Benton and Green would have been two of the best softball programs in the state for the better part of the last decade, and today they will go head to head for a 58 state championship.

Welcome everybody into the Benton Schools Athletic complex.

Joined by former Arkansas Razorback Sidney, part I am in Dorian Craft and we are happy to have you with us for this 58 state title game between the Benton, Lady Panthers and the Greenwood Lady Bulldogs.

Now Sidney, these two teams are no stranger to the big stage.

In between them there are four state championships.

Of course, today one will be handed out and the Bulldogs, one of the most powerful offenses in the state, LED of course by the two Arkansas commits Chelsea passage and Allie Saki.

But they will be facing.

One of the best pitchers in the entire state.

In Benton.

Senior Tuesday, Milton.

What is it that makes her so effective?

Tuesday is absolutely incredible.

You know she's committed to OB you.

She's pitched four years for Benton.

She's fiery on the mound.

She throws a screw curve.

Really good, rise ball.

She throws in the upper 50s.

She's also versatel.

You'll see her in the batters box doing some damage too, but she's phenomenal on the mound.

Melton with a miniscule ER a under one.

In fact, the Panthers entire staff as an ER a under one.

They may not have faced a lineup.

Is good top to bottom is the Greenwood Lady Bulldogs.

You're exactly right.

The Lady Bulldogs one through 9.

Like you said, they are all great, have high batting averages and they also have some speed in the lineup.

The crowd starting to fill in here in the Benton Schools Athletic Complex, the student section has come out to cheer on their undefeated Benton leading Panthers coming in today at 30.

You know the green Lady Bulldogs 25 and eight on the season and these are two of the best teams that you will see in the state of Arkansas regardless of classification, right?

And let's talk about Benton 30 and oh on the season you go an entire season being undefeated even made it to the final game.

There's a lot to say about this team just in their record.

The Lady Panthers 31 in a row dating back to last year.

As we are underway as the first pitch from Tuesday, Mountain is taken.

Ball loafers ball low to start off Chelsea passage.

Mountain Ball 2 up and away and.

Melton will really kind of move the ball around the zone.

She's really good on her spins.

File back to the screen.

Talking about Melton, we just saw it.

She just threw 2 back to back rise balls and cook saki.

He said we are going to do great at the plate if we lay off of her rise ball.

So they're going to have to get up there with an approach that their eye level low so they either take that pitch or work above it.

The other thing that Coach Saki wants his Bulldogs to do is be aggressive early in the count.

Don't let Milton.

Get ahead is that one looked at on the outer part of a plane as she evens the count at two and two.

Now let's talk about possibly up to bat.

She is committed to Arkansas.

She is great, has 10 plus double.

The two two from mountain.

Crossridge watches it rise out of the strike zone and she is run the count full here to start the five A state championship game between the Benton Lady Panthers in the Greenwood Lady Bulldogs.

As we mentioned, these two teams very familiar with one another.

Found back to the screen.

They were actually supposed to play two weeks ago, but weather canceled that game.

They tried to reschedule it for the Friday afterwards, whether again being a problem coach, Saki said it was just too far to drive.

Once they started to get into their AC T in testing.

But as luck would have it, they get to meet in the state championship game and you always want to see at this stage best on best.

No, you're exactly right and they didn't play earlier in the season and then you know, right before this game, the rain.

So I mean, maybe there's something going on with these two teams with the weather, but.

Here they are on a really big stage getting to compete against each other, melting with A32.

Popped.

Playable on the infield.

For the first out of the game, then all seven of those pitches, five of them melting through rise balls.

So just like Kosaki said, and what we've seen from Milton throughout this season, she's rise ball dominant.

That will bring to the point #15 Ali Saki the other Arkansas commit the two time Allstate selection leading the way with a 579 batting average, 55 hits on the year for Allie Saki.

Now she looks at Baldwin High.

There mountain through a curveball in the outside part of the plate.

That's a really great take.

She threw a great pitch right off the corner of the plate.

Saki the number 27 recruit in the country for extra inning softball.

And she takes a hack at that offering its foul.

Benton gives Chase, but it is fouled back beyond the dugout.

And there's that rise ball again.

I know I've already said it, but for these Greenwood hitters, they're going to have to if they're going to hit, pitches are going to have to get their hands up high and work to be above it.

Tuesday Mountain coming into the game 10 and oh on the year and iare of .845 doesn't even give up a run per game as she delivers the 11 high.

And you do not see that often during you do not see pictures that have that record and have that low of an ERA.

We talked a lot about it during the college season with Mary Half who was under one for the majority of the college season and just how good that was is that one is sent out to left centerfield.

It is deep, but it is playable.

Elena Scott tracks it down and hauls it in for out to, you know, for Allie Saki, her first at Bat State championship game.

That's not that bad of a piece of hitting.

She threw rise ball up in and she worked.

Still a great hit to the outfield.

All of these hitters the first time through.

They're going to need to see her and get really settled in at the plate.

Matty Cartwright into the box.

368 for the 510 sophomore.

Take straight one on the outer part of the plate.

Maggie Cartwright, she's a big hitter in this lineup.

She's hit seven homers this season.

She brings a lot to the table for the Greenwood lineup.

Theo one off speed.

Houston able to crawl it over to 1st in time to get Cartwright as the Lady Bulldogs go down in order in the top of the first and then Lady handlers will come to bat in front of their home ground as we go on any five ACC championship you were watching.

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For students is always more fun than include the arts.

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Have expressions to see different forms of entertainment.

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And when I heard that my mother was reporting different sections that teachers were going to see, I was excited for the students who will get to use it in their classroom.

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Benton Lady and handlers come to bat in the bottom of the first.

It will be samples Davis in Houston to start the way for Benton and they will be facing.

The senior for the Lady Bulldogs Haven Clements Haven Clement.

She's done great work for the Greenwood Bulldogs this season.

She throws a curve drop, change.

The change up is her best pitch.

She's got great spin.

She pitches to contact, makes her defense work.

In samples, takes ball one high.

Shelby samples the junior shortstop batting at 472.

Clip 42 hits on the year, takes ball too low.

Coach caught, she talked highly of samples.

She's really a spark for this team.

She gets things going.

She does a great job on the left side of the plate.

She's very versatile, has a lot of tools, and is good at all of the tools that she has.

Puts that one in play right to 1st.

Easy put out for the first baseman Natalie Thomas.

One away.

You know, for Clements coming out this first inning, it's going to be huge that she does what she does best just pitches to contact, lets her defense work back behind her.

Easier said than done when you're facing a Benton lineup that has only one person in the starting 9.

That is even close to that 300 mark.

Everybody else 350 and above, including including junior second baseman Addison Davis 437 for Davis on the year.

The 01 put into play soft on the ground.

We're going to have to hustle.

And I think we have a close call there.

Addison Davis.

Really great soft slap.

Between the pitcher and first baseman, as you see there that she's called safe.

She's another player on the left side who is so versatile and can do everything.

This is the one of the advantages of Benton playing on their home field.

Is Davis knew exactly how that ball was going to play in.

Davis first pitch swinging sends it out to centerfield but right into the waiting hands of Massey Kessinger.

You know it's the first inning, bottom of the first.

Usually you're getting settled into your at bats date.

Houston just did a great job right there, attacking the second pitch, launching it out into center field.

She didn't get all of it, but she got a good piece of it.

Riley Green morrin Riley Gilmore excuse me stepping in now she had a big two run home run against Greene County Tech.

Earlier in the playoffs.

Takes Ball one Moe.

She's also another athlete on this Benton team.

She's committed to middle Middle Tennessee, so she's going to get to further her playing career after high school.

Take strike one is Clement Stevens account at one in one, and there's that changeup that we saw for Clements.

That is her best pit she's going to throw it often to try to get these Benton hitters off balance.

The one one and that is off the back of Gilmore is Clement slipped on the mound and we saw a little bit of that in game one today between Tuckerman in Mansfield.

There has been rain in the area passing through Benton and it rained about half an hour ago and the turf sometimes can get slick and is causing some footing issues.

For these pictures.

You're exactly right during you know, a turf field.

It's nice and it's pretty, but sometimes when there's rain and it gets really slick, it makes it hard.

You lose your footing, especially, you know pitching.

It's hard to land on your plant foot and really stay firm.

Also, I think for baserunner sliding into the bases and makes it a little bit tough to you slide further than what you're used to.

And as soon as comments lost her footing, Greenwood head coach Ron Isaki immediately out to talk to home plate umpire Giron Harris.

Had a little conversation, Saki heads back into the dugout is met and head coach Heidi Cox comes in once a word.

And now we're bringing out some different shoes, so maybe she needs some better shoes with a little bit more grip.

There's a difference for those who don't necessarily know between turf shoes, cleats you tend to play on turf.

Obviously in turf shoes, those knobs are a little bit shorter though, compared to your normal metal spikes that you would see traditionally.

Yeah, you're exactly right, and you know, typically when you plan a turf field, the teams field who you're playing on.

They don't necessarily like you to play in your spikes that you would play on a dirt field.

But yeah, right now with it being what you're going to need those cleats so you can really grip the ground.

Safety always.

More important than everything, we're glad to see Columbus OK changed out the shoes.

As number 88.

Gracie Redmond steps in with two on and two out for the Met and Lady Tigers here in the bottom of the first in the five A state championship between the Lady Panthers in the Lady Bulldogs.

Takes a first pitch strike down the middle of the plate.

You know, talking to Coach Cox.

This is a player.

When she said when you have a big time situation, this is the type of hitter that you want to be up at.

The plate runners at first and second two outs.

Prize ball kicks away is both runners advance for Benton and now The Lady Panthers with a fantastic opportunity here.

A 11 count for Redmond with runners on second and third and what a huge opportunity with a chance to go up one maybe 2 early on.

Yeah, you're exactly right.

Benton, right now they're making some noise already in the bottom of the first inning.

The one one.

A little too far outside.

That was a tad bit outside, but I do want to note that Charlie Taylor she just did a phenomenal job framing that pitch right there.

Catcher can be a pitcher's best friend here exactly right.

The two one swinging but sliced foul.

Redmond when after something to hit just couldn't get quite enough of it to put the ball in play right and she's in a 22 count right here.

The last two pitches Clements has worked Redman outside, so I wonder if she's going to go back to that picture right here.

She seemingly wanting to stay away from Redmond.

The two two.

Taken upstairs, as the count is now run full 22 count.

That's not a bad cold there to throw an offspeed changeup.

That is her best pitch, but it seemingly got a little bit away from her.

Redmond shows bunt turns and that is ball for low as the Lady Panthers have loaded the bases.

On a single, a hit by pitch and now a base on balls.

Here in the bottom of the first inning, I think this is what makes us Benton lineup so good as their versatel.

They have different hitters in the lineup, all starting with Davis getting that soft slap between the picture and the first baseman.

Dakota Hobson, the sophomore into courtesy run at first base for Redmond is Redmond.

Because I'm not talking to the rest of the lineup as she enters the dugout about what to see from Haven Clements.

First pitch fouled back to the screen.

By Elena Scott.

The junior with 35 hits on the year, seven doubles and a triple got some pop in that bat.

More importantly for Benton, she's got twenty RBI's and potentially numbers 2122 and 23 just waiting on base.

Bob hi.

This is a big moment right here.

Bases loaded.

I know that there's two outs, but they're in the bottom of the first inning and they have already made some things happen already almost halfway through their lineup.

The crowd here didn't like that.

They thought that ball was too far on the outside.

Jaron Harris thought it was good and that is now Scott down 1-2 in the count this Clements delivers strike three gutter looking on the outside corner.

Elena Scott strikes out with the bases loaded as Clements gets out of a jam.

Greenwood is fired up.

They had to the dugout ready to hit and we still have no score after one inning in the five A state championship.

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Benton Lady Panthers loaded the bases in the bottom of the first behave increments with a huge strikeout to get herself out of the jam, but the Greenwood Lady Bulldogs have some work to do in the top of the second here in the five A state championship welcome alongside Sidney Bar.

I am Dorian craft happy to have you with you have have you with us we're having with you guys too, but Sidney for Greenwood.

What is it that they need to do to crack the case?

That is Tuesday mountain?

Well I think that Clement actually just really quickly did a great job getting them out of that.

Ending but Tuesday Mountain, they're going to have to put the ball in play, make the defense work.

She's got a lot of strikeouts on the season, so they're really going to have to get up to the plate.

Swing the bat.

Get ahead in the count.

They can't get behind in the count on her Thomas Taylor Kissinger to the point for the Lady Bulldogs here in the top of the second is Tuesday.

Mountain starts off with a strike.

They offspeed drilled into the left center gap.

Quickly closing on it is Scott out in left field and that is a leadoff single by Natalie Thomas for Greenwood.

That is a great job by Thomas.

Staying back on that pitch.

Driving it to left center field.

She's a big bat in this Greenwood lineup.

She just did what she does best.

She gets it.

Charlie Taylor to the point, 33 hits on the year for the sophomore, she swears the bunt puts it down.

Smart play by Redmond there to let the ball hit and stay in foul territory.

Yeah, that's a great job by Redmond.

Sometimes it's easy on those in Betweeners where you don't know if they're going to be fair or foul.

Sometimes we grab onto soon as athletes, but she did a great job of just letting that play out and roll foul.

To be honest, door in there for a minute I thought I was going to hit back in this starfish tricky, sometimes surface tricky.

The turf is wet as it stands.

It's a strike and she will stand in and hit and she found that one back to the screen quickly down.

Oh in two.

You know, Charlie Taylor looking to put that bunt down right there?

It's funny because in the state tournament, coach Saki talked about in their semifinal game that they really had made a lot of bunts down the entire season, but they had in the semifinal game more than six.

Greenwood Patton laid down more than three buns the entire years.

Mountain delivers the 02.

That one just off the outside part of the plate.

I don't know about you city.

It always makes me nervous to look at those strange things that are just a little close.

I agree with you.

Never one of those was one of those hitters that could do that one to get there chasing the rise ball.

The first strike out of the day for Tuesday, Mountain Bowl Tuesday.

Melton didn't didn't get the strikeout looking, but she got the strikeout swinging.

But go back going back to your point, Dorian two strikes anywhere close.

I'm swinging the bat.

Especially against the picture like Tuesday Mountain, 102 strikeouts on the season coming into today that is strikeout #103 for the senior.

The Macy Cutsinger takes a hack at, it fouls it off to the right side.

Amazing cussing, cussing her up at the plate.

She's also committed to Oklahoma Baptist.

Another big time athlete for Greenwood.

The junior hitting 375 on the season.

Video one in the air to right field.

And under it is Mackenzie.

Worsham her out #2 on that pitch mountain she tried to throw a rise ball, left it a little bit lower in the zone, getting Kessinger to get up underneath that.

That's exactly what you want to do in that situation.

Runner at first one out.

So far, Greenwood seems to be following coach Sakis philosophy.

They have been aggressive in it, been attacking earlier in the count, not letting Melton dictate how the at bat is going exactly, and that's what they don't want to do is get behind so that they have to hit her pitch.

She's such a great picture.

Very dominant.

So like you said, they're going to have to get ahead in the count.

Claire Chapel takes a pitch inside for a strike.

That screwball there that stayed in pretty tight.

I saw you react to that.

I think a little bit as a hitter, maybe a little bit on the inside part for you, right?

I think as a hitter, I'm like, oh first pitch.

That's a little little close.

Chapel swinging fouls away strike two.

I think the thing that I'm loving to see from Clement so far is she is so aggressive on the mount.

I mean every pit she's pitching with intent and she is going at these hitters.

Mountain of four year starter for the Benton Lady Panthers oh into Chapel fights it off.

And there's that rise ball.

You know, it's hard to lay off of, you know you're open to getting that pitch up in the zone, you're just doing everything that you can to stay alive.

The problem with the rise ball is it looks so good out of the hands and by the time you've decided to swing, it's already elevated too far in the zone.

2 ounce one on the O2.

Chapel leaves it up right and to go back to your point, Dorian, when you're facing a rise ball predominant picture, you've really gotta aim for and make sure that your swing to meet it towards going not where you see it out of the hand and where it's traveling.

But to get it to where it's going.

The 1/2 for Melton.

In the air to right field, Benton giving Jace.

And there is just enough room for Mackenzie Worsham in front of the fence.

Fantastic catch.

As she is knocked down in excitement by her teammates running back into the dugout, Greenwood heads to the dugout.

It is still scoreless as we head to the bottom of the second.

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Let's talk about this.

Play the Mackenzie Worsham just made in right field running a really long way to catch it on the fence.

She gets out #3 for her team so they can get back in the dugout and get back to work.

Fantastic catch from Worsham and she will come up here as part of this.

678 in the lineup for the Benton Lady Panthers to start the bottom of the second.

Mommy goodnight swings at the first pitch.

394 on the year for Good Night, 28 hits, nine doubles.

30 RBI's and it seems Sidney 1 to 9 all These Lady Panthers hitters have some pop in the bat.

You see almost double digit doubles.

Multiple home runs.

Tons of RBI's and that's just a sign of a well balanced team.

So you're exactly right, Dorian, even their girls that bat who are slappers.

They also can dig the long ball.

Sent out to centerfield.

That ball is hammered off the base of the wall.

Aubrey Goodnight with a long single just under the 200 mark in dead away centerfield.

Put a good first at bat for goodnight.

Absolutely great piece of hitting as she squares that ball up, hitting it off the center field fence.

But that's also a great job by Macy Kessinger getting that off the wall, getting it back and quick so she just stays at first base.

I think that ball was hit so hard that goodnight didn't even have a chance to think at a double.

Chris Murphy already seeing single as Tuesday Mountain squares to bunt, lays down a beautiful sacrificed to move goodnight to 2nd.

And that's a great job.

Man bent Mountain right there, getting up doing what she needs to do to move goodnight over to second base.

Way to execute and get the job done.

She knew what she had to do right.

There were early in the ball game, so producing manufacturing runs.

And that brings to the plate that offensive star of the last sitting McKenzie Worsham.

There's two.

There's two catches in right field, including the Fantastic One to end the inning.

She looks at strike one on the corner.

McKinsey Worsham is great at just putting the ball in play.

That's her job is a cyber is to put the ball in play, make things happen, keep the defense on their toes.

What a better time than to have a slapper up right now with the runner at 2nd.

Then she takes a look at strike two.

A lefty slapper with a runner on always presents challenges for the defense.

You have to be really solid about your base coverage assignments and you have to know where you're going with the ball because as soon as you hesitate it could be too late as the 02.

Little too far outside his worship takes ball one.

Right, that screwball right there, just off the plate.

But she did a great job of not chasing that pitch.

012 it's kind of a borderline pit.

She really stayed disciplined.

The 1/2.

Valdov by worsham.

Worsham right there.

She choked up on the bat.

Really tried to shorten up her swing.

Did a great job of staying alive.

I think they're really going to continue to work her outside so she can hit it towards that left part of the field.

Drawn here, Harris headed down to the third baseline to talk things over with Chris Martin.

Saying she did in fact swing enough.

Otherwise it would be a foul first strike bunt almost definitely Dorian.

She didn't square around a bunch right there.

She was slapping.

I think Ronnie Saki disagrees with you, by the way, that he's talking things over with Jaron Harris, but that is definitely a fine line that you see sometimes with left handed slappers.

Those are really minute details that differentiate between just a bunt attempt and actually a slap attempt.

Right, you're exactly right, and a lot of shoppers do that with two strikes on him.

It's not a bunt, they're just trying to shorten up the zone and make something happen.

As it stands, it'll be a 12.

Not one foul back again.

A little grumbling from the Greenwood fans.

And the signal from Harris when he went down to talk to Martin Neasham kind of break the wrist in that motion.

That indicates, I think she's breaking the wrist, and that's what designates it as a hit instead of a bunch, right?

Yes, you're exactly right.

The one to that one.

No question on the swing because she didn't as she looks at the offering from Clements.

Jets are on the 2nd strike out looking at the day.

That's a great job by Clements.

Worship was up there and she was battling shoes grinding and thought about making things happen.

Really seeing a lot of pitches but good job by Clements doing that off speed to catch her off guard.

Sample swinging at the first pitch found.

Sit back and out of play.

Something that we've also seen from this bitten lineup.

They're not afraid to swing at the first pitch strike, and really, that's what makes hitters great is attacking that first pitch, because once you start to get deeper in the count.

Makes it a little bit more tough.

Neo one swung on and sliced into left field, but just out of play as samples quickly down.

Oh, and two.

Benton getting some really good opportunities here in the first two innings.

Getting runners on so far not able to bring anybody in.

And in games that have been close against Green, when you think runs will be at a premium, the O2 put out into left field, it is misplayed.

Benton takes the lead.

As Shelby samples puts the ball into left field.

It is misplayed out there in the outfield and that allows Aubrey Goodnight to come around to score.

That game's first run.

That's a great job by samples really hard hit to left field.

Kinley Fisher's, you know Dorian a left handed hitter hitter, they have that funky spin where it slices away from the left filter.

So it's a really hard ball for Fisher to try to hang onto my ball, tailing away from Fisher got a glove on it.

Couldn't bring it in.

And instead it is a Shelby is Shelby samples on second with a run in for Benton.

Here in the bottom of the second.

As Addison Davis steps in.

Slicing Fallover third base.

Davis singled and Kurt Bat in the first sitting that little soft slap, right in the 3-4 hole and right.

And that's what Coach Cox talked about.

She can do it all from the left side.

She can lay down that soft stop and then right there we just saw her try to attempt to power slot to the left side of the field.

The one one.

Looks at the off speed.

That's a really great pitch bike.

Limits a 11 count throwing an off speed to his slapper.

You know, for hitters you can sit back on a little bit more as a slapper.

You've got to keep those hands back if you want to take that pitch the 1/2.

**** ** the ground, Cartwright.

Threw it away.

As samples comes into scoring, Davis goes to 2nd.

And right there, Davis doing what she does.

Her job is to put pressure on the defense, put the ball in play Goodheart, hit down to the third baseman Cartwright really just can't quite hang onto it.

We've seen two errors now.

Dorian two runs have scored.

This is something that can't really happen.

In the state championship game, that ball hit **** ** the ground by Addison Davis Cartwright did a good job getting a glove on it probably didn't have enough time to make that throw.

You're exactly right.

As we can see there, Davis did hit extremely hard at Cartwright.

And will go into the books as a single with an air.

No RBI for Addison Davis.

But I don't think she minds that much.

With Benton going up two to nothing on Greenwood here in the bottom of the second as Alyssa Houston steps into the box.

35 RBI's on the year for the junior.

Swinging at the first pitch, but fell.

Houston, she's another athlete on this team.

Not only does she play the field and hit, she also pitches.

She's very versitile.

Head coach Heidi Cox told us that there was the opportunity that we could potentially see Alisa Houston today.

Neo, one swinging high indeed, no doubt about that one.

Alyssa Houston crushes the pitch over the right centerfield fence for a home run.

This has been two at bats by Houston, where she has gone up there in as absolutely hacked at the ball as we can seek limits, threw a curveball away from her, an man, did she get every piece of that pitch?

I told her we were building the 11th home run of the year for Alyssa Houston.

She knew it the moment that the ball left the barrel of the bat that cleared the fence and then some.

As Benton has jumped all over Greenwood here in the bottom of the second, they've brought four runs in.

2 ounce in the inning.

Still the ending continues.

And for Greenwood you've got to find a way to bounce back.

From this.

You're exactly right, you know, Benton, they had a little bit of some really great offensive pieces in the bottom of the first in their back in the bottom of the second making some noise.

Riley Gilmore was hit by a pitch in the first inning.

She takes strike one and I think for Greenwood coming off of this inning when they go back to work in the top of the third, they're going to have to string together some hits.

Off speed low and away.

The one one swung on in driven in that one.

Exact same place, exact same result.

Benton goes back to back.

But the big home run from Riley Gilmore, one home run is enough, but two back to back as we can just see Clements through an off speed pitch in.

Gilmore stayed back and crushed it over the right field fence.

These scooters are aggressive Dory and they go up there and they swing with purpose.

Heidi Cox called Riley Gilmore a pure power hitter and you saw it on that swing.

It was gone as soon as she connected.

She had the big two run home run against Greene County Tech earlier in the postseason.

A big solo home run here in this second inning is bent and is now put up a five spot and they're cruising.

On their way to potentially a fourth state championship.

Yeah, Dorrian, this team.

Just offensively.

We knew that it was going to be a great matchup.

But offensively like we've talked about they have every piece to the puzzle.

Coach Ron Isaki going to make a pitching changes.

Tori Howard.

Comes in for Haven Clements.

Howard, 12, and two on the year she's appeared in 24 games at 2.64 ERA in 74 innings, pitched.

Step aside.

We're going to step aside for a minute to give Howard a second to warm up, but you are watching the Centennial State Softball championships on Arkansas.

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Howard is warmed up and ready to go.

So Tori Howard.

She's a great pitcher on this Greenwood staff.

She throws in the upper 50s.

She's got really hard spin.

She throws a screw curve changeup.

That's her best pitch as well.

Gracie Redmond looks at that one for Ball 2.

Redman walked in her at bat in the first inning.

And Sidney, how important is it for Howard?

Come out and have a good first batter, especially given the way this ending is gone.

You know right now bentons up five to zero.

She's got to come in and do her job in what makes her successful and how she can help her team just by throwing a lot of strikes.

Still continuing to go at these batters, not pitching it in their wheelhouse.

Making sure that she still stays around the zone.

Redmond sends it out to centerfield.

That one is deep but playable, and Macy Kessinger makes the out, but the damage has been done as Benton scores five runs, two big home runs being the difference is they take a lead.

We are headed into the top of the third.

You are watching this Centennial State softball championships on Arkansas PBS.

My name is Al Lopez Papa rat in the house.

I live in Northwest Arkansas via Puerto Rico.

Been here since 1994.

And really Arkansas previous is the one that has called me about this great community that we have here.

Wonderful, beautiful, so much programming stanta programacion for children.

Full grown overhead Canadair cancer.

This is a real part of that Channel.

You know, I think sports are really big to a lot of people, and because it is so important.

Part of our fabric in our community and the one good thing about what I've seen is its high quality production.

You know, you think of the small communities all over Arkansas.

It's a big deal that they can turn on the TV or DVR or whatever and they're going to quality product.

And so I think it just expands the focus of what PBS is doing in Arkansas.

PBS is doing a great job and I think it's part of education.

Tuesday Mountain in the Benton, Lady Panthers working with a five run lead here in the top of the third and for picture like melting.

That's more than enough run support.

You're exactly right.

During it is more than enough run support.

Just like we had talked about in the previous game.

One run felt like five runs in right here bit and having five runs that gives you a chance to kind of take a deep breath.

Relax is a picture specially out on defense, but I will tell you this Greenwood offense.

I don't think this is going to be the last that we see of him.

Now, the way that Greenwood can hit the ball no lead feels safe, but if you're the Lady Bulldogs, what's the approach that you have to take into this knowing that you're five runs down but you still have plenty of time to kind of chip away at that lead?

Clement swinging at the first pitch sends it down the line, but slices foul to go back to your point.

Dory and I think the Greenwood offensive hitters.

They just have to go up to the plate and trust themselves and believe in themselves and know that five runs they can still make a comeback.

We've seen a lot of games where teams come back from 10, run 12 run deficits.

They just have to make sure that they get in there.

They still stick to their approach.

Keep putting quality swings on the ball and just really trust the process of what's out in front of them.

Mountain with the 01.

Into center field.

Women's gives it arrive, but it is tracked down by Aubrey Goodnight.

Coach Cox talked highly of Aubrey, Goodnight says she takes phenomenal angles in the outfield.

She can cover from left or right.

She really plays her position very well.

There's been a lot of hits throughout the season that she has helped secure as outs for their defense.

Insteps Kinley Fisher the.

Right fielder for Greenwood.

She takes ball one high.

The senior hitting 360 on the year with 18 hits and another one of those Lady Bulldogs with some pop in the bat, a triple and a home run for Kim Lee Fisher.

Popped high in the air.

Gilmore gives Chase but runs out of room.

I think for this Greenwood offense too, as they progress throughout this game, they're not going to.

They do not need to be overly aggressive, they don't need to expand the zone swing at pitches that aren't strikes.

They're really going to have to dial in here to make some things happen.

The one one from mountain.

Taken inside for a strike and you saw from Fisher's reaction there that she did not agree with that.

That was a great pitch.

By melting though, throwing that screwball inside, keeping it tight on the corner, she really brought that one in there.

The 1/2.

Fouled away by Fisher.

Right now, a pattern that we're seeing right now by Melton's.

She's throwing that rise kind of up and out.

And then she's coming back in with that screwball type to right-handed hitters.

It's a great two pitch combo that she's working with.

Mountain, as we mentioned, one of the most effective pitchers in the entire state, regardless of class ten wins.

Throughout the season, coming into today is the one too high and felt back.

Fisher is doing everything that she can right now.

Staying alive.

This is her first time seeing melt and she'll probably see another at bat later on in the third fourth inning.

Just trying to get settled in.

Really seeing a lot of pitches from her.

Mountain with the 1/2.

Too far outside, this Fishers worked herself even at two and two and.

Sidney, you mentioned this a little bit earlier, but one of the things that Ronnie Saki preached to his team in the lead up to this game was disappointed.

The plate have to be disciplined.

That one flared out towards short.

Put samples underneath it for the can of corn out.

Yeah, Saki preaching that to his team have to be disciplined.

You know melt and she's going to work it around the zone.

She's gonna throw that rise ball that ends up finishing out of the zone and against a good picture like this.

You can't go up there, just swinging at everything you really have to be dialed into what you're looking for.

An attack that pitch.

Chelsea passage coming to the plate.

Oh for one.

And she takes ball one high.

And right now a good bit these Greenwood hitters they are laying off the rise ball they're chasing later in the count, but early in the count they're laying off of it.

The 10 goes after that rise ball melt and pops are up in Houston there for the easy out is Greenwood.

Goes 123 in the top of the third Benton still leading 5 to nothing.

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Sports is is so important to the state and the fabric of the state, and I appreciate Arkansas, PBS doing all the state title games and that makes it available for not just the fans in Central Arkansas, South Arkansas.

The fans around the entire state.

I can only think of the kids in small towns and this is the biggest moment.

Maybe in their sports careers and they have that keepsake of having that game on TV to have with them the rest of their lives.

Emerson Miller from Marion High School, third base utility Player, holds a 4.0 GPA.

The junior is uncommitted, but is batting 560 on the year with 13 home runs, ten triples, eleven doubles, and has broken.

Nearly every school record that Marian has this season, of course.

Greenwood went through Marion on their route to the state championship game.

Scott slices that one down the left field line foul.

You're exactly right, Dorian, and to highlight that game Tori Howard was a big piece to that when she came in earlier early in the Marion game.

Really got them out of the jam and really got the job done in that Marion game, which they thought was going to be their toughest.

Scott flares one out to shallow short.

Ali Saki there to get under it for out number one.

Ali Saqi getting that out?

Let's talk about she and Chelsea passage really quickly.

They have 10 plus double plays on the season.

That is usually unheard of in softball.

Double plays not as easy to turn in softball instead of baseball, with the bases being so close together and gabrie goodnight with their second hit of the afternoon drops that one into left center field for the single.

She really did a good job coming up, attacking early, staying on that outside pitch, dropping it in left center.

The second hit of the afternoon for Good Night brings up Tuesday.

Melton, who sacrificed goodnight over back in the bottom of the second.

Swings at the off speed.

That was a great off speed pitch by Tori Howard coming in.

Oh, count.

Howard starting to mix in a little off speed to counteract some of the aggressiveness of these Benton hitters, right, and coach Saki said that is one of her best pitches, but Dorian these hitters forbitten they're so aggressive every single time they swing about, they swing with purpose, so the change up isn't a bad pitch.

Tried to get her chasing at the curve but mountain lays off for BO1.

And an 02 count.

That's a great pitch right there that usually get a batter to chase at.

Get there swinging at the off speed for strike three.

With the way that the Benton hitters have been hitting so far, I think this is a great call to pitch them majority changeups now we've also seen them though.

Stay back on the changeups.

That's where one of the home runs came from was a changeup thrown.

Mackenzie Worsham struck out looking her last time up.

Little flair to 3rd nice play by Cartwright as she tracks that one down for out.

#3 ball was slicing away.

Fantastic catch by Cartwright to get Greenwood out of the inning and back into the dugouts.

Benton gets a runner on but can't bring her in as we head to the top of the fourth.

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The Benton Lady Panthers leading Greenwood 5 to nothing here in the top of the fourth.

It will be Saki, Cartwright and Thomas to the plate for the Lady Bulldogs and you may have noticed the last name Saki.

Of course head coach Ronnie Saki, the father of senior shortstop Ali Saki and we asked him before the game what it was like to coach her in this game and he got choked up.

He got a little emotional talking about how much it's meant to be her coach over these last four years and then to make matters.

Even better or worse for him, they're playing in the state championship game and then tomorrow's her graduation, so seeing him get choked up, it kinda made me get a little choked up too.

In certainly able to tell the pride he has for his daughter just by speaking to him and she takes that one high.

And Saki not going far for college going just down the road to the University of Arkansas.

Part of that tremendously talented, talented 2021 class that Courtney Deifel is bringing in to help continue the tradition that she's built up there in Fayetteville.

Something I know, Sidney that you're very familiar with, very familiar with that there's a lot to be proud of.

What they have done this season, coach Courtney Deifel.

She has done a phenomenal job building up that program in getting it to where?

It is at.

And the two one from mountain.

Saki on the ground.

A shortstop runs well but get there by a step.

That is a great play by samples.

She stayed with it gundor out.

At first it was really close as we're seeing here.

Getting saki out just by a step.

Really great play.

Big firstout for the Benton Lady Panthers.

This Cartwright who made that fantastic grab to end the bottom of the third comes up.

She takes ball one outside and Mattie Cartwright for as good as she is been.

4 Greenwood this year.

This is just her first time in four years playing high school softball.

She's more known throughout Greenwood for her abilities on the basketball court.

So coach Saki he talked about.

She came out to trials and she's like, yeah, I just I want to try out this year.

So she came to the trial.

He said she dropped a few bombs, hasn't even played in four years and what she has done seven homers.

That's incredible for not playing in four years.

That's not just seven home runs, 32 RBI.

Is that one smack down the left field line part right?

Thinking 2 all the way, and she is in there with a stand up double.

Talk about not playing in four years.

She just hit a double in the state championship game.

That's a big moment for her, melting through an inside pitch.

She really stayed on it and stayed through that ball, driving it down the left field line.

I wish my swing that look that good after four years of not playing.

But what this does is get someone on in front of Natalie Thomas who has the for who had the first hit of the day for Greenwood.

And this is how the Lady Bulldogs can really start to work their way back in this game.

Thomas swinging thousand straight back right Dorian and a big time double like that.

That kind of gets you jump start it gets you re sparked re vamped up to get back in it and offensively they just have to keep doing what they're doing.

With a picture like Tuesday, Mountain hits are hard to come by.

That one was a big one, Thomas.

Pops it up in the infield.

Tough play samples.

Can't get there.

Good job by Tuesday Mountain to quickly make sure that Mattie Cartwright wasn't going anywhere.

And on the other side, good awareness by Cartwright to realize that that ball didn't kick away from anybody and she needed to stay put.

Yeah, that was great base running and you know that's a tough play that drops right behind the picture.

That's a long way for samples to come and run.

Natalie Thomas, though getting that base it you know she'll take it any way that she can get it right.

Get any way you can get it as a fielder.

Those are always the worst.

Those little flares in no man's land.

Line drive in Houston tries to double off.

The runner at first, but not in time.

That's a great job by Alyssa Houston.

Being heads up catching that ball, seeing that she's a little off first base, throwing that ball across the diamond doesn't get her quite out.

She got back in time but way to stick with that hard hit line drive.

Natalie Thomas gotta hardly just a little too far off the bag, able to get back.

Kessinger out to center field.

That ball is deep but it is hit right at Aubrey.

Goodnight Greenwood gets two runners on.

Can't get him in.

They're still trailing 5 to nothing as we head to the bottom of the board here in the diving title.

Don't go anywhere you are watching this Centennial State softball championships on Arkansas.

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You know, I think sports are really big to a lot of people, and because it is so important.

Part of our fabric in our community and the one good thing about what I've seen is its high quality production.

You know, you think of the small communities all over Arkansas.

It's a big deal that they can turn on the TV or DVR or whatever and they're going to quality product.

And so I think it just expands the focus of what PBS is doing in Arkansas.

PBS is doing a great job and I think it's part of education.

Download photos from the game at myarpbs.org backslash photos at this game or any game through state softball and baseball championships here at the Benton Sports Athletic Complex is the home team The Lady Panthers leading Greenwood 5 to nothing here in the bottom of the fourth.

Shelby samples to lead things off.

As Benton starts through the order the third time, it'll be samples Davis Houston with the Redmond, Scott and Goodnight coming up behind them.

Takes the offering from Howard inside.

Last inning we saw Tori Howard come in she started throwing more changeups she was working away.

Lefties outside part of the plate just came inside.

Drives that ball back up the middle.

I shall be samples leads things off in the fourth with a single samples just did a great job on that pitch.

Tori Howard threw an offspeed.

She really kept her hands back, being able to stay behind the ball through it, driving it back up the middle.

Can't beat your leadoff getting on base.

Addison Davis 2 for two.

She lays down the soft bun Howard over to 1st in time together, but Davis move samples over to 2nd.

And she just did her job right there.

Davis, moving the runner over.

That's what a super you know is built to do.

They're supposed to create chaos, keep the defense on their toes, but also their role is to move runners when they get on base.

And get them over in front of Benton's big hitter, Alyssa Houston, who had the big two run bomb to right centerfield as she hits that one back and out of play.

And really Sidney that home run by Houston just open the floodgates for Benton.

It really did her hitting that home run an then Gilmore coming up behind her, hitting another home run.

You're right, it really did open up the floodgates, but the thing that I love about Houston is she attacks early in the count and when she swings she is swinging the bat.

But not getting cheated in their hacks at all.

Today the 01 check swing foul back to the screen, but I wish you had that one back.

Yeah, she probably does in Houston.

She really hasn't seen many offspeed pitches, so I think it caught her a little off guard.

She's been hitting the first pitch strike.

That's mostly been fastball.

Curveball away from her.

Here's the 02.

Offspeed just outside and I think with Tori Howard.

You know with Houston hitting that home run.

I don't think she's wanting her to do it again.

She's gonna really work around her and throw her off balance.

Again, the problem that Houston presents is right behind her is Gracie Redmond who hit the home run.

Behind her, the last time is Houston takes a changeup outside for another ball.

Right now the position that Greenwood's in she was to hit another home run.

That puts them up 7 to 0.

I don't think that they want to be at that seven run deficit.

The two two.

Houston goes down to the ground and she fails that ball back to the screen.

Looks a little gimpy getting up, and I don't know if it's the hand or the foot.

It looked like she rolled her back angle just a little bit, but you know she's walking away.

Coach Cox is kind of giving her a little hand jive like you've got it.

Shake it off.

Of course, head coach Heidi Cox is.

Take another look.

Looks like maybe you just rolled over that front ankle.

And again, we've seen some surface issues here.

There have been has been rain throughout the Benton area over the last couple of days.

The two two.

Just a little bit low is Houston has run the count full and that's a great job by Houston.

She just saw three changeups in a row laying off of those pitches.

The one before she did swing at that.

The previous two pitches were changeups watching them off the plate.

Houston Squares now pulls it back.

That ball is high, but out of play.

Another thing about Houston that I think kind of separates her from her team and this is more of a mechanical thing.

She has a huge leg kick in her swing.

You don't see that quite often that's more of a baseball thing.

Well, certainly the softball game is trended more lately towards the power play that you see in a traditional baseball game.

As the three two from Howard up and out of the zone, Houston gets a bat on it and again puts it out of play.

Houston is so strong, so powerful there's not a lot of pitches that get past her.

And as she comes back to the Box, Gilmore, right behind her, putting her hand up to her collarbone, saying those balls are at the top of the strike.

Soon you gotta let him go.

The three two that's a changeup put out into left field.

Kinsley Fisher there to make the out of samples goes diving back into second.

That's a great job by Fisher out there.

She at first kind of had to pause to get a read on it and then she sprinted into make the cut.

Looks like it stopped a little bit on her.

Matauri Howard can breathe a small sigh of relief getting passalis Houston, but that just brings up.

Riley Gilmore, who hit the solo shot to follow up Houston's back in the bottom of the second.

And she takes Vol.

1 inside.

That pitch curving inside.

And then you know her first about she was hit by a pitch, came back just like you said the Homer the 2nd at bat.

It's a gutsy call trying to beat a lefty on the inner part of the plate.

Lefties love to get their hands out.

Is Gilmore fouls that one away and off the hands that inside pitch that's pitching into her wheelhouse?

That's where she hit the home run.

And man, what a 3-4 punch having them back to back in the lineup as well as they swing the bat.

You singing Gilmore, both saying just under that 450.

Marcus Gilmore sends that one out to right field, and it is another home run for Riley Gilmore, her second of the day that 182 run shot as Benton extends their lead to 7 nothing here in the five A state championship have a state championship game.

Riley Gilmore two homers.

Wow, we just talked about it.

Throwing her inside in her wheelhouse, as we can see, she gets pitched a curveball inside and she absolutely demolishes it over the right field fence.

I wonder if Riley Gilmore ever thought that her state championship game would go as well as this has for her today.

No, never.

Most athletes they come in.

They're like man, I just want to get a hit.

You know, I just really want to make something happen.

But two home runs you don't really see that often.

Gracie Redmond in.

Takes balwan.

In Sydney before this game, the last three matchups between Greenwood and Benton, the Lady Panthers were outscored 12 to nothing in those games.

Certainly changing the tide with this one as they are up 7 to nothing.

Then you know what that happening.

I guess it's just their time.

It reminds me of something that Coach Cox told us when we talked to her earlier this week.

She said this team reminds her so much of that 2014 state championship team in the way that they're unselfish, but also that state championship team they beat Greenwood 12:50 in the state playoffs that year.

In the coach Cox, you're exactly right.

One of their biggest things as they do thankful Thursdays and I thought that was so great that they do that just to show gratitude for each other.

The people around and gratitude for the for the sport.

Redmond takes Vol 4.

And we did ask her if they were going to do thankful Thursday today.

She said they moved it up this week to make room for the state championship, but I'm thinking that Heidi Cox and Benton's are pretty feeling pretty thankful right about now.

I think they most definitely are feeling thankful.

You know, once this is said and done, maybe next Thursday, this will be their thing before.

Hobson back in as a courtesy runner for Redmond.

And one of the other things that Coach Cox really hit on is that they built in some activities this week to take the pressure off.

She knows you know, expectations state championship can get players really wound up.

They had a photo scavenger hunt on Tuesday.

Ascott nice snag.

By passage over its second for out #3, Scott hit that on a rope, but passage right there to make the output.

Benton gets two more off the bat of Riley Gilmore as we head to the top of the fifth with the Lady Panthers leading 7 to nothing.

You are watching the Centennial State Softball Championships in one Arkansas PBS sports.

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I would definitely be watching this one on repeat.

The Lady Panthers rolling up 7 nothing here over the Greenwood Lady Bulldogs as we head to the top of the fifth.

This is most definitely a game that they're going to want to have to be able to replay for years to come.

And you know, Gilmore, I think she's really going to want to have it.

Maybe 5-10 copies?

I don't know.

Start passing it out to people.

Riley Gilmore, having herself a state championship game, two home runs for the junior but Greenwood, now left with some work to do as they are down to their final nine outs.

Here in this game and they will leave it to Chapel Clements.

Ann Fisher is 789 to get things rolling.

Nobody had a 14 player example.

Chapel takes strike one.

He is over one on the afternoon.

She flew out to right field on that outstanding catch out there by Mackenzie Warsham.

Back in the second.

Just pitch #50 on the afternoon by Tuesday Mountain as it rises up out of the zone for a ball.

Not one just missed on the outer part of the plate and important to note, it's not just the fact that Tuesday Melton is working fast and keeping that pitch count down.

She's also working officially.

35 of those 50 previous pitches had been strikes as that one called a strike on the inner part of the plate.

Tuesday.

Mountain has done an incredible job on the mound, really knowing.

Who's up to bat and how to pitch to them?

She hasn't missed very much out of the zone.

The two two from mountain.

Gets or chasing up out of the zone strikes out clear Chapel for out number one and I know we've talked about it.

Coach Sockies been preaching to his team that they gotta stay disciplined and early in the game.

They were right now.

Later in the game down to their last nine outs.

They have to remain disciplined to be able to string some hits together.

Just walking out of the stadium, the Bentonville Lady Tigers who will face Conway in the six A state championship.

Tomorrow morning for Sydney I'll be right back here on that call and worth noting.

Coach Cox probably knew that this was a state championship caliber team when they went up to Bentonville.

And not just did they beat the Tigers, they beat them handily.

They swept a doubleheader, 8/2 An 8 nothing earlier this year.

And if you know anything about softball in the state of Arkansas, you know just what a big deal that is.

Yeah, Coach Earleys team Bentonville.

They are.

They are incredible team.

He has done a great job throughout all the years that he's been coaching there really a powerhouse so to be able to sweep them.

That really says something about your team.

And I think when she was talking to us, she sandbagged us a little bit.

Is that ball hit **** ** the ground?

A second nice play over to 1st in time to get the out by Addison Davis.

No, she most definitely did Dorian.

She downplayed it their game.

She's like, Oh yeah, you know, Bentonville.

So good can.

Early is my friend.

You know, we both went to U AM Oh yeah, no, she definitely downplayed it.

And she said, if their defense can play as good as bentonville's defense, then they know that they're doing something right.

And so far Benton getting it done in all aspects, defensively, offensively and with their pitcher.

Tuesday, Melton as that ball flared out to left.

Scott gives Chase, but can't get there in time.

Is Kinsley Fisher drops in this two out single.

That's a great but hit by Fisher.

That's a really tough ball for Scott to come in.

You know it's in that triangle between left center and shortstop.

Those are the type of hits that you just have to tip your hat to the.

To the hitter and move on when it rolls over the top of the line up to #3, Chelsea Posedge.

Passage over 2 so far on the afternoon.

No, she takes strike one and this is just the first full season for passage with these Greenwood Lady Bulldogs.

She spent the majority of her high school career at Muldrow in Oklahoma, only moving to the Greenwood area during the COVID year and really is made an impact in just a short time here.

She really has and something interesting is her dad is the junior high basketball coach for Greenwood and whenever she was playing in Oklahoma he was her coach whenever she played.

So that's very interesting that they've moved here together and are both a part of Greenwood as her Dad and Mike Passage.

The one one.

Passage takes that one higher in the zone for strike two.

That's a great pitch by Tuesday, Mountain throwing that screwball inside it.

Really kind of locked passage up right there.

One and two two outs for Greenwood here in the top of the fifth.

Does that rise well up and out?

Fisher on the move.

She's in there safely with a stolen base.

That was a good effort by Shelby samples.

Really trying to knock that ball down, not allowing it to get to the outfield.

This was trying to make something happen.

Greenwood has some speed in that lineup as you just saw from Kinley.

Fisher hasn't got a whole lot of chances to really showcase that here.

This afternoon is.

Baserunners have been hard to come by now in a scoring position for.

Chelsea passage, the two two from Melton off Speed and passage, fouls it back.

The off speed isn't a pitch that we see a lot that Tuesday throws, but possibly she's really been on our pictures.

Whether she's falling a moth or she staying disciplined so that wasn't a bad pitch right there to throw in a 22 count.

Courtney Deifel very complimentary of passage.

Again, we mentioned part of that 2021 signing class called her a gritty competitor, and you can see that in this bat just what Arkansas will be getting next year.

That's you.

Two up and out of the zone again and how exciting for passage and Saki to be teammates and then get to go on to Arkansas.

You know you when you go to college.

It's a little bit different change of pace, but to be able to have someone and rely on each other and know each other, that's going to be big for them.

Adjusting to what college life is like.

The three two.

Swung on and sent back to centerfield, but good night is there to make the catch to end the inning.

Greenwood gets a single from Kinley Fisher, but can't bring her in as Benton stays on top seven to nothing.

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To place your order that's mmproductions.net and we expected a full house here for this 5A state championship here at Benton 782 in attendance to watch Benton in Greenwood.

Play in this fighting state championship, and of course usually this game held at Bogle Park up in Fayetteville that not possible this year because Arkansas hosting a regional just the second regional in Razorback.

Program history, it'll start tomorrow.

As Aubrey Goodnight takes that one.

On the shoulder, and she'll head down to first, but.

Arkansas getting set to face Manhattan.

In the first game of that Fayetteville regional that will be tomorrow at noon, you can watch that on the SEC Network, right Dorian for these high school kids.

They get excited to get to play at Vogel to end their season in the state championship game, but Man Benton has beautiful facilities.

They do have beautiful facilities and as much as I think Benton with love to play a Bogle, I think they're pretty happy to be playing with a seven run lead here in front of their home fans.

Almost definitely they're getting to play on their home turf in front of their home crowd where they nobody had to drive very far to go watch them.

Mountain takes the offspeed low for Ball 2.

Into a common thing that we've been seeing is not a lot of teams have per field, so they've been having to go to UCA to practice use their football indoors to practice.

And that her feeling a little bit of a newer trend in softball away from the traditional dirt and grass is head coach Ron Isaki heads out to the.

Melanie wants to talk it over with Tori Howard in his infield.

But back to back to Bogle Park and back to the Fayetteville Regional.

You know, we talk about the excitement and I think Arkansas having the success that they've had to need these success that you were part of during your time up in Fayetteville.

It elevates what we see at this level because it grows interest in the game.

It grows excitement about the game and.

You see what Arkansas is doing up there at Fable, and it trickles down into what we see here on these field, and you have two of these girls here on Greenwood in Posedge, and Saki going to Arkansas.

All of it all works to further the game for the next generation.

You're exactly right.

And nothing better to see some in state girls getting to be a part of that success up at Fayetteville.

And what the coaching staff has done, they are absolutely going to love playing for that coaching staff in that program.

And just again, I cannot speak highly.

More highly of the coaching staff and what they've done.

It's been an exciting year for Arkansas and you know, yeah, these athletes don't get to play on boegel, but I'm sure everybody here is excited that they're getting the host or regional.

Tell how excited Ben is by the fact that they're dancing as they're talking to the Cha Cha dancing to the Cha Cha slide.

Here is Ronnie Saki heads back into the dugout and we are set to resume play with Tuesday mountains.

Up 30 in the count.

And she takes fall for low.

Heidi Cox coming out to talk to home plate umpire Jaron Harris.

And it looks like we're going to get a pinch hitter in Emily Reed coming to the plate.

While Mallory Crosby will courtesy run for Tuesday Mountain.

Mallory Crosby, running at first base.

Batting #34 Emily green.

Read batting in place of the right fielder.

Mackenzie worsham.

Heidi Cox.

Wanting to get a couple more of her players state championship experience is the Lady Panthers comfortably ahead and seven to nothing here in the bottom of the fifth inning.

Green takes a strike on the outside part of the plate and coach Cox.

She's talked about Emily Reed.

She might not be a starter, but she's someone that brings a lot to this team.

She can get up there offensively and bring things to the plate to add on to what they've already done.

In addition to she does a great job running out on defense.

Ball driven out into centerfield.

Kesinger there to make the ounce.

Not a bad piece of hitting to just come off of the bench and be able to get your first plate appearance off of a picture that you haven't seen.

Pinch hitting is an art.

It's something we usually see.

Usually see more at the college game.

Here, exactly right during you don't really see it a lot here.

In high school pinch hitting.

We've been seeing a lot of pitchers hit for themselves, so it is an art.

Actually, a lot of people don't know that, but it takes a lot to come off the bench.

You really haven't warmed up and been able to see the picture through.

Samples takes the off speed for the strike.

And it's not just being caught, it's also having the right mentality.

Coming in to pinch hit in a situation because you never know when your name is going to be called.

His samples flares went out into shallow left center Saki ranging back and.

You see on that play the athleticism that makes her Division One commit.

You're exactly right.

That was a great play by Saki.

She was playing a little bit in, and her shortstop position.

She really dropped, stepped in turn and went, and got that.

Exactly right, very athletic.

She was nearly all the way out in left field tracking that one down and back to back outs for Greenwood.

Addison Davis.

What a snag by Saki.

What a grab by Ali Saki for the third out of the inning that ball inches away from being a hit but Ali saki someone called Sports Center.

What a grab?

By the senior shortstop is that will send us to the top of the sixth inning.

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Tuesday Mountain back to the mound for the Benton.

Lady Panthers, who are leading 7 nothing here in the top of the sixth inning.

And it will be Ali Saki to the plate first for Greenwood Saki with that fantastic grab to end the bottom half of the inning.

I was seconds away from calling that a base hit for Addison Davis.

She absolutely we just talked about her athleticism catching that behind the third baseman that wasn't in the 5-6 hold that was behind the third basement.

Catching that line drive.

I mean man, she went all out for that.

Masaki, one of the best athletes you'll see here in the state of Arkansas as you takes.

That ball low and outside.

Now I want to highlight something she committed to Arkansas in 2017.

That was four years ago.

She has been knowing her future what's out in front of her for quite some time.

The 10 saki underneath it is melting.

Pops are up on the infield.

Samples underneath it for the out.

And that's what Tuesday Melton's done this entire game as she's been consistently throwing that low rise and the rise ball out of the zone, getting these batters to pop up, she's had a good amount of the Greenwood batters fly out.

Mattie Cartwright doubled into the left field corner.

Her last at bat.

Swings at the first pitch by mountain, but is out in front of it.

The 01 mountain on the off speed, but it's low.

In Sydney, for a team like Greenwood, who has been so close to the state championships you mentioned at the beginning of the game, four state titles between these two programs.

Greenwood one there only fastpitch championship back in 2015, the year after Benton won theirs.

But Greenwood has been in it several times.

They lost a shared in twice in that state championship.

Here again playing Benton.

And you gotta feel form a little bit.

They've been so close so many times, but.

It's always been shared and or it's been bent and that's been standing in their way.

Yeah, you know that's a really hard thing being in this position like you just said in the past.

And being so close and not being able to follow through, I'm sure right now they're kind of feeling that once again.

**** ** the ground.

A third Houston gloves it over to 1st in time.

To get Cartwright.

Riley Gilmore just did a great job stretching there, getting that out as it was hit to Houston.

She throws across the diamond really close, pay play.

Gilmore just stuck with it.

That's the second at bat in a row that Mattie Cartwright is hit the ball incredibly hard.

Good job by Houston.

Just in glove it and get it over to 1st.

As Greenwood, down to their last four ounce, one more here.

Three more in the top of the 7th.

And it will be Natalie Thomas trying to keep things going.

If she files that one back.

And we talked about just how competitive these two teams have been over the years.

To put that into perspective, it was Greenwood that beat Benton in the 2019 semi-final.

It was Greenwood that beat vent and back in the 2017 tournament in Greenwood.

They beat Benton back in 2015.

So these teams again no stranger to playing, and no stranger to playing in this type of scenario, right?

And just being in this scenario they've been here before, you know, earlier we had two teams that have never really experienced this.

So with Greenwood and Bitten having the experience they know what to expect, playing on such a huge stage.

The 1/2 from mountain.

Sent out to centerfield and Aubrey Goodnight there to make the catch as Greenwood goes down in order.

We head to the bottom of the sixth, with Benton leading 7 to nothing.

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Houston Gilmore in Redmond do up for the Benton, Lady Panthers here in the bottom of the sixes they're leading Greenwood 7 to nothing closing in on.

Looking more and more likely to be their 4th state championship in program history.

And Alyssa Houston has been a big part of that today.

She had the big two run home run in the bottom of the second inning as she smashes that one deep to left field.

That ball is high, that ball is gone.

The second home run of the day for Alyssa Houston.

I mean what a swing?

By Alyssa, Houston, Tori Howard just threw an off speed pitch.

She really stayed back on.

It kept her hands back blasting it over the left field fence just like we had talked about earlier.

She had only seen a little off speed pitches, but here we are.

It's our 4th at bat.

First pitch offspeed sat back on an absolutely drove the ball.

She's so powerful.

I mean, every time the ball hits her back she just has some boots behind it.

The twelve home run of the year for Alyssa Houston that is the 4th home run.

Hit today Vimentin and no surprise Tori Howard starting off Riley Gilmore with enough speed.

So now we've talked about Rally Gilmore two home runs.

We talked about how yeah, she's gonna want this game.

You know she's gonna want it so she can show people.

But I mean Houston with two homers as well.

That one out to left field got room in front of the fence.

It falls.

Find some green.

Miss Gilmore will live to see another strike.

And I know we talked about it earlier, but Houston and Gilmour back to back like I feel like this is the heart of the lineup.

Now one through 9.

They're all incredible in brings.

So much to this offense.

But to have two hitters like that back to back that really put some pressure on a defense.

We talked about it a little bit at the beginning of the broadcast, but Benton with five batters.

Hitting at 4:50 or above.

Houston and Gilmore, part of that just under that 450 mark they're 447 and 442 respectively.

Certainly raising that number here this afternoon to be able to bat around 4:50.

I mean, that's really unheard of.

In addition to that, you know it's good to be 3 for 10 on a given day in there.

Well, exceeding that so.

22 to Gilmore.

Just gets a piece to stay alive.

And I think sometimes offensively it's easy to get caught up in this game.

It is, you know, at times of failure driven sport.

But if you can look at now, I'm not a big stats person, but if you can look at your batting average on a piece of paper and see 450, he feels pretty good good.

I'd be feeling very good right now if I was.

Benton's Riley Gilmore takes that changeup, blowing away.

Eight runs on eight hits for the Benton Lady Panthers.

Just four hits for Greenwood's Tuesday.

Melness held them scoreless.

Little soft liner into the hands of Chelsea, Posedge.

You made it difficult play.

Look easy.

Yeah, that was a difficult play to soft liner like that.

That short that she really has to spring and get and she caught it.

Shoelace catch it was a great play by her getting the read off of the bat.

I'll get used to seeing this duo folks posedge and Saki up the middle.

They're both going to Arkansas.

Both recruited as infielder so very likely could be looking at the future of the Arkansas Razorbacks.

Middle defense for the next four or five years, right?

Dorian, I'm interested to see when they get to Arkansas, what will happen.

But I mean, to get to carry over.

Redmond soft liner out to left Saki giving Chase but can't get there.

I think we should send Courtney Deifel that clip of that ball behind third base.

You know I think she would really appreciate it.

And ESPN 2 holler at it.

Tell me up sports that is one of the best.

Take it from 2 girls that have been around the game of softball for a really long time that is going to be the one of the best plays you will ever see.

I don't care about what level you're watching.

Redmond down the first baseline passage.

Not to be outdone by her counterpart Saki Posedge, runs that one down catches it just before the fence for the out impossible.

The balls hit foul.

She runs a long way to go make this crab so athletic so fast and these two are going to be fun to watch in Fayetteville.

That is for sure.

So I guess we can just add this to the video for Coach Tiful.

If they weren't already committed, I'd say they're putting together a great recruiting tape in this game.

I fall in on Elena Scott as she jumps out of the way.

To go back to those two plays you absolutely love to see the hustle right?

I mean, out of any athlete, but to see the hustle like that, especially Downey runs a lot of players will sometimes give up give up, not the right word, but it can bleed over into your defense when you're not having a great day at the plate.

But clearly saki and passenger and not the rest of this team either not taking a playoff as they are still battling out to the bitter end.

You're exactly right and you want to be able to walk away from the field and know in your mind in your heart that you laid it.

All out on the field.

Four pitch walk to Elena Scott.

The first time that she has been on base this afternoon and that brings up.

Aubrey Goodnight, who's been busy out in centerfield today, she has been ******** fly balls like it's batting practice out there.

She has been very busy but she filled her position so well.

Off speed dot goodnight leaning.

And that's a great thing to see.

An athlete who can work both sides of the diamond so well she can get the job done at the plate.

She fills her position well out on defense.

Found that one back to the screen is goodnight.

Quickly down Owen.

Two in the count.

02 weight back on the change of sends it out to the left field.

Nice try by Kinsley Fisher, but can't get there in time.

Is goodnight flares a single out into left and heads up baserunning by Elena Scott with two outs she was running on contact all the way.

To 3rd I was just about to say that Dorian two out she's going on contact, going first to third.

That's really great baserunning, and we saw in the game earlier.

But baserunning makes a difference and gave.

Heads up baserunning in baserunning.

Mistakes can often be the difference makers, as Tuesday Mountain send one out to center on the first pitch she sees.

Kessinger is under it as Greenwood will head to the top of the seventh.

They've got some work to do as they trailed the Benton Lady Panthers Easton nothing you were watching.

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Sending the way things are going here, I would say that next week is going to be Benton Week, or at least the rest of the week is going to be better week here for the Lady Panthers.

If they can hold off Greenwood here on the top of the seventh, they're leading 8 to nothing and the Lady Bulldogs down to their final three out.

So it most definitely will be Dorian, you know, Benton, the Community, the people, I mean as we can tell right here in the stands.

It is packed out.

The support is there.

I think next week they're going to have a lot to be thankful for, as I'm sure Coach Cox will talk to them about, but yeah.

I'm sure everyone within the school district and who lives at Benton, though they have a lot to be proud of.

It will be Taylor, Kessinger and Chapel for the Lady Bulldogs.

Here in the top of the 7th.

As Mountain starts her off with an off speed.

That's a great first pitch strike.

Throwing that offspeed to Taylor.

Tuesday Mountain has once again been fantastic on the mound here this afternoon for the Lady Panthers.

As Taylor sends it out to right field, that ball is deep.

It is off the wall.

And she is thinking triple going all the way there.

So waving her around and now they hold up the stop sign.

As Charlie Taylor starts off the top of the seventh inning with a triple off the wall in right field.

And if your grant, or if you're Greenwood, that might just be the type of thing you need to find some momentum here with your back against the wall.

That's exactly what they need with their back against the wall that leadoff triple.

That's exactly what they need.

You can see the girls kind of coming out of the dugout getting going there, really going to try to make some noise in the top of this seventh inning, and one thing that Coach Saki.

Their motto for this season's been to compete every pitch and don't take it for granted like it all out on the field.

So here in the top of the seventh inning, I'm sure they're going to try to do just that.

Matt brings up.

Macy kessinger kessinger.

Over two in the game this afternoon.

Send that one out to shallow right field.

No play for warsham.

So I think right here for this top of the seventh inning for Greenwood, just like Taylor LED off with a triple kesinger right here.

She just needs to focus within herself.

You know they're down.

Eight runs are going to have to string together some hits to really make a comeback, right gear?

The one one from mountain **** ** the ground through the infield as Greenwood will push a run across on the RBI single by Macy Kessinger.

That makes it 8 to one with the Lady Bulldogs.

Still with a lot of work to do.

Heidi Cox out to the circle to talk to Tuesday.

Milton, in her defense, it doesn't really look like.

Any plans to pull Mountain here in this one?

Just more than likely a conversation just.

Hey guys, we're up 7 everyone.

Take a breath, you're exactly right.

I think that's exactly what Coach Cox is saying, but as we can tell, Melton is getting taken out of the game.

Heidi Cox not taking any chances she will bring in Alyssa Houston to try and closeout this game for the Benton Lady Panthers.

Alyssa Houston and Tuesday they compliment each other.

They're a lot of like Coach Cox said.

Both gonna stay in the upper 50s.

They're very versatile players as we can tell that Houston has been playing third base.

She's also gritty a competitor on the mound.

There's a curve screw.

She's got a good ride rise.

She spins the ball really well, so her being similar to melt and we'll see what the Greenwood Bulldogs do here at the plate.

And we talked about just how miniscule Tuesday mountains ERA is.

Alyssa Houston comes in with an ER, a under .5, not 5.5 in this one.

She is eight saves on the season, so you can see why Heidi Cox turning to her to try to closeout the state championship exactly right.

Eight to one?

There's a seven run deficit.

She's just trying to get her in here just to close the deal.

Seal it as we can tell, they just had a leadoff triple.

And then the next batter up hits a basic through the 3-4 hole to drive in a run.

So she's just coming in to seal the deal, get the job done.

Claire Chapel.

One on no one outs for the green one.

Lady Bulldogs as they try to mount a last inning comeback here in the five A state championship game.

Chapel, oh for two with a fly out or write him a strikeout back in the 5th as she looks at that one from Houston.

And I will say with her windup she does have a different look.

The melt and she's a little bit different throws similar pitches, but her delivery is different than Milton's.

The one one pounded into the ground mountain over to 1st.

In time to get Chapel.

For the first out of the inning.

So how about that Milton starts off pitching Houston's at 3rd, and then they just flip flopped.

And nothing given up at either position.

By the switch.

Even Clements stepping in now.

Clements, of course started this game in the circle before Benton touched her up for five runs in the bottom of the second.

Would love to help, I'm sure get some of that back for her team here in an RBI opportunity with.

Macy Kessinger out at second base.

Right, that's exactly what she wants to do here to drive in that run.

Get herself on so the next batter could come up and help them get an opportunity.

Send that one back and out of play.

Brings account even at one and one.

In Sydney, as you well know, that's one of the things about these Ronnie Saki teams.

They're going to fight you.

Is mountain again tested at third over to 1st in time to get Clements and Benton?

Now one out away?

From the five A state championship, the Lady Panther fans are on their feet.

Cheering on this team to not only bring home a 5A state championship, but complete an undefeated season here in front of their home fans an undefeated season it's unheard of.

We've talked about it 3:30 and oh to be 31 and oh on the season and win a state title.

That's a lot to be proud of.

Kinley Fisher.

Swings of the first strike.

You know this is a lot of pressure for Fisher right here.

You've got two outs or runner at second.

You're down by 7.

She could feel a little bit of pressure, but this isn't on her.

The old one.

Up and out of the zone you want to be that hitter that keeps it going right.

It's never fun to be the last out of any anything, any season, any game as you write it, they can feel pressure, but there also can be pressure on Alyssa Houston.

A little bit tendency to maybe overthrow.

She delivers the one one, and Fisher fouls it back.

And now Greenwood down to their final strike.

What I like to see is meltons over there at third base and you know she pitched the entire game and she's cheering on Houston like you have got this.

Come on, let's do it and that just goes back to the unselfishness that Heidi Cox said was really the hallmark of her team and what she singled out is what makes them special.

Is Houston with the 1/2 swung on and missed for strike three and Benton?

Wins the five A state championship, their 4th in program history.

They defeat the Greenwood Lady Bulldogs 8 to one.

Absolutely incredible job by the Benton Panthers.

They had dominated at the plate all day for home runs.

Two Bing for Melissa Houston and then Riley Gilmore.

Absolutely incredible at the plate.

Venting caps off a perfect season they end the year 31 and oh, as they cruised to a state title over their postseason foe the Greenwood Bulldogs.

Heidi Cox told us before this game.

She said that this was one of the best teams, one of the most talented teams that she thought that they had had in program history.

And it hasn't to go back to what she preached at the beginning.

They're so selfless and you could see that today they did what they had to do to help each other prevel themselves forward offensively.

Defensively, they worked behind their pictures so well.

Macy Cutsinger out in centerfield.

She got a lot of outs for them.

She filled her position will and props to the two pictures.

Excuse me, I'm sorry.

Aubrey goodnight.

We are celebrating here on the field at the Benton Sports Athletic Complex.

We're going to step away, but we will be back for the trophy presentation you are watching.

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The Panthers need 5/8 state champions as they detain Greenwood Lady Bulldogs 8 to one.

There is the MVP Tuesday, mountain of starting pitcher for the Lady Panthers.

Six innings giving up six hits and one run, striking out two and.

Mountain.

Certainly.

Pitched her team to victory today.

Backed up by the big bats of the Fenton Lady Panthers, two home runs, each from a list of Houston Anne Riley.

Gilmore Melton was incredible on the mound.

She's been phenomenal for this team the entire season and to come out in the state championship game and do what she does.

Stay within herself.

What makes her successful.

She got out there and she just flat out.

Went to work to win this state title at the beginning of the broadcast we called her one of the best pitchers in the state of Arkansas regardless of classification in Melbourne.

Proved us right with the game that she threw here this afternoon, right?

And she's a big strikeout pitter to pitcher today.

There were a lot of balls put in place.

She had three strikeouts, but she still got the job done Mountain, allowing her defense to play behind her, especially Aubrey Goodnight out there in center field moves busy all day is Greenwood couldn't quite get on top of the rise balls for Melton, but complete game from the Benton Lady Panthers.

Ten hits, eight runs in route to their 4th state championship in program history.

Their first since 2014.

Offensively they were dominant the entire game from the first inning to the last.

Every single batter that went up there, they swung with intent.

They were so intentional with what they were doing to highlight really quickly.

Alyssa Houston.

Oh my gosh, when she got up to the plate, every swing that she took, she did it with purpose and you just love to see an athlete get up there and absolutely have that mentality and that physicality.

Heidi Cox said that this team was spurred on by the fact that they lossed their season last year as many of the other teams were in Arkansas.

Almost feeling like this was a team of destiny.

31 now 32 wins dating back to last year.

They had an 11 to 9 win over Greenbrier to closeout the 2020 season before they were shut down by the pandemic.

They came back.

This year 31 wins on the season and they complete it with a 5A state championship.

And there's the celebration out on the field.

We will have a 5A state championship recap when we come back.

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Oh Benton Green would have had some fantastic battles over the year, especially in the state tournament.

But this afternoon was all bent and Lady Panthers from the beginning, Sydney Bar and Dorian Crash back with you Sydney.

This was just a phenomenal game at by Benton they really dominated and controlled this game from start to finish.

They sure did offensively defensively in the mound.

They control the controllables and they went out there and got the job done.

They stuck to what they've been doing the entire season.

You know Coach Cox talked about it.

They have every piece to the puzzle their pitching staff is stellar.

They get the job done offensively and defensively.

They do what they're supposed to do.

They get 21 outs and for the Benton, Lady Panthers, of course it all started and ended in the circle with the 5A State Championship MVP Tuesday.

Melton, another fantastic game for the senior who ends her senior year 11 and oh in the circle.

And how sweet is that to injure senior year with the state championship?

You're the MVP.

She did great at the plate out on the pitchers mound.

She gave her team a chance to win.

Now Melton may have been the MVP in this game, but they were certainly a couple hitters in his batting lineup.

They gave her her run for her money.

Alyssa Houston, Anne Riley Gilmore, both with two home runs in this game is they really LED this Benton offense to 10 hits and eight runs in a game that was never really in doubt.

Yeah, and I can tell you both of them.

They must have been seeing the ball like a beach ball.

OK, both of them both at bats.

They each had a Homer off of a changeup.

Phenomenal job at the plate.

Really sticking to their approach and a couple of their hits.

It came from first pitch strike so they're attacking early in the count.

And that's what makes a hitter successful.

And we always talk about the ecstasy and the agony on the other side of the field.

Of course, the Greenwood Lady Bulldogs they finish their season 25 and 9 and certainly nothing to hang their heads about.

Benton just the better team today.

But we saw some fantastic play from Ronnie.

Saki seem especially as we expected up the middle alley.

Saki and Claire Passage both the Arkansas commits really standing out defensively for Greenwood today.

They both.

They both made two great plays.

And you know, at the time, being down eight to zero, it's easy.

Like we had talked about.

Dikana say OK, no, they still dug in and were so aggressive they're so fast and athletic they're going to have a great career after high school, so I'll be excited to keep you know up to date with them and see what they do up at Arkansas.

Well, this game exactly what we expected.

We expected a fantastic game, may be expected it to be a little bit closer given the history of these two teams, but certainly a great state championship game here in the 5A between Benton in Green wanted.

Of course there is much more to come here from the Benton Sports Athletic Complex as we continue through the weekend.

That's just the first day of the softball state championships coming up.

We have at the 68 tomorrow at 1:00 PM Conway in Bentonville, and of course, then we have the 4A coming up after that.

So this is just the tip of the iceberg.

For Sydney Bar, I am Dorian crash.

Thank you so much for joining us this afternoon.

We hope to see you back here tomorrow.