coming in 2010 and how exciting to win A state championship.
I hated to see Hoxsie go down like that.
There were some emotions over there on the side when they receiving receiving their trophy.
Again, nothing to hang their heads about.
It's crazy the head coach Brown said that they're just even here.
Tim Yelvington said he told his girls at the beginning of the season that this was a championship caliber team.
They have been planning for this moment actually.
For the last two years they lossed in the three a semifinal to Rosebud back in 2019, and Tim Yelvington took a look at their schedule.
Then Rosebud schedule I should say, and took a look at it and saw that Roseman specifically scheduled tougher teams and he put that into practice for this year.
And that's exactly what you want to play a tough schedule.
So when you get on this type of stage and playing in the biggest game that you can make it happen.
Macy Welch named the MVP of the state championship game, the senior Memphis commit gets a big hug from her pitching coach.
And head coach Tim Yelvington.
We will have more from the three eight state championship when we come back.
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Baptist Prep defeated Hoxsie 9 to one here in the three a state final to capture their third championship in program history alongside Sidney.
Part Dorian craft.
Happy to have you with us in Sydney for the Lady Eagles.
It was really all about late game, timely hitting, Mackenzie Childers, Katie Midkiff each had two hits but really it was the big home run off the bat of Taylor Borns that ended up blowing this thing wide open.
All three of them had phenomenal at that's all day.
They were extremely aggressive early in the count.
And I think that's what led them to their success.
That home run.
I think that's what sealed the deal.
They had all the momentum in the world.
Just a really great job.
Head coach yelvington.
He talked about how their strength is pitching and hitting, and we saw that displayed today.
Well, since you mentioned pitching, it was of course the starting pitcher.
Macy Welch, who ended up taking home MVP honors five innings, pitched, scattering four hits, giving up just the one run in the third inning.
And then it was childres coming in in relief.
And she was.
Absolutely.
Electric in the circle.
She sure was electric.
She had a perfect ending to start coming in there.
A great 1/2 punch and I believe it they are hard.
One to two of the top pitchers in the state and they displayed that today out on the mound.
They both have a different look.
They throw different pitches, different style and it was good to see two different pictures like that come together to get the win on the other side of the field.
The Hoxie Lady Mustangs taking home state runner up in their first ever trip to the title game and for awhile they definitely were the better team out on the field through the first four innings.
Oh yeah, they made a lot of noise earlier early in the game.
They had productive at bats, were making great defensive plays, but again, we've talked about it.
Nothing to hang their heads about.
This is a learning experience.
They should be back here in the future and you know, like they said, they're just happy and excited to be here.
But we certainly expect to see more from Hoxie in the future, and a lot more from Baptist Prep and Tim Yelvington.
As we said, 20 years on the sideline for the Lady Eagles he's been apart now of three state championships.
Congratulations to coach Yelvington and the Baptist prep lady Eagles.
That is, five of our six state champions down.
We have one more left to crown.
Don't go anywhere.
We'll be doing that later this afternoon at 4:00 PM.
But for now, we've got state Baseball coming up at 1:00.
We will see you later, right here on Arkansas PBS.