It's the best weather you can ask for in central Arkansas.

And it's fitting because the two best teams from central Arkansas colliding in the six day state softball championship at Ferris Field on the University of Central Arkansas campus.

Welcome into the six state title game.

We've got Bryant taking on cabbage.

Welcome to the broadcast booth.

Bobby Swafford alongside Dorian Kraft and the two best teams from the six AA Central squaring off today.

It's fitting to have these two playing for a state title.

Bryant and Cavett have been the best two teams, a ton of power, great pitching matchup, nothing but the best to decide the state championship.

Let's find out how these two teams got here.

Let's start with the visiting first, the Bryant Lady Hornets.

And maybe they're a surprise if you want to call it that.

First, they got a bye in the opening round of the state tournament, but that's when the path to Conway started.

They each by Springdale Harbor by the score of 3 to 2 but this is the one you have to pay attention to.

They took down the defending state champion Bentonville Lady Tigers, 6 to 4 in the semifinals, and that sets up the matchup with the conference rival.

Cavett's in the contest today.

And of course, this team, it's all about their power numbers and Abby Gentry the South Dakota State commit and signee of course.

She stars at Drake Senior catcher Abby Gentry sets the pace for the Bryant Hornets, the top of the line of a 600 batting average.

She's on base seven out of ten times 14 home runs, 35 RBI.

This is a team Bobby that has 45 home runs as a squad.

Anytime you're talking about those kind of power numbers, that's really dangerous for opposing pitchers.

You mentioned that the home run totals for the team, but the production up and down that lineup, it looks like they've got five players with 20 or more RBI.

So it's not just her at the top of the lineup that can do the damage and that is really what's propelled Bryant to this point.

That win over Bentonville.

A statement victory.

But when you're getting production from 1 to 9 and turning that lineup over, getting your hitters up with RBI opportunities, that's when your offense is clicking on all cylinders at 22 and seven on the season ten and two in conference play.

Those two losses, of course, were to Cabot, but they got wins against Benson and Bentonville, who most people think were the two best teams in the state entering the state tournament.

Well, to find out if they can finish it off, how about the other side?

This was a team who thought they were going to be here talking about the Cabinet Lady Panthers.

They won the conference a perfect conference record at 12 one over 23 and two on the season, a first round bye.

And then they went through Bentonville West with relative ease.

Five nothing, and then they squeaked it out.

Another one against Rogers, one nothing.

And that's why the Lady Panthers are back in the state championship game for the second consecutive year.

It's really important for teams that have run through their conference to have those close games, though, as you get close to the championship game because it's important to learn how to win in tight ballgames.

Caleb Bernard is the the big bats in the Lady Panthers line.

If you see the numbers there are obviously a big time player right in the middle of that order for the Lady Panthers.

Caleb Bernard, the undisputed leader of this Lady Panthers team in not only the plate but in the circle as well.

She's been dominant all season long.

Yeah, she can do it all.

But last year this is a team that thought they were in position to win a state championship.

They took on Bentonville.

It almost seemed like they were going below four below.

But some miscues led to some inopportune runs there for Bentonville, and the Lady Tigers won at 3 to 1.

And the Lady Panthers know that they've had that one circled all since last year.

Hey, we got to get back.

We don't want this same feeling.

We've got to find a way to get the job done this time in the state title game.

Bobby, I've lost in the state championship.

I know what that feels like.

And to have the opportunity to come back in the next year, have another shot for it, especially when you thought you should have won the year before.

Cavett is locked in.

They are ready to take on Bryant in this game.

Cabot's 23 and two on the season.

The only two losses this year to Benton and Green County Tech.

The two teams that were in or actually are in these five state championship games.

We've get the national anthem being played here at Ferris Field for two contests against Bryant this year, April the fourth close contest.

They lost it 6 to 4 and then another close contest on April the 28th, nine eight.

So even though they haven't beaten this Bryant team, they're not afraid of it.

That's the reason why there's the adage it's tough to beat a good team three times in the same season in both of those prior games.

Bobby, as you mentioned, they were close.

I expect another close contest today.

I mentioned the weather looks good.

Let's back that up with some graphics.

83 degrees, five miles an hour.

Humidity really not a factor unless you've been out running around since about 815.

It's not that hot today.

It's a perfect scene.

It's going to be a packed house.

And we're expecting big thing for both cabin Bryan, in this contest.

A lot of fun, a lot of fireworks, a lot of firepower.

And there's a good crowd showing up, which is always great to see Cabot and Bryant set to do.

Battle is the starting lineups for being announced here at Ferris Field on the campus of the University of Central Arkansas.

If you're just joining us, that's Norine Kraft and Bobby Swafford.

I get you set for Bryant, taking on Kevin's.

And I mentioned the two games this year that Bryant fell to Cabot, both relatively close contests.

When you face a team so many times, two or three times in a year, is it hard to put those out of your mind, especially if you've lost both contests?

Yes and no.

You remember the things that you did wrong, especially in the close games that you can go back and pick it apart, play by play, and say, Hey, if we had done this different or that different, we probably would have come away with a victory.

But on the other hand, you had a lot of information that's available to you because you're so familiar with your opponent that works on both sides.

So that's the same for Bryant as it is for Cabot.

And so you are going in probably the most prepared of any game that you have in the entire season.

Bryant and Cabot set to do battle in just a few seconds.

We'll step aside real quick.

Six day state championship first pitch is coming up as you're watching the Centennial Bank state softball championship on Arkansas.

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Welcome back to Carnoy and the 60 state softball championship.

Bryant taking on Cabot first pitch coming up.

And we're going to get a really good look at Caleb Brennan, the pitcher for Cavan.

The numbers are through the roof this year, 16 and two 173 strikeouts in only 101 innings.

And ERA, that's about like my GPA was back in the day 1.17.

She can get it done in the circle.

Don't sell yourself short Bobby right hander Kayla Bernhard her pitching in the circle has been stellar.

The entire season has a velocity that sits in the sixties Curve drop rise in a changeup.

Bernhard coming off a complete game win over Roger's one.

Nothing in that game.

What was most impressive is Bernhard sat down the last 18 batters 15 of those be a strikeout.

It's always nice when you want to put your defense in play.

50 striking out 15 of the final 18.

They'll get the job done.

Take a look at the starting lineup for Bryant as they're going to get things going.

And as you mentioned, Abby Gentry is going to lead things off and that's who's going to get everything going for the Lady Hornets, followed up by Kadence Armstrong and Allie Wyant.

There's going to be a batters one, two and three coming up for the Lady Hornets take pitches.

How do you how do you approach the top of the first of of a high pressure game obviously but if it's down to five and you like it you swing away.

What what's your philosophy?

I was always a free swinger.

I like to go after the first pitch.

I would go hunting for something good, especially against a high volume strikeout pitcher, because oftentimes as a batter, the first ball that you're going to get is the best one.

You'll get the entire sequence.

Again, though, this goes back to how much these two teams know each other and the scouting report.

And so you can bet that both Gentry and Bernard are coming in very prepared.

These are each team's best players going at each other to start the game.

We are ready for first pitch.

Bernard steps in the circle.

Abby Gentry and her 600 average in the box first pitches fouled away and we are underway in the six state title game.

Gentry Going hunting First Pitch.

I like the philosophy, the aggressiveness.

Bernhard coming with her best pitch.

That's not rise of all that's going to come up and out of the zone Good Look at the target crowd in behind there.

Allen just misses one and one.

Of course, you always want to start fast as an offensive team, but of course you don't want to fall behind hitters if you're a pitching staff as well.

So Bernard knows 173 strikeouts clearly trying to go to work early.

I went up out of zone.

What Bernard is going to try to do against an aggressive Bryant lineup is she's going to try and make the Lady Hornets expand the zone, especially the first time through the lineup.

Really try to command the corners, go up in the zone, see what Brian is willing to chase outside of the traditional strike zone.

I want again fouled away that one outer third nice location there from Bernard Evans account of two nice pitch there from Bernard Curveball moving away to hit that pitch as a hitter, you have to be very comfortable letting that ball get deep on the outer third of the plate and then hit it off your back here.

Gentry has some patience at the plate.

She's grown 24 walks this season.

These are two two pitch that run right down the pipe, strike three calls and beautiful pitch there from Bernard, right down the center of the plate.

She caught gentry looking.

Gentry was looking for something on the outside corner, got crossed up, and there was nothing she could do.

But watch definitely wasn't looking for that one.

That would be probably got more play than Bernard was really hoping to.

A lot of meat on the plate, hung on the ball in there, but couldn't get the mat off her shoulder.

The first out of those first inning.

I guess it really was Armstrong shows.

But Kadence Armstrong for 35 average.

You can tell she's a facilitator and St Mary's this season one extra basic she scored 19 runs typical numbers for a two hole hitter two whole hitters going to have someone that has great barrel control lots of speed at the plate now fouled away.

You can kind of see this slap approach and we'll go ahead and ask the question, get it out of the way.

We've got a lot of people who may not watch a lot of high school sophomore softball in general.

What's the approach when she's taking steps towards the pitch as it's coming her way?

So what Armstrong is trying to do is she's trying to shorten the distance between the plate and first base, especially on this turf field here at Ferris Field.

What Armstrong is trying to do is drive the ball into the turf to create a high hop.

It allows her to get down to first base before the fielder can make the throw.

And generally you're going to see someone who has that approach, has plenty of speed to burn as well.

That was not me.

One and two is the counts waved on him.

It's a second consecutive strikeout to start this contest.

And then Carla Bernhard is not disappointing.

Bernhard really feeling through the first two batters undisciplined approach there a little bit from Armstrong, a screwball that was moving away.

That's a really smart pitch to throw against a lefty slapper because as they're moving out of the box, that ball is going to tail away on the outside portion of the plate.

So the first two batters have been sat down on strikes and that brings up for the pitcher, Allie White.

She switched swing through the first one up around the letters, third tier rise bulb rise balls again for for people who don't watch tennis softball may be tuning in for the first time.

There are three different tiers of rice balls as you hear me talk about today, low, middle and high.

Bernhard features the high rise alum.

Slap to the left side, finds a hole.

So the first hit of the contest goes for Ali White's hitting 506 on the season, so that average is going to take up just a touch in the first base runner of this contest.

For Bryant, it's a good swing from white on the ball that was really middle in her third of the plate.

Almost a mistake there from Bernard Nice job by White, though, getting hands quick to contact.

It's going to bring up Payton Steward the cleanup batter 317 average she has 22 RBI is on the season looks like we're getting a courtesy runner for the pitcher.

Of course, the pitcher and the catcher can have courtesy runners in high school softball in Arkansas.

It's just kind of the speed up the process of the game.

And then number 15, if fewer specs, Easter Wood, the courtesy runner there.

We'll get into why she's calling specs in just a little bit.

It's not going to be your normal high school female name.

So a runner and first two outs for Bryant's Payton Stewart steps into the box.

That one fetches a good part of the plate and Bernard again works from a head.

That's the key for any pitcher, but especially one that is dominant.

Is Bernard.

Getting ahead in the count really gives you so many more options as a pitcher about what you were able to sequence, and then you force the batter to hit your best pitch.

That one well out of the zone evens up to count seven extra base hits this year for the Bryant third baseman.

It's going to take one in the gap to give the Lady Hornets a chance to take the lead at one foul away.

Over to the right side, Bernard.

Up more than two good swing on a ball in the outer part of the plate.

But again, as that ball is on the outer field and this is the difference between hitters that are good and hitters that are excellent at the high school level is letting that ball get deep.

And it's something that you really have to be comfortable with.

Not a lot of hitters can do it, but both these teams feature really talented hitters Low and inside has, as you might expect, with someone who has a 16 two record, as Bernard does control, not really a problem.

Just 42 walks and over 100 innings of play.

Oh, she's going to make you earn your way on base.

That's one of the reasons why, though you're seeing Bryant be so aggressive here early is that they know Bernard doesn't have a habit of issuing a lot of free passes, lots of balls coming in top of the first six state championship game.

Caleb Bernard in the circle for Cabot.

She's already punched out two looking to clean up the side.

There is a single in there alley white, single with two outs courtesy runner over at first as you hear that one fouled away.

I want to chase that one out of the zone.

Finish that thought.

The runner at first is Eastwood.

There's no pitch count in high school softball, but, you know, make her work.

You know, obviously you want to get out there maker so as many pitches as possible maybe she makes a mistake and you can find the gap you'll hear coaches talk a lot about productive at bats that's exactly what they're trying to do that was flared out towards center field.

A couple defenders converge and the catch is made by the right fielder.

Maybe a little confusion.

The complaint makes the play and retired is a sign that'll do it here in the first no runs one hits one left for Bryant commits the six a central conference champion coming to bat as you're watching the centennial big state softball championship on Arkansas PBS sports for every moment, for every memory from that first car to your first home to your first child.

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Where's the beef, Kevin?

Brian Scoreless after half an inning, we've seen what the Lady Hornets can do at the plate.

Now the Lady Panthers get their turn complain Titus and Bernhard set to step into the box and first pitch swinging and that one's fouled away and this is our first look at the Bryan starting pitcher Allie White says she's committed to Arkansas Tech and she's overcome a lot to get to the state championship game.

Righty Allie White has velocity mid-fifties two low sixes fast change drop rise screw curve drop curve She has a complete arsenal.

Another pitcher though that gets a lot of strikeouts.

White averages more than one per inning but checks lane did go arounds so white early goes ahead ode to the reason I say she's been through a lot she had two surgeries her freshman year on an ACL and a thumb so she's battle lot 104 strikeouts this year in 101 innings 75 hits era just over two and then check swing again goes foul.

Nice job to stay alive by complaint about the number four white that impresses me the most is actually the batter against average .192.

So opponents really having a hard time they're rolling white up putting the ball in play below the Mendoza line below 200 is always good.

Allen flared over to the left side and again foul.

The kids today even know what the Mendoza line is or why it's doing that.

Definitely not.

Probably showing my age neither even touched 41 outside.

But again the Mendoza line probably doesn't matter if you watch big league baseball, there's all kinds of players below 200.

It's all about launch angle and that's me.

These days, it's not about average exit velocity.

Yeah, that one catches a lot of the plate and string him up white coming back on the inside corner curveball that broke middle and into the hands of campaign That's exactly what it's designed to do against a lefty batter.

Look at how this ball breaks.

It's coming on to the inside part of the plate.

Cam pulling.

Does it clear the front side?

It's clearly in the strike zone.

She knows it.

It's an excellent pitch to start off the game.

It's a strikeout to start to contest for white steps.

Emily Thomas, the catcher, was fouled into the catcher's mitt tied up, hitting for 81 on the season.

She's one of the big bats in the lineup.

Eight home runs, 32 RBI 20 extra base hits for the Cabot catcher all the way at the plate.

Again to White's not backing down.

She's attacking this Cavan offense.

Cavan scored some runs against Bryant and there are two contests, six on April the fourth, nine on April the 28th, expecting a high scoring affair in this one launched over the left side.

That one might have got lost in the sun and Payton Stuart couldn't make the play there wide of third absolutely got lost in the sun.

It's a bright day here in Conway Stuart doing her best got a little bit crossed up as she goes to make this drop step at the sun.

She's also trying to locate where the base is as well.

It's a good effort, but unfortunately that ball drops and now Titus lives another pitch so she can take advantage of it.

Time is down.

Oh, to chopper left side, right to the third baseman.

This time an easy play for Stewarts.

Throw across the diamond, the second out of the inning.

That's the law of softball.

If somehow you don't make a play, you know the next ball is coming directly to you.

That was a good job making the routine play over by Stuart, collecting the ball nice, strong throw over the first first two outs of the inning recorded.

Take a look at the BRE the Bryant and defensive lineup up.

We've got time for Lovell Haskins and Hicks across the outfield Stuart Nichols Easter Wood Armstrong left to right on your infield out sharply struck to left field but right out the left fielder Lovell one pitch is the third out of the inning 1 to 3 goes cabbage and we're after one.

We are scoreless here and you're watching the Centennial Bank State Softball Championship on Arkansas.

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One, two, three.

So there's going to be no Griffin Liggett Funeral Homes, A proud supporter of Arkansas, PBS Sports serving the Conway area, located 1751 Daviau Drive in Conway, Griffin, Liggins probably serving our communities in central Arkansas since 1936 and of course scoreless after one Bryant Coming up top of the second level Nichols and Hicks do up to five, six and seven in the batting order.

That's their second look in a Caleb Bernard she struck out two in that first inning of work.

Going back to your point about making Bernhard work inside the circle, that's something that Bryant did well early 17 pitches for Bernhard in the first half of the first inning.

So really going to look to see Bryant try and battle inside the box, make Bernhard work.

Yes, she's comfortable going a lot of innings.

She's been the main pitcher for Cabot, but as a batter, the more pitches that you can see, the more likely it is that you're going to get a hit level.

Takes that one down the middle.

She's hitting for 35 this year.

The certain 19 RBI, just one home run does have 12 extra base hits, though it misses outside.

Evens up to count on a piece.

We are in the top of the second inning.

A little graphical issue, if you will.

The bottom right corner, not correct at the moment.

We're working to get that fixed.

Believe we have minions who do that.

I thought I saw them running around here earlier.

I would slash to the right side that was going to be down for the base.

It's second base hit of the contest already for Bryant.

So something brewing here for the lady Hornets the second time through.

Always big to get your leadoff batter on.

This is a beautiful piece of hitting by Lovell.

It's a ball on the outer part of the plate and again that ball gets deep on Lovell a little bit of an inside out swing that barrels it up Well just shoot it do the three four hole so runner on first nobody out here in the top of the second Carly Nichols the shortstop hits 352 on the year got some pop as well seven home runs 21 RBI as she shows bunt gets one down that's going to get the runner over.

They do get the out at first, but a nice sacrifice there by Nichols.

Beautiful sacrifice by Nichols, in my opinion.

Sacrifice bunts have become somewhat of a lost art as you've seen the power numbers start to trend up.

But Nichols did exactly what she's supposed to do squared early, kept the barrel level at the top of the zone.

Look at where that ball is, pushes it directly to Bernhard.

And that means the only play is over the first base that ensures that Lovell is able to get to second safely.

It's also giving it up for your team as well.

Will Nichols tied for second most on the squad with seven home runs.

Time scored the but then hits and pulls it back that one goes to the backstop did not catch the bat so that's going to be a pass ball heads up base running by Lovell because the ball did not get past Titus by very much.

But as soon as she saw the ball hit the turf, look at where this ball is.

It's not far behind.

Titus gut level heads up going and getting the extra base running for Bryant.

That's going to be a key in a game where they've been so tight over the course of this season.

Look for the Hornets to really try and be aggressive on the base paths.

Hicks fouls that one off.

She has 25 RBI is on the season 407 average.

What a lofty numbers for this Bryant squad.

He won 22 contests.

You only hit 45 home runs as a team without having lofty numbers.

He's got power.

They hit four average in a little high So hits now heading the count to one.

His first real threat that Kevin Pitcher Caleb Bernards had to face front runner and third with just one out battling well out of the zone three and one great job by Titus though that ball was just about a half an inch of getting away to the backstop.

There's a little real estate back behind home plate to the backstop, not a lot.

So a pass ball is not a guaranteed run, but obviously not something that you want a chance too many times.

That was an issue last year for Bernhard against Bentonville.

That one shot back to the pitcher.

Nice job of Bernhard to look to run her back instead.

No place made, so Hicks reaches safely.

I guess you have to give that an infield single.

This just doesn't make the play that'll go down in the books as an infield single and Hicks getting away with one.

It was off the end of the bat.

It was a good job by Bernhard to Field.

She did what she's supposed to do.

Look the runner back in the situation.

For Cabot, though, nothing is really lost there.

By allowing Hicks to advance to first the lady Panthers did the most important thing, and that is to keep Lovell on third base.

So that brings up Macey Hoskins.

She squares around the board now and pulled back though Hoskins For 25 and the eight whole lot that her depth in the lineup that is the epitome of production up and down squares to but now and fouled away at the plate.

Hoskins The 425 average six home runs, 27 RBIs, 14 extra base hits.

She's come around to score 23.

If every coach had an eight hole hitter with those kind of numbers.

And then again, I guess every coach will be a Hall of Famer.

They don't even have eight hole hitters with those kind of numbers at the collegiate level.

Maybe Oklahoma.

Yeah, but not a whole lot of other teams out here in the old eight hole hitter at Oklahoma is an all-American Where else one on one that counts misses.

So again, Bernard going to have to work from behind the first inning.

We saw her working for him ahead.

This time, Bryant's been a little more patient, making her find the strike zone.

The other thing of Bryant Dunn is Bryant has done, rather, as they've been showing bunt in, forcing Bernhard to bring that ball back into the strike zone.

Allen gets down, tries to come home, throws late, and Bryant scores the first run.

Burnham on a hesitated just a touch before she came home with it and tagged just late and the lady hornets take the early lead Bryant going with the suicide squeeze it's a gutsy call early on in the game, but Hoskins squares late enough, pushes it just far enough.

When you're suicide squeezing, you want that ball within the ten foot range.

Pushed it forward level breaking on the pitch as a nice slide in just got the left handed look where the left hand goes.

It is right on the back corner of the plate.

You can see there.

Great angle.

Good work by the camera crew just in safely for Belleville and swings and misses at that one.

So she's behind in the count for nothing.

The runners on first and second.

Now forward a lady Hornets of Bryant and then looking to add to their early one nothing lead and try to change speeds there couldn't get the film to chase that's one and one Bobby It is so important for a Bryant team that is lost twice to Cavett to have the momentum and the energy to go out and score for first.

It just gives you extra confidence and one up and then works herself back ahead in the count now a 2 to 1.

And I'm glad you mention that, Dorian, because you think about a team was his own two against a conference champion.

They hadn't lost a game in their classification all season.

And all of a sudden you jump on him early.

Obviously, the stage of playing in the state championship, you never know where those nerves are going to be.

And how do you handle that adversity?

A little surprising.

I won't say the Cabot's playing with nerves, but if there were nerves, you would expect them more to be on the Bryant side than Cabot, because they have.

It's been here more recently.

They won the state title in 2019.

But for Bryant, they're coming in.

There's really nothing to lose.

They've already lost to Cabot twice.

The ladies wanted to get to play a little bit more free chase that went out of the zone and Pavilion stays in to win 210.

Bernhard 1.173.

So that's the one she normally gives up for in the contest.

We'll see if Bryant can tack on to.

This is a huge opportunity for the lady here in the top of the second one catches the outer portion of the Boyd's called third strike, third strike out of the contest.

For Bernhard, that was a big out for the cabin pitcher, big out in a big pitch and a curveball on the outer part of the plate.

Just spins it right back in across the black pavilion.

Just caught looking.

Have to be aggressive in that situation, though.

To your point, Bryant cannot rest on just a single run back to the top of the lineup.

Abby Gentry and her guy is the only way you could describe its 600 batting average.

And this is a sport where you're successful if you fail seven out of ten times and well, 600 is obviously a lot better than that.

Mean off the edge of the plate, one and one.

It's not just the 600 batting average, though, for Gentry.

The 700 on base percentage is the number that really stands out to me because that is really an indication of what you're doing for your team.

Everyone wants to talk about average, but how often are you getting on base means how many times are you making things happen?

How many times you extending the inning?

So for me on base percentage gets overlooked a lot.

But it's actually, to me the most important batting statistic that there is are 24 walks drawn, right?

Obviously helps that on base percentage and make it 25 as she walks on four pitches.

A little bit of a respect there for Bernhard, recognizing that Gentry is a very powerful hitter with two runners on capable of tacking on some insurance runs that might be the unintentional intentional walk.

As that brings up cadence, Armstrong showing that she can't get the job done with a 435 average, but maybe the lesser of two evils.

The other thing that this does, though, is with two outs and the bases loaded, it takes a little bit of pressure off of Cabot's defense because now there's a force at any base.

You're not always having to go get the lead runner.

At first, so it gives you a little bit of an extra cushion.

Bases loaded, top of the second.

Bryant's already pushed one across its conference.

Rival Cabot.

But can they take advantage?

Armstrong struck out back in the first one shot foul left side and you can see the slap approach and they can contact make the defense, make a play, make the defense make a play.

But this is typically a difficult situation for lefty slappers because in an RBI situation, a lot of lefty slackers will play small ball on the infield.

Armstrong is going to have to find a way to get it through the infield to extend the inning and flare it again.

Left side.

Now she's down.

Oh, to we've seen Bernard go to the curveball when she gets ahead in the count in these situations.

We'll see if she comes back to it.

If my memory serves me correctly, that's the pitch she got was back on the last frame.

And Bernard's best pitcher, they're the ones that move east to West screwball Curveball and try to get her to chase that one up and out of the zone.

But Armstrong is not mining to one good discipline there by Armstrong.

It's a good decision by Bernard trying to elevate that ball up out of the zone with a little tail action on the outside.

Those are two spots, the zone that are really difficult for lefties to handle when again, slam foul.

Armstrong staying alive, pitch count, ever climbing hard.

Sorry about that.

Armstrong Doing just enough to stay alive inside the box, not trying to do too much with the pitch.

You'll hear people talk about that right now.

Armstrong just trying to make contact.

Bobbie, to your point, make cannot make a play.

Make them get her out at first.

Bernard's once her delivery again spoiled by Armstrong.

So she's seeing plenty of pitches trying to blow this inning open for the Lady Hornets left side of Cabot's infield clearly expecting small ball towards that portion because both the third baseman and the shortstop drawn in shortstops actually playing inside the baseline over on the left side of the field, Armstrong again goes that left side again fouled away.

It wouldn't surprise me to see Bernard maybe try to bust something on the inside part of the plate after we've seen pitch after page on the outer part of the plate that Armstrong has just been fouling off down the third base line, one two delivery from Bernard again tries to go outside that time too far out Armstrong doesn't chase evens the count the two and two this is a great at bat here by Armstrong got down in the count now steadily working yourself back to even at two and two is fouled off for five pitches This is bordering on a ten pitch back so a big pitch here, you get to the full count.

Obviously, the runners can get in motion one foul.

Again, the left side just doing enough to get contact as Armstrong.

She's not thinking about that right now.

But even if it goes awry from here, the already a quality at bat from Armstrong reminds me of Derek Jeter in the way that he just used the foul balls off down the first base line consistently that went way out of the zone.

Again, what that does, though, is it kind of as as a hitter, you're forcing the pitcher, maybe you think, okay, I need to expand the zone and try to get her to chase them off.

Suddenly she doesn't.

And now Armstrong's worked this count.

For now, the runners are going to get in motion.

And so something out of the infield could score, too.

Absolutely.

It's a chess match between both pitcher and hitter.

So the runners that won bring them up.

A little delayed reaction from the home plate umpire, but cut just enough for the blades.

Bernard gets out of a huge jam with a big strikeout, but Bryant strikes first.

They take a one nothing lead, threw one and a half innings here in the six A's state championship.

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Nothing lead is for an inning and a half during the 60 state championship game, but for left on base for Bryant, you know Dorian leaving the bases loaded there in the second has got them wanting more.

But obviously Brennan did what she had to do to limit the damage.

Bernard coming up big after giving up the early run.

But to your point, Bryant, with four runners on through the first two innings, that's a lot.

Here's a look at the Bryan defense level.

Hoskins Hicks across the outfield, you see the infield, Stuart Nicholls, Easter Ward and Armstrong and then the battery mate.

We've talked about whites and Ginger the second time out on the field for that Bryan Defense.

Emily Whitman, the first baseman for cabinet, going to step in.

She's not going to waste any time.

First pitch, swinging right to the second baseman for three and put out you're scoring at home and we know you are to have it continuing there.

Aggressive approach at the plate.

But the Lady Panthers playing right into White's hands do just 11 pitches in the first inning.

Ten of those were strikes.

Now just one pitch one out here in the second.

Conversely, Bryant has really made Bernhard work inside the circle.

Gracie Hawk now steps in four with three average Allen catches good for of the plate as well Ali White wasting little time coming at these Cavett hitters That's what White wants to do here in the bottom half the second after her team got her that lead off run really go after Cavett and get a hold off there.

Does HOK even up to count one and one that was sent right back up the middle, and it's going to find his way to center field and first base it of the contest for the Lady Panthers Good swing from hawk on a ball that was down the center of the plate.

She got over the top of it a little bit with a little bit of chop action but hit it hard enough to scooted up the middle of the field past NICHOLS And there's something to pay attention to with this turf field.

It plays differently than dirt.

Balls on the ground are going to move just a little bit faster than they would traditionally on a dirt field.

CHEERING on first now brings up scales.

That one whale off excuse me.

Well over the strike zone, tips off the glove of tightness.

And that's going to allow correction after a couple of gentry nice sheets in the right order Either way hawks on second for Cavett.

So that's the biggest difference on this turf field.

I know a lot of people talk about Base Runner that that may be one of the biggest issues, but that obviously the speed of ground balls.

Take a look at Coach Chris Cope there The carried the base running and the fielding are the two biggest things.

You're correct, base running.

You have a little bit more momentum on the field.

You slide differently.

But for me, growing up playing on traditional dirt, you're going to get true hops on turf.

You don't have to worry about misplayed balls or missed hops that are bouncing off of rocks and whatnot.

You're going to get fewer hops and the ball does move a little bit faster.

I call the collegiate game between Liberty and U.S.A. on this field earlier this year.

And that's one of the things that Liberty Head coach Scott Richardson mentioned the most.

She said This ball just moves so much faster through the infield time is called as we take it a little too long to deliver the pitch.

At least that's what I'm a scales thought scales up to one.

And on the count, she said in 389 this season, her game being really deliberate.

There is the battery of white and gentry.

I like the decision though, by scales to continue to step out with Bryant having that momentum in the top half of the second inning.

If you're Cabot, what you want to do is you want to break up that rhythm.

You want to create a little confusion, a little miscommunication, and try to work yourself back into this, get a little bit of discomfort, will say inside the circle for white meeting of the minds for Bryant.

Slow this down just a touch hawks on first or advance the first on a single now on second after the wild pitch so runner on second here Cabot still swings under that one He lives up the count of two apiece Nice movement on the pitch from white, moving it from the middle to the outside part of the plate scales just a little bit over top.

A minor drop just too early.

That's what's the thoughts of the home plate umpire thoughts.

And so now on the counts for pretty pitch though, that drop action with a little bit of an off speed makes it very difficult to adjust to full count of scales and get inside on the hands and white there and scales fouls that one off left side good battle there by scales white trying to bring the screwball in on the hand skills able to foul it off the handle opens up the front side just enough to be able to fire that ball away 15 RBI six extra base hits for him Scales the designated hitter.

She fouls that one back.

A really good crowd here in Conway.

As you might expect, these two schools, what, 30 minutes from here?

Maybe.

Maybe it's Interstate four throws back up like normally as folks like Bryant get here a little longer to get here, swing and Miss Scales couldn't slow down the bat on that changeup and a second strike out of the contest for white pretty changeup out of the hand of white.

Look at how this ball moves differently.

You see the spin.

It's just a little bit less back it skills out in front.

She's leaning on the front foot.

The key to hitting a change up is being able able to identify it out of the hand early brings up Jared Potter.

She's first pitch swing and right back up the middle.

And that's going to bring a run home for the Lady Panthers.

And Jared Potter already single up the middle.

We're tied at a run apiece.

Big RBI from Potter in the bottom half of the second to bring this game a level one and can hit success in this inning has come hunting on that first pitch they are going after the first offering from Ali White.

They know it's been the best pitch they're going to see.

Look at where this ball is located.

It's right down the heart of the plate, just about thigh high.

Potter going right after it, getting it up the middle.

Easter work may have gotten the glove on it just enough to slow it down as it got out.

And the center field and no chance to get hockey.

She was running Potter RBI number 21 on the season third most on this Lady Panther team and that is only a big run because it ties the game.

A big response for this lady Panthers.

All the response is bigger than the run because Bryant had that momentum.

They've had runners on in both innings.

So for Gavitt to come out and score here in the bottom of the second, it's the response that you would expect from the team that went through the six Central undefeated Alissa Duncan steps in the shortstop one home run ten RBI is on the year for Duncan as outside evens up to count one and one.

We'll see how Ali White responds.

2.070.

She's not used to giving up and tunnel runs herself up and out of the zone.

Just 61 runs allowed 101 innings of work and 51 runs allowed, but not made.

15 of them, rather 60 now have come to Cabot.

So it's been Cabot that is really been able to get the lion's share of those runs.

I know you're good at math.

I expect you to know the percentage.

That's not my that's not my forte.

No, I've done all the math.

I can do that, too.

And to pitch that one rope to the left field, that one is going to get down station.

The station knows that was cut off by a level down the left field line.

Nice piece hitting there from the bottom of the line of a Duncan who came into this contest hitting the ball low 200 deliveries in her first at bat here in the state championship game.

Duncan got it.

Good barrel on the pitch from right middle third did not get it in enough on the hands of Duncan and Duncan able to clear the front hip Look at where the contact point is.

It's in front of that front hit, able to pull that ball on a line into left field.

Now, we talked about Bryant's production of let's not forget, the Cabot is a team that hits 382 as a unit.

So this Lady Panthers offense is very capable of producing runs Alley Autry now steps in for the first time today the nine no hitter to 62 average 12 RBI a pair of home runs big spot here runners on first and second two down here bottom of second that one bobbled by the shortstop Hilton so hard to move the hammer out so that was going to be an easy six and the bases are loaded for the top of the order for the lady Panthers.

Big moment early on in this game.

Cabot with a chance to really try and give themselves some space here in the bottom the second inning.

That's why you're seeing this meeting here at the mound.

Just calm everybody down after a couple of hits and an error and now cat, it really starting to grab that momentum.

Cabot's load of the bases, it all started with one out, Gracie Hawks single.

She came around to score Jaron Potter also has hit this hitting the air just kept us hitting alive one one bases loaded.

We saw Bryant leave, the bases loaded, the top half of this frame.

We'll see if cabbage can push one across and take their first lead of the contest.

If I'm complaint here, I'm going hunting on a first pitch.

That's where Cavett's had the success in this inning in The Lady Panthers know that White does not want to walk anyone, so she's going to have to bring something that's near the plate and playing first pitch swinging pops it up on the right side.

Camped under it is Eastern awarded second base in a big pitch to get out of the jam there for Bryant.

One run comes across and he's played two innings here in the 60 state championship game and we are all square.

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The reason Cane's chicken fingers one looks so big Answer a run there for Cabot's because we are all tied at one through two innings of play.

The championship.

Should this game go one one late to the game, both Cabot and Bryant are going to look back at the second inning as missed opportunities because both teams left the bases loaded, had a chance to get some extra insurance.

Ali Wide steps in to start the top half in the third.

She's single to last smack in her first plate appearance sent out to third on and actually deflects off a third baseman glove and white can't get there in time call that 563 on the put outs and a big first out of this inning it was bang bang nice strong throw across the diamond out of the hand of Nicholls.

You're right the ball just tipped off of the third baseman's glove.

Stuart Nicholls has to collect it and hurry the throw down, wiped out by a half a step.

So one down now.

Peyton Stewart steps in.

She flew out to right field first plate appearance.

So first pitch swinging again.

Shop around to short as you play quickly to now best case scenario for Cabot and Bernhard coming off of that second top of the second, rather, where she threw 34 pitches to come back in the top of the third.

And it's my game.

It worked quickly through the first two batters for Bryant That's exactly what you want.

Get your team back into the dugout.

Go back to work at the plate.

Yep.

17 pitches in the first, 34 in the second.

And now she needs only three to pitch.

Excuse me to get things.

The first two outs, three pitches.

But Count doesn't say.

I thought you told me you were good at math.

Well, you know, I guess math and counting are two different things.

Yeah, I set a set tomorrow.

Wait, You are way too early in this one.

We've got a long way to go this time.

It's a long weekend ahead of us.

This is game one of six as far as softball championships are concerned.

If you're interested in all the high school sports going on this weekend, get to campus.

We have 18 more championships to hand out this weekend, including this one here today.

It's such a fun time of year, fouled away.

Soccer state championships get underway tomorrow at the stadium right down campus here at UC eight.

Of course, we've already seen two baseball titles handed out to Taylor Tigers and one the one they tied on the Harbor Wildcats, a six day state championship record in the largest and smallest classifications in action today.

And both baseball and softball sound straight back, even up to count two and two.

We'll see the Taylor Tigers on the softball field as well.

Coming up a little bit later.

We will.

And they've been known to win some titles in just a few eights fastpitch softball state championships.

It's the most in state history and they're taking on one of their biggest rivals tonight, Bradley.

But that's later.

And talking about Brian Cabot right now, that one right down the five strength three call mental in the inning really nice inning of work a much needed quick inning of work there for Bernard as Cabot sets down Brian order 1 to 3 after are two and a half innings we're tied as you're watching the Centennial Bank State Softball Championship on Arkansas PBS Sports and why people would come from miles around, come to ninth Street just to see what it was like.

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Today's player, a standout player from Roger at Heritage High School's Emily Carpenter, shortstop, senior, out a 3.4 GPA.

Her college plans a ten.

Anyhow in Miami, Oklahoma, to play softball and continue her education.

Emily Carpenter from Rogers Heritage.

Standout player today, Cabbage and Bryants all squared up at a run apiece.

Both have left the bases loaded already.

Once in this contest, we're in the bottom of the third as Captain steps up to the plate to see if they can figure out the enigma that is Alley white seem to figure out right in the bottom, the bottom of the second inning.

And the way that Cabot did that was aggressive.

There takes all of their base hits came when they swung at the first pitch.

So I expect to see that trend continue and really look for Cabot to go after good pitches in the count catcher tie.

This steps in again.

First pitch, swinging but fouls that one away so she ground them to third her first time up a new pitcher in for Bryant Emily Miller replaces white second pitch chopped a third nice strong zero gets her there and Titus is grounded out to third twice today And Emily Miller comes in and retires.

The first batter she faces Bryant making a pitching changes.

We take another look.

Ground ball over to third strong throw over to first and Bryant making a pitching change because Cabot's ability to get to white early on bringing in Miller velocities a little bit lower mid-fifties from the righty features that changeup that is Miller's best pitch she'll throw it at any Calvin Miller really working with the fastball change curve screw rise and drop.

But the reason she's coming in here is especially because of that difference in velocity it's going to be about ten miles an hour slower than white.

You so white moved to first base, so she's still available to come back they ever need her when Miller hasn't had a large sample size of her in the circle this year as that one is lifted to left and that one's got some carry and it is going to solo shot to last by Kayla Bernard and she's helping her own cause.

As the Cavan Pitcher launches her 15th home run of the season in A Lady, Panthers have their first lead of the contest.

Bernhard helping herself out, got a pitch down the center of the plate, kept her weight back.

That was the biggest thing in this week, is Bernhard allowed the ball to get deep hit off of her back has been through the legs.

You saw the power turn there, how comfortable she was in the back leg there was, no doubt about it.

That ball, you knew it was gone the second it came off the barrel definitely had a different sound when it made contact there.

I was mentioning about Miller.

She's pitched only 18 innings this year, giving up 21 hits era, a 3.1 or 3.51 excuse me.

It's a big stage for her.

Come in.

And obviously Bernhard made her pay.

She put that one out in the cheap seats.

Technically, they cost the same as the seats behind home plate.

But we're not going to get into that.

Semantics.

I get you.

So here's Whitman.

She grounded out the first one, the first pitch swinging in her first plate appearance.

Bobby, you say the home runs, they sound different.

I'll tell you, they feel different to when you square it up.

When it's sweet, you can just tell when you make contact, when up out of the zone or no.

Two, one cabbage in play here in the third, a 103 51 on the season.

How one stays high doesn't drop down in the zone so Whitman ahead in the count three green light here now with the new pitcher who's still struggling to find the strike zone is giving up a home run as a batter.

I'm forcing her to to throw a strike and throw it consistently before I'm willing to go after one.

I've taken that one all the way.

Was Whitman.

Strike down the middle.

Still a hitter's count three and one.

Whitman.

It's got five home runs this year.

I had to sit back and wait on that one.

You got to flip the wrist.

A nice job, good piece of hitting the single out in the center.

Whitman adjusting to the changeup out of the hand of Miller.

She kept the weight back.

That's going to be the key.

So pay attention to that.

As Cabot works through the order going up against Miller and the changeup is even more difficult because it's coming in right around 50 to 45 miles an hour.

And so being able to identify it, reset and then drive the hands through, yeah, I would miss this low in a way to Gracie Hawk, who singled and scored in the previous inning tomorrow, third to one, Cabot out in front, Caleb Brennan the pitcher solo home run in there This frame, Allen catches the outside corner quick snap throw to first by gentry Not in time though it's a good thought trying to catch Whitman napping and touch.

I agree it's a good thought by Gentry not just trying to catch the baserunner off balance, but get a little momentum back.

It's a little dead and flare out too short.

Easy play there by Kelly Nichols shooting for the second out of the inning.

A little bit out in front of that was Hawk.

But to bring it back to the momentum as we take another look just underneath it a little bit out in front, on the front foot, not letting that ball get quite deep enough.

As a hitter, you really want to hit.

Sometimes it's really hard to be patient, but Bryan is going to need to get something that's going to provide him a little bit of a spark and see the the change up there.

It's full effect.

It's just really hard as a hitter when you're expecting, you know, 50 to 60 coming at you and all of a sudden, you know, it's not a rainbow.

But in that one, really slow and it probably looks like a beach ball and I've said that this appears on now and picked her off Nice job there by Gentry the catches Whitman napping and guns are down at first base two in the inning three one excuse me two three on the put out that's going to end the frame but cannot take their first lead of the contest that Kayla Bernard solo shot to left And the lady Panthers have a21 lead as you're watching the Centennial Bank state softball championship on Arkansas PBS Sports Centennial Bank is committed to you.

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And quickly ahead is Brennan as we are here in the fourth pitching with a one run lead Bernard really going to go after Bryant early in the count go after the Hornets hitters and make them prove that they're going to be able to catch up to the speed and the spin that Bernard brings.

It catches the outside corner there.

Bernard now up.

Oh, to Charlotte here.

So she's helped herself at the plate.

Does that help her settle down in the circle as well?

Absolutely.

Swing and miss.

Another punch out for Bernard.

She's starting to feel it in the circle.

I guess that probably answers my own question.

And as a pitcher, any time that you can help your own cause by pummeling a home run, give yourself a lead.

It just centers you a little bit more inside the circle here.

Just take a look at the Cavett defense.

Porter Autry playing in the outfield Hawk Duncan Nicholson and Whitman Bernard and tie this is the batteries swinging a miss there from Hicks and Vernon's certainly seems like a pitcher with some rebound confidence wasting any time coming around after these Bryant hitters again after throwing 50 pitches in the first two innings.

You know she probably wants to lighten her load a touch able to do that in the second inning.

Bernhard threw just eight pitches to go through three batters, but Bryant played into her hands a little bit.

They got good pitches around the zone.

They went after them.

But what Bryant needs to do now is down in the count or down, rather, 2 to 1.

They really need to work inside the box.

Make Bernhard a little bit more, try and see if they can see more pitches and potentially work some free passes.

I went outside to Hicks, an infield single for Leah back in the second 407 average on the season, so see if she can get something going here with one out in the fourth.

I went down and in three and once the count, I think I've been impressed with the way that Hicks has gone after her at bats and her strategy and the way that she's going to the plate.

She is really not allowed.

Bernhard to expand the zone.

She's really forced her to come into her zone now and sit right back up the middle and they sit there for Leah Hicks.

So she's on base safely.

For the second time in two plate appearances, Hicks timed it up perfectly.

You can tell from the direction of the ball right back up the middle as a hitter.

That's when you know you've timed it perfectly, hit it sharply.

Two made really crisp contact.

Bryant needs more of that.

This is a two run game.

By no means are the Hornets out of this at all.

Hoskins Five hits for Cavett now.

Three hits for Bryant Ball.

Ball comes right back in on the center of the plate.

It was supposed to be a screwball, but it didn't break in on the hands.

Ask and fouls that one away.

Bernhard Again Attacking the zone early in the count, Bryant already left four runners on base the first three innings.

So they need to find a way to take advantage of the traffic on the base pass.

Go right.

That one catches the outside corner for the call and strike.

Now it's oh two and then look at her there.

She's trying to accumulate another strikeout.

She's been busy.

That one low left lifted to center field.

Nice running catch there by Allie Autry.

That one was well struck by Hoskins with good defensive alignment by Autry.

She makes the play Adam Ball off the bat of Hoskins barreled up.

Well, there's a lot of power behind images at Autry out in center field.

Autry actually makes a really good catch because you can how her glove got above her head line drives like that.

They tail and they continue to rise.

So that was a great last second adjustment by Autry Had that ball gotten to the fence, there's a good chance Bryant could have tied this game swinging advanced Bob a villain, the nine hole hitter she struck out back in the second two outs runner on first for Bryant so we play here in the fourth how about a zone and try to catch the runner behind Can't do so though six strikeouts already for Bernhard that one listed to laughs that one's got some carry too It's over Potter said left field We'll see if they send Hicks around Surge she comes in, she's going across the plate.

A big RBI double for above Ellen And this time.

It's all tied up again in two piece.

Bryant's ability to produce 1 to 9 is what made that possible.

RBI double two outs.

That's a huge hit off the bat of Pavilion and what unfortunately played against Cabot there is the fact that the offensive fairies feel it plays differently depending where this ball hits.

Another mistake in the center of the plate pavilion, able to square it up as it gets off the fence.

The bottom half of the fence at Ferris Field is a little bit tighter.

Those balls tend ricochet and get back into the field, which is exactly what happened to Potter.

And that extra carry was what allowed Hicks to be able to score from first 14th RBI on the season for Emma, she's committed to playing a wash at All Baptist, and that's a big, big retaliation run there for Bryan to squeeze this game up in two apiece and kind of saunter might be some run scored in this contest is just a few their first two meetings produce enough ten combined runs in the first contest back on April the fourth and then 17 a little over a month and a half ago on April the 2817 with a combined seven home runs between the two teams.

And this has a feeling of a prize fight and it's a slugfest.

Both teams trading punches.

And in a game like this, it typically comes down to the final inning.

Who can make the play?

The pressure is on the most.

And so it's two to Menard's.

Got to find a way to get out of this jam though for Cabot's runner on second for the top of the order in on the always dangerous Abby Gentry she struck out and walked today Luke Gentry smokes one nonetheless on line just foul That was an angry hack that's a good way to describe it a ball up in the zone it was a rise ball didn't quite get over the shoulders Gentry all over it.

It would not surprise me to see here Bernard come back with an off speed, something low in a way to really work against the aggressiveness of gentry.

That's Specced Easter Wood now running out at second base.

Allen Down and in to Gentry after a swing like that.

Gentry obviously all over and you kind of avoid her especially with first base open and two outs As a pitcher, I don't necessarily try to avoid her.

I try to avoid her heat zones in the strike zone.

So working low and working low in a way, using my offspeed to be able to get her out in front.

And again you see there, ooh, little bit of a high tag.

I think these two teams know each other a little bit.

Yeah.

Gets the benefit of the outside strikes there so Bernard now up one to look at how close Gentry is on that front line the box really trying to take away that outside corner Gentry Lynn's one to left that was going to get down off the fence and that's going to allow Easter Wood to score.

And Bryant has regained the lead after the laser off the bat of Gentry.

Gentry made the adjustment inside the box from the pitch before that was called a strike on the outside corner, she took a half step in to really crowd the inside of the plate.

This is allowed her to get plate coverage.

Look at that contact point.

It's up in the zone.

But because of where the barrel was in relation to the plate that allowed gentry to get full clearance long through the zone.

Really nice piece of hitting two outs with a RBI double to give Bryant their first lead.

Yeah, you always, you know as a pitcher I know you have that thought process and I can't let their best player beat me right But that time Gentry had the better of it and she ropes went off the left field fence.

It puts Bryant back out in front 3 to 2.

The flipside of that argument, though, is you want best on best.

So if you are going to beat me, I want your best to beat my best hotel accommodations and sponsorship for the 2023 Arkansas High School Baseball and Softball championship broadcast provided by Hilton Garden Inn 805 Amity Road and Conway in the home to Suites at 820 Building Drive in Conway.

So Bryant's responding to runs here in the fourth and they've touched off of Caleb Brennan for three already today we knew these two teams were going to duke it out.

One or two runs likely going to get the job done.

And that's kind of where we're sitting right now.

But a lot of traffic on the base pass for both squads.

You can see there are 77 total pitches already for Brennan.

We've seen some contests, but especially throughout the season, they might not throw 30, 77 an entire game.

They're making it work and not going to be an efficient game for either pitcher today.

Given the strengths of both Bryant and Cavett's lineup, both Bernard White and Miller for Bryant are going to really have to work.

It's it is a slugfest that's the best way to describe this game right now Three runs five hits and an error for Bryant that one catch is not that did not catch the bottom of the zone two runs five hits nowheres for the Lady Panthers.

That's the line scores.

We're on top of the fourth It's 3 to 2 Bryant out in front.

Sprint hasn't won a state championship since I believe 2012.

The in my notes they won three in a row back then.

That one is called a strike cam.

It hasn't raised the trophy since 2019.

Runner up last year Bernard going with the screwball, bringing it back across the center of the plate, low in the zone.

That's a very difficult pitch for hitters to adjust to.

That was fouled away as well as Eastwood's pinch hitting for Miller here.

So they've lifted her designated player role.

So he used to it now batting at the least the swing and a miss there Bernhard Shane speeds and gets the punch out So the damage is done though for Bryant as they push a couple across and they take a 3 to 2 lead.

Plenty of action ahead.

Don't go anywhere.

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The Children's Clinic of Conway and Greenbrier serving Conway and surrounding areas with locations at 2505 College Avenue in Conway and ten Lois Lane in Greenbrier, beginning there for Brian, says they've regained the lead.

It's 3 to 2 on rival cabins here in the six day state championship game.

We're almost halfway home, bottom of the fourth.

See what Cavett can respond with at the bottom of the order coming up.

Jerry Potter should be our biggest single here last time up.

It's the call on the outside corner and does Miller stays in the pitch as her second inning of work on the mound stays up and out of the zone.

Easter Wood in second base now playing defensively Bonneville and goes to the designated player all kinds of moves in the lineup.

Everything in this game is so matchup based, especially as you get later into the innings with a tight game.

It's consistently moving pieces.

A chess match.

What changes can you make defensively to try to keep runners off the bases?

What changes can you make at the plate to try and generate some offense again?

Miller Just 18 innings of work this season has ten strikeouts, has walked only one, so the command has been good.

So she settles down now that she has a lead and runs up and out of the zone.

And this is I talk about how great her command is.

She's run the count ball.

It's a softball version of broadcasters.

James Way.

That one fouled away the coaching staff showing a lot of confidence in Miller though putting her in in this situation without that body of work that alley White has had really allowing her to work in a tough situation like Bonner swings away and the full count finds a hole on the left side.

Now Potter is two for two on the day, a pair of singles first to center this one, the last big at bat for Cabot in the bottom of the fourth inning after falling behind three two in the top of the fourth, responding with the leadoff batter getting on with a line drive and Cabot refusing to go away.

They're so battling in this game Leadoff man on four cabinets and that's going to bring up a listen Duncan she's single back in the second bottom of the order, getting the job done for Cabot.

And with the substitution over at first going to runner in and describe the substitution rules in softball, but we might finish up on Tuesday of next week, It can be confusing, although this I believe, a pinch runner because scale's not a pitcher or catcher, so it would have to be a pinch run substitution.

That you're correct.

That was Potter who's now at the plate scales previous bat wells bunt down there throw the first they do get out Potter advances the runner another beautiful sacrifice Gerrit Potter very technically sound in her sacrifice here moved up in the box to cut the pitch squared early and that just being able to drop it down the first base line that forces the plate to go to first base good job by Gentry to get out of her stance quickly.

Bare hands it strong throw down to first.

But sacrificing runners into scoring position is so crucial.

Here is Alyssa Duncan.

I got a little ahead of myself.

She's single back in the second.

Now runner in scoring position, Cavan trying to tie this contest up once again, Duncan chops one to the right side play made by Easter Wood.

It's going to advance the runner to third.

And now there are two down.

Even though those was a ground ball to the right side it's still a productive out off of the bat of Alyssa Duncan.

It functions very similar to a sacrifice because what you're doing, if you're Cabot that runner that you care about, isn't the runner inside the box.

You care about the runner on the base paso, this swing ball in the center of the plate, Duncan's just a little bit behind it, inside out, pulls it over to the right side of the field, but the runner does advance to third.

And so now it is an RBI opportunity with a chance to tie the game.

Payton Nicholson's the runner at third Alley, Autry steps into the plate.

She reached on an error her first time up another scoring opportunity for the Lady Panthers out of the Zone have been traffic on the base pass.

This doesn't mean you're a prototypical I guess high school softball game a lot of times you see it's one nothing 2 to 1.

No not much traffic out there.

But today these two teams are putting the ball in play, making the pitcher work.

So those days of 0 to 1, 2 to 3, those days are over, though, given the technological advancements, the bats and just the really the evolution of the game three oh, pitch those catch enough on the plate.

They're so lottery now up three one in the count runner on third Allen stays elevated and Autry draws the two out walks so runners on the corner now the top of the order complete It's all for four patient at bat by Autry in the ninth hole knowing the importance of the situation two outs runner on third she does not expand the zone allows herself to work the free pass and keep the inning going to roll it up to the top of the lineup game plan struck out in the first popped out to second in the second big opportunity here though runners on first and third a chance to tie the game Cavett's three three stranded in this contest that one stays elevated just couldn't stay back long enough on that one to pull the trigger and watch as that one fall into the strike zone.

364 hitter, eight RBI, five doubles and a444 complain there's just get enough of that one fouls it away there's something to be said for a pitcher who is effectively wild will say when they're missing the strike zone because as a batter you can't ever really get comfortable because you don't know what's going to be a strike, what is not.

You can't really work yourself into a groove where you feel like you're consistently seeing strikes.

You can't plain see how well she watches the ball in Just trying to top it gets a little bit too high.

Strike three called.

There it is.

Camplin goes down on strikes for the second time today and Cavett leaves a pair on the pass.

We're three Bryant three.

Cavett two.

You're watching the Centennial Max eight Softball Championship on Arkansas PBS Sports this month on Arkansas PBS.

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We never go to start.

Let's take a look at how we got here.

In the six eight state championship game, Bryant struck first as Macy Hawkins lay down the board.

Tillie Hicks for the second goal.

We level scored, but Campbell came right back.

Jared Polis RBI single then the big blow Caleb Brennan put one into orbit.

Sounds a left field.

This one swing, and that's how she does it right there to run a solo.

Homer gave Cabot a21 lead, but it's been Bryant since then.

They responded in the fourth Bellville in double to left center that drove home a run.

And then Abby Gentry laced one off the left field walls right here, speaking into its existence.

Maybe that's RBI single and it's three two.

So here, three, four innings of play at the top of the fifth.

Bryant coming up to bat.

First time they've had the advantage of coming to the plate with the lead and they lead three and to see if they can add on to that advantage.

Renard Back in the circle for the Lady Panthers with two teams have played too close games.

It's no surprise that this is a32 game.

BRYANT With five picks.

Cabot With six very evenly matched through the first four innings.

Allie White fouls that one away.

She started the game pitching.

Now she's been over first single back in the first round, in the third in the third, one for two on the day took something off there.

Their that's oil off the plate It's called a strike so not good for guessing Look away for a second didn't pay attention.

For what it's worth, I agree with you.

I thought that ball was off the outside corner.

Good frame job, though, by Titus.

So I went to Banana hitting the count.

Why?

It's got to defend and battle back here.

Take a look at where this pitch is located.

It's an off speed off the outside of the plate.

That's a ball.

I'm really sorry.

That.

That's a ball that's over the white of the left hand batter's box.

I understand why Allie White is frustrated with that call.

She wish she got that call as a pitcher.

Yeah, right.

So choose the count then.

Chase that one.

So she battle back so white Stewart and level do up for Bryant corrects correction three four and five.

So time is now for the lady Hornets they want to tack on to this lead the reason why Bernard is continuing to try and work that outer part of the plate is because Bryant as a team has really moved up to take away the inside corner.

They are almost standing on the white of the inner part of the right hand batter's box.

Look at where White's feet are in relation to where that front line of the box is.

What that does is allows to have extra plate coverage.

And any time that Bernard brings the ball on the inside part of the plate, they're able to clear their hips and get quickly to contact just like that also takes really good command if you're going to come in on the inner half.

And obviously the risk of hitting a batter is always there.

Haven't seen a hit batter at this point trying to manifest, as the kids say, I'm trying not to, but we know how it works.

500 hitter is Allie wide committed to playing Arkansas Tech and the Golden Suns You guys pretty much right Continues to stay alive Really good at bat here making Bernhard work pitch count now at 82 for Bernhard five hits all three runs are earned seven strikeouts.

This one base on ball ball White sends one out to Ryan and nicely positioned there is Tom she makes the play first out of the inning is reported struck well from right but can plain right in the right spot position perfectly didn't even have to move out of her spot in right field a ball in the outer part of the plate White lets it deep, hits it off of that back hip and drives it out into right field and just Adam Ball.

But that hit was an example of why you want to let that ball travel.

There is a good look at the architect of this Bryant softball squad here in this championship game for the first title in more than a decade.

Good.

You have to imagine if this is where Bryant has come in just two years under the new regime, what is coming in the future?

The Hornets.

This could be the start of one of the great rivalries between Cavett, between Bentonville.

We could see a lot of quality Sixers softball in the coming years, CHEERING That one catches the end.

I thought it might cut the inside corner.

Called the ball though to Stuart she's out for two flown out to right grounded out to short yeah some discussion about what the count is I also thought he call it the our home plate umpire call although was called call the strike but he didn't make the physical move so I didn't see it I didn't see a motion from BJ Robinson behind the plate but it is oh two.

Yeah.

I thought it was a strike so you know you're one for one.

Yeah, I'm 1 to 1.

I'll take it.

Hey, that's 500.

That's almost as good as the averages, though.

Certainly, if I improve, make my game a little bit.

I think Abby Gentry level is hitting 600, and I think she's her average already after today.

So one and two is the account to Stuart Allen set left side off a glove and finds a way in the left field is right past the outreach hand of Hawk and finds his way for the seeing a single right now Bryant has something brewing with one out Stuart showing off her strength because this ball is the outer part of the plate.

She's actually in front of it but just pulls it through the five six hole, gets enough muscle, wanted to give it enough speed, sneaks it right through the five six hole that is the most spot to defend because as a third baseman, you're trying to move across your shortstops moving behind.

So it takes a really well hit ball to get through that portion of the infield gets ahead in the count on Lovell.

She's one for two single back and the second came around to score, struck out in the third fourth 35 average on the season for Chloe level right now and lifted it's the outfield grass Little confusion that one drops Duncan could not make the play and now some something to really brew in here for Bryant's and runners on first and second now after the error Bryant with a chance to give themselves some cushion miscommunication this should be Autry's ball it's a routine pop up that Bermuda Triangle is a difficult part of the field, but as a center fielder that is always your ball.

You are coming into the play.

You can see the entire field in front of you.

It's easier for you to adjust as that ball is moving.

So Autry should have called off.

Duncan moving.

It's easier said from here than it is on the field.

I know, but as an outfielder, you always have the call over an infielder who's moving backwards.

So Carly Nichols comes up runners on first and second one out here in the fifth.

Bryant looking to add to their three two lead, one swing that when lifted out to left this one is going to be caught by Autry the center fielder ranging over to the gap That's a big out there for the cap and defense as there are two down big response by the Cabot defense because after giving up the error that allows a run where you're in that precarious situation in a tight game late, it is so crucial as a defense that you respond and get the next out.

Autry Taking command out in center field.

I really like how she called off.

Potter put herself in control of that situation.

So Hicks now comes up first and second.

She's reached base in both of her plate appearances, including a single in the fourth sounds that went off.

It just feels like a big inning.

Bryant can find a way to push one across.

It really puts some pressure on the favorite.

Cavett 97 pitches now for Caleb Benard, no pitch count in softball so she can throw until she wants to go home.

I guess we tell her she has to leave because the game's over.

I went up and out of the zone.

All you have to do is look at the pitch count of Shane East Dallas.

Yeah, very easily getting up to around 300 pitches during an SCC weekend.

The outstanding pitcher for Arkansas he's hosting a regional this weekend I would expect we'd see that many from Dallas coming up against Oregon and Notre Dame Allen swinging and miss this whole school trying to pick off the runner at first University of central Arkansas in the NCAA tournament.

Again I think they can get out of the Tuscaloosa region.

I really do.

They are the two seed at Alabama, who is the number five overall national seed, but debatable is also debatable with two injuries to their pitching staff.

That one catches the outside corner, Brennan gets the strikeout, ends the inning, and poses a huge threat for Bryant.

So they leave two more.

Do Lady Hornets.

They lead it 3 to 2, heading to the bottom of the fifth.

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As a former Purple Bear myself, where they call it the Purple Bears.

Back when you were here.

No, no bears and there are purple.

So we're the purple bears.

Okay, that's fair.

I just I didn't know if it was a thing that got changed.

You know, I'm not from here.

Yeah, yeah, but, you know, they're just the bears.

Okay, Maybe Purple thought it was some information that someone forgot to give me.

No, But then again I did play here a long, long time ago.

So bottom five, Bryant has a 3 to 2 lead.

Miller gets ahead.

Oh one, Titus, Brennan and Whitman two, three and four in the lineup for the Lady Panthers.

That's the time is right for cabbage.

They want to get back into this one that one left and right side and get after the right field catches made by Hicks of course the first out of the inning.

Big first out for Miller coming in still with that one run lead outs are getting short for Cabot out of acquire plate.

Tide is just a little bit out in front of it.

Cabot so far has not been able to adjust to the speed difference for Miller outside of the solo home run from a Caleb Bernard Speaking of elite, Caleb Bohannon steps into the box right now.

She flew left in a first inning, solo home run over the left field wall back in the third 15.

Home runs, 43 RBIs on the season as a hitter that one up run the letters just coming out.

Just got to be so hard to lay off because I mean, it's just right there and a really nice patience there by Bernard take it all the way there and Miller being very careful with Bernard But to your point those balls at the top of the zone, the reason why hitters love to go after them so much is because since they're already up in the zone, you don't have to work to elevate them to get them out of the park.

You see that conversation a lot in baseball where they talk about hitting the back of the ball to create that backspin that really causes those balls to fly out of the park.

Taken again.

There it are.

It takes one.

All right.

Down the middle well the counts for one triangle.

That's pretty much all you hear the more high level baseball, softball, full count pitch, you can't get it done.

And Bernard draws a walk, one out, free pass brings up Whitman singled to center back in the third.

If you want to learn more about launch Angle, there's a really good video out right now of former Colorado Rockies Dante Bichette talking through launch Angle and where the hit positioning is.

If you want to go into depth, if you're interested in that, that one smokes right side smothered though out there by Easton Wood, the throw gets away from the first baseman.

Runners are going to advance now second and third with one outs a really nice diving stop there by Easter Road.

But the throw was off the mark that allows both runners to advance.

Easter puts a good swing on.

This ball pulls it hard to the right side of the field rather.

WITMAN Over to Easter Wood, who does a great job to smother that ball, keep it on the infield, just rush the Throw a little bit.

I got to believe that's going to be an infield single and then an error allow the runners to advance.

You can't assume the out, even though the fifth a good throw would have gotten her now commits as something stirring here in the bottom of the fifth.

As an infielder, it's so difficult after you've gone full extension to stop the ball, to collect yourself, to get back up.

The thing you have to remember as an infielder is you have more time than you think because you can throw the ball faster than anyone can run down to first base.

But a great effort there just to keep that ball on the infield, but as a single and an error.

So second and third now for it's one out here in the fifth and Gracie Hock going to step up to the plate, singled and scored and the second popped out to short last time up trying to add to her 15 RBI is on the season sits back on that one flew to the right side off netting netting Nice play either way it doesn't count.

You don't let you catch it off the fence got to try to sell it though right never hurts try David White giving chase off the top of the fence.

I like the reaction though.

Yeah there's no one sets back that one right back up the middle over at second base.

Bang.

That's going to bring a run home to score.

We'll call it Good Bears led times the game at three apiece.

Big RBI, nice piece of hitting by hock.

Hock timed it up perfectly, kept the weight back hock, is the first cavite batter that has really been able to adjust the speed differential of Miller outside of the home run by Bernhard.

You see Bernhard giving information to Scales and she's coming back into the dugout.

But look at where Hock puts this ball going right up the middle time.

Perfectly easy for Bernhard to get into third and this one left at right side.

So that error also looms large because not not only did it allow Bernhard to score, but Wittmann able to advance to third on the ball, out to the infield, out out into center field.

Rather So here's Emma Scales.

She was one for two on the day now and fouled off her foot.

And she's quickly in an old two hole scales 389 on the season pair of home runs 15 army eyes Big spot here We are all tied at three runners on the corners and misses out of the zone.

Runners left on base is always really the game.

Within the game you can read a box score and you see that number.

You can generally tell who won and lost the contest.

Cabot's already left five bronze, left seven that one place left side that finds a hole.

Cabot's back out in front.

RBI single by Emma Scales.

The first 2 seconds, it goes hock and the Cabot offense is clicking here in the fifth.

Hitting is contagious.

And right now Cabot is feeling it inside the box scales with the information that she got from Bernhard.

Again, keeping the weight back on the outer part of the plate skills gets around it, pulls it right through the five six hole.

There was a huge gap in the defense.

Easy RBI single, Cabot Rolling right now hitting Snell back to the original pitcher for Bryant's Alley way back in the circle with Cam and adjusting to the the offspeed there of Emily Miller.

This is probably a good change in an expected change.

It's a needed change as well for Bryant.

And this feels like it was the game plan all along.

Try work white If Cabot hit her hard working Miller for the change and then bring back in white where they needed her to close right now white coming back into the circle.

Cabot going to have to readjust to the speed differential in the spin that White brings.

Inside the circle.

Just three pitchers, three pitchers, excuse me, with statistics that were significant for Bryant coming into this alley with 104 strikeouts this year in 101 innings.

MILLER The ten strikeouts, but Kadence Armstrong, 58 strikes, 50 strikeouts this year on 33 innings of work.

So those are the three pitchers that Bruns used for the majority of the season.

We'll see if we can settle things down.

Don't forget to check out YouTube.com slash Arkansas PBS next week.

You can relive all the action kachadoorians expert analysis over and over again.

YouTube.com slash Arkansas PBS.

I don't even want to listen to myself that much.

You don't have to make them do it.

I like to go back and break down the film, see how mad I was and see how bad I missed that strike.

Call.

So I'm back in the circle on the first pitch.

Fouled away by Gerard Potter.

She's one for one, an RBI single and a sacrifice.

Her line score today so you get better as a broadcaster.

Dawn break down the film that one might have got her on the back arm.

So it was a foul ball though.

Got her off the hand.

Hands are part of the bat.

So as much as that hurts, she's going to have to stay in the box.

If this was, you know, ten years ago, they say rub some dirt on them.

There's no dirt out there to do that.

Oof, right off of that back wrist as it's coming through the strikes.

So that's a really tough place to get hit.

There's not a lot of protection on that portion of your wrist.

So Potter now down oh two in the count and reestablish some feeling in her fingers and the step back in the box and try to have a productive at bat that one out of the zone try to get her to chase one left and right side a nice basket catch there.

Maybe not how you fundamentally draw it up, but hey, it looks good on TV.

Pop out the second a big second out there for the Brian defense.

Easter would have to travel a lot more distance than she had initially anticipated.

The ball just kept carrying over towards the line.

Good adjustment in ability to get to that and secure the catch two out now for Duncan Allen catches the inside corner.

Duncan's reached on both of her plate appearances swings over the top in that one, though now she's quickly in the hole.

Two really nice sequencing here from white first going on the inner upper portion of the zone to Duncan and then working low in a way with the changeup and coach telling everyone just to settle down.

Don't open stays alive.

She battles that one off four threes are score Bryant Excuse me Cavett's already pushed across a pair of runs this frame.

Duncan now lifts one to left.

That one could be trouble It's down that's going to score run a great piece of hitting there for Duncan in Cavan adds to their lead.

Melissa Duncan came into this contest I mentioned at once already hitting below 200.

So that is a huge, huge RBI single right behind the third base bag.

Sometimes in big games, it's the players that you least expect and Duncan's stepping up big on the outer part of the plate.

Duncan a little bit out in front, but does just enough to drop the tweener in out of the reach of Nicholls with two outs Cabot running on contact and park easily in from second base.

Yeah, really effort there from Nichols the shortstop trying to get over and make the play.

This could not get there in time it's an alley entree steps in trying to continue this already big inning the eighth batter of the frame to step into the box fouled straight back got it a little bit in on her hands right Really trying to work the inner part of the plate here to the bottom of the Cabot Order trying to get a pop up in easy ground out so that Bryant can get out the bottom of the fifth and get back into the box, try and score some runs.

Autry sends one to right field, hung up just long enough.

Hicks camped underneath it to the final out of the inning, but the damage has already been done.

A big inning for Cabot.

They push across three and they regain the lead.

Five, three Lady Panthers out in front.

We head to the sixth as you're watching the Centennial Bank Stakes softball Championship on Arkansas PBS Sports.

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So Brian steps back into the box.

Trailing 5 to 3 here in the sixth first pitch swinging that was fouled off and it's three, four and five in the lineup.

They knew correction it's 891 Macey Hoskins steps into the box.

Reached on a fielder's choice and is flat out to center Bernhard now.

Over 100 pitches for Kevin.

Trying to close it out though she's been the workhorse season long and good if you're Brian the most important thing as you get into this game just six outs the left is be patient inside the box you need baserunners if you are the hornets getting fouled away.

The thing to pay attention to Anderson Cooper for Cavan does have three saves this season, so don't automatically assume that Bernard is going to be out there until we're done.

She's six and oh three save.

So I do have another option.

Balance at left side or right to the third baseman.

Nice strong sorrowful hock and the first outs recorded here in the sixth.

Hoskins got a good piece of it just pulled it over to third base talk doing what she's supposed to do in this situation.

If you were in Cavite, you're in the driver's seat.

Sharp ball kept your body in front of it strong.

Throw over to first the most important thing here for the Lady Panthers as they try to close this out is to play clean defense.

Maryland steps in RBI double in the fourth, and it's one for two on the day.

Allen up and out of zone from Bernard.

Be sure to stick around tonight first pitch scheduled for 707 Bradley and Taylor in the one AA softball championships and we're just getting loosened up here in Conway Faris Field fouled straight back by little villain Dennard is grinding through this one he hasn't had the best of Brian staying well put together some good swings but obviously she's done more than enough to put her team in a chance to get a win and that changeup has pulled the string on it to Millville and had no chance.

It's a dirty changeup and a gutsy move to throw it to one count when up by two runs in the top of the sixth inning to your rival.

But it just falls off the table.

That's the effectiveness of the change up that Bernard has.

When that time she comes back and paints the corner, it's just not fair.

Change it up and the fastball on the black and that gets the strike out there and Bernard really feeling it He just got to look at it goes the sequencing.

It's a back door curve.

So it starts off on the outer half the plate and comes back across the middle to Cross Pavilion, up two down here in the top of the sixth.

Haven't been many 1 to 3 innings.

This one so far against this bright lineup that one top of the zone calling the strike nine punch outs now for Bernard and gives her a clean 183 on the season and this is outside the one run in the second two in the fourth for Bryant that's the damage for the lady Hornets three runs on six since but they left the bases loaded back in the second.

They left seven stranded here today and they got that one sky and on the infield on the left side, he's going to make the play made by the shortstop Duncan.

And a quick one, two, three inning is exactly what Cavett wanted.

And that's what they got through five and a half.

Cabot inching toward a state title.

They're 3 hours away from trying to add to that 5 to 3 lead.

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Five three lead.

Cabot's the bottom of the six looking to add on to it.

Maybe an insurance run or two can never be enough.

Most important thing here for Bryant in the bottom half of the sixth inning is they're down to their three out of the season.

Need a good, strong defensive end and Cabot in control of this game Lady Panthers willing to work the count they're going to look to take free passes really try to pad that lead as they can feel it But Bryant they need a quick clean inning whites deliver on the one oh lifted to the left side that's going to get down for a base.

It's a leadoff single here in the bottom of the sixth as Cabot and Business Cabot continuing to force the issue and good piece of little lead off hitting not trying to do too much, just dropping shallow single into left field.

Yeah that's a line coming off the bench as a pinch hitter.

Lauren Riley This list one in the left field gets herself a hit.

Now Cam plant comes back in to run, so Riley gets the base hit and then she's quickly replaced by the who she was hitting for complaint.

So if you're keeping score at home, hope you got that time as a pinch hitter.

It can be one of the most difficult things in softball because a lot of times you spent so much time on the bench, you don't necessarily have a lot of warning that you're going to go in and get some swings and you're expected to deliver on the spot.

These two teams rolled into the park at about 230.

She's been sitting on the bench since then.

So you're talking about three and a half hours to sit around.

Wait.

She took advantage of the opportunities that she got, though that brings up tightness.

The catcher here now past the 6:00 hour but putting down by Thomas goes foul.

Just trying to move that runner over can never have enough insurance whether you're talking about life car or runs it's a good idea by Titus just got her feet moving a little bit early a lot of times in a sacrifice situation especially late in the game, in a close game, you start to try and move out of the box because you also want to try and be safe sacrifice situation.

Your job is just to turn and square early.

This does get to the button down there and it can't in play be made at third and both runners are going to be safe on the air.

Well executed by time that she put the ball in the portion of the field where it needed to go, pushing it to the left side of the field.

Stewart Being really aggressive in the way that she was coming after that ball, which is exactly what you need to do as a third baseman.

But unfortunately for Stewart, just at the last second, she picks her head up trying to see where Titus is down the line.

And so she comes up just a little bit short on that ball.

You mentioned they knew the clean inning, they didn't get it.

And it always happens and air and now multiple runners on base and well, guess who's stepping up And Caleb Bernard who leads the team with a 514 batting average and 15 home runs, including one already here today.

It's why playing that clean defense is so because they just innings have a tendency to snowball after you make errors in this game is tight Bryant not out of it is they will go to yet another pitcher but they're leaving the door open here for Cavett to try and really pad this lead This is a cadence Armstrong who's going to take over pitching wise for the lady Hornets 33 innings of work, 58 strikeouts.

So a high volume strikeout pitcher to 97 rays giving up 17 runs, 14 hits in those 33 innings of work, 15 walks.

So not a lot of context.

And let's take a quick break and we'll take a look at the rest of this inning and see if Bryant can shut the door, get a chance to rallies.

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Since that one sound on the leftfield line.

You're just joining us now, Kadence Armstrong in the circle for Bryant and trying to stop the bleeding here in the six and keep things within striking distance for the Lady Hornets Bernard looking to pounce hunting on the first pitch.

She knows the importance of having that runner on second base Bernard swings of that one is Tomahawks.

Down the left, a diving catch is made.

What a play out there by Chloe Lovell.

Fantastic defensive play by Lovell.

She got a little bit cross up with her feet because the line drive really carried the batted.

Bernard But the excellent adjustment and Bryant going back to second it looks like they're trying to double up the runner because that play happened so fast.

Look at how quickly this ball gets out to left field.

It is on a line to level, right?

It perfectly just gets the leather underneath the third base umpire right on top it to call that.

And now that is one of the best defensive plays that you're going to see.

A great diving catch there by Lovell now keeps Bryant within the two run deficit.

Well they're not out of the inning yet.

Emily Whitman steps in bananas just hit ropes the last couple times.

Obviously the solo home run walk the last time.

But a couple really good swings in the last point appearance.

And that time she just got wrapped.

It really obvious why Bernard's hitting in the three spot.

Whitman couldn't commit fully to that swing.

It's one of those moments that as a hitter you're like, I don't really want to swing, but I've already started and now I don't want to stop.

And we'll split.

We'll live to fight.

Another bitch, the one that Whitman gets in the chase one up and out of the zone.

Now she's quickly down.

Oh, to Armstrong coming in in a big situation.

Velocity is up her 50, so a little bit slower than white.

But Armstrong really likes to feature that rise of all.

You can see she's working up in the zone to the last couple of batters and so far she's been able to get Whitman swinging underneath would have been five home run 17 RBI is on the season That time she changes her high and goes low.

This base is stolen.

They're kind of a delayed steal, if you will, because gets the job done.

Does the catcher Titus and the stolen base great jump from both from Titus?

Had that tag been applied on the front side of the base, Titus likely would have been out there.

Really strong throw though, from Gentry first excuse me, second and third.

Now, this doesn't matter as Armstrong gets the punch out, big second out of the inning.

You really needed out from Bryant there to try and keep this at a two run deficit.

It's up to Gracie Hawk now.

She's had a really good day at the plate.

Parrish single.

She scored twice.

Love a tough pitch there.

Hawk gets the benefit of the doubt, so she's hitting the count cam in third baseman.

It's a chase there.

Evens up to count one on one.

Armstrong has had a really pretty rise ball.

It has a late break action on it which is why you're seeing cab be a little bit underneath it because by the time the the lady Panthers hitters have committed it's already out of the zone that went in on her hands fouled straight back Brian Scott plenty of player is headed to play at the next level and you can see a few on the screen there.

Armstrong committed to Illinois College.

If you go to Arkansas Tech, Emily Miller is going to ASU Mountain home early, seeing a rise and junior colleges in the state of Arkansas.

This one lifts it out in the center catch is made there in the innings over by Haskins.

So three outs for the Lady Panthers of Cavan firm collecting their first title since 2019.

We'll see if they can get it done.

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For more information, this visit Conway Chamber Talk three ounce is all in stands between Cabot and a State championship.

But standing in their way are the two, three and four hitters for the Lady Hornets of Bryant, Candice Armstrong, Allie White and Peyton Stewart.

Do up for Bryant Quick look at the line scored today.

There have been plenty of traffic on the base pass for Bryant.

Three runs on six hits.

They have left seven five runs, 11 hits, nine on base for Cabot Tavern, trying to complete the season sweep of Bryant.

But more importantly, when the one that happens last will chopper just short the quick throw and pitch one ounce as Armstrong has sat down.

Good idea for Armstrong.

Good placement to the deepest part of the field.

But a nice throw over to first by Duncan Strong to be able to get the first out of the inning.

Duncan's had herself a really good day here in the six eight state championship.

Now Allie White with a step in, one out down a pair of runs here in the seventh.

It takes a lot off of that one catches the outside corner and Bernhard gets ahead in the count.

I like the idea of the first pitch change up, especially going up against an aggressive hitter like White Bernhard Using that aggressiveness against White in that situation.

113 pitches now.

So Bernhard That one fouled away.

She's giving up six runs off or excuse me, six hits.

All three runs are earned nine strikeouts walked only one cabbage trust in their their workhorse to finish this off right chasing that one out of the zone protecting the plate white getting a little anxious in this situation as a hitter it's very easy to expand the zone you're counting outs mentally.

You're down zero two in the count.

You want to be able to keep this inning alive, but you have to make sure that that ball is in the zone before you decide to go after it.

One for three is white able to stay back on that breaking ball, finds a hole, gets past the outreached glove of Duncan and good adjustment pitch to pitch from white.

She was undisciplined, went after the ball that was off way off the outside corner, able to foul it away.

It's another off speed.

This time White keeps the weight back, able to drive it up the middle of the field, timed it well.

And the most important thing here for Bryant is it gives them light.

They've got a base runner now with the tying run at the plate.

So tying run is at the plate.

White singles.

Payton Stewart is up next.

She is one for three on the day Stewart 317 average on the season ABC substitution this coming for Bryant Payne Stewart the scheduled next hitter is at the plate Hey what's some action shots from today's contest Just go to my air PBS's Dawgs photos appreciate the crew battling the heat today.

It's some great action shots for everybody to enjoy.

While you're there, you can catch all the action shots from football, volleyball, both the basketball contest I've got a runner on first.

Now, we had what looks like price is going to come in and run now for the Lady Hornets per run's not meaningless, but of course the tying run is the plate, so you can't run yourself into any extra outs here.

And Bryant looking to force the issue on a ball into the gap.

That's why you're seeing the pinch running substitution pick up a little bit of extra speed at the very least on a ball into the outfield.

Bryant is trying to advance the runner to third.

I would call it a stride.

So Jacqueline Price is the pinch runner.

It's good looking.

Jaclyn, there one out top seven that one line since the left side again finds a hole so first and second now and you knew they weren't going to go quietly but the Bryant Lady Hornets have something stirring here in the top of the last Bryant we talked about hitting was contagious with Cavett and the same thing with the Hornets ball in the center of the plate from Bernard Stewart just barrels up.

It's a good piece of hitting.

She keeps her hands back.

That allows that bat whip to come through it really drive the ball through the infield.

Chloe Lovell now going to step up the plate in her lofty 435 average, this one home run, but 19 RB eyes.

The important thing for Lovell and Bryant to remember is you don't need to do it with one swing.

A lot of times, hitters try to want to finish the game with one swing, but you don't need that right now.

If you're Bryant, you just need singles.

Keep going station to station get a good ball that you can hit Just drop it into the outfield.

Brennan comes right across the middle and Lovell comes through that one right back to center One run is going to come around the score.

The throwing gets all the way to the backstop and that allows the runners to get up in second and great piece of hitting from Lovell and Bryant is right back in this one same formula for Bryant.

With every hitter that's gotten on base in this inning, it's been a good pitch that they have taken a good swing at very patient approach, attacking good pitches early in the count and the throw.

Being offline allows Bryant to be more aggressive, their base running and move both Stewart and Lovell into scoring position.

We talked about earlier in this broadcast during we hear about how deep this lineup is for Bryant and now we're starting to see it as now as Carly Nichols lays down a bunt and tries to keep one home and she's tagged out at the plate, I thought she might have actually been out of the box when she made contact with that.

But they tried the suicide squeezing the Cavan defense right there and makes the play.

Bryant would have rather she been out of the box when she made contact because would be a foul ball.

You got to go back.

However, the squeeze a little bit pushed too forward.

Stewart was off and running on contact as a runner, though even though the squeeze is on, you have to recognize that that ball is too hard to the pitcher.

Hold up.

It's a good idea for Bryant trying to sneak one through Cavett just right on top of it.

Great job of Bernard, of defending her position as that first pitch pitches inside.

You know, a lot of times coming off, especially when he throw it underhand, you got to come in and throw overhand.

That's tough adjustment for anybody to make.

You'll see pitchers a lot of time.

So that ball right into the dirt or in this case the turf because they're so used to throwing underhand.

So first and third now two outs 5 to 4 contest Leah Hicks she's reached base a couple of times today and catch up with a high fastball there and yeah, so it is 5 to 4 hicks now ode to that one up and out of the zone though Bernhard trying to close this one out for.

Cabot She's been on the circle for the duration 121 pitches now that one called Strike only our third tying runs in third.

Go ahead.

Runs at first, but now Bryant is down to their final strike.

Hicks taking an extra to collect herself.

Getting into the box Right now, the only thing that matters for Hicks is she has to go into battle mode here.

If it's close, you've got to be swinging seasons on the line.

That one set right side gets through this ballgame is tied.

Bryant trying to advance and they do a base running there by Nichols and a great piece of hitting from Leah Hicks and it ties this contest What a huge moment for Leah hits falling behind in the count having to work two to count.

Bernhard giving her one of Bernhard's best pitches, quite frankly, on the outer part of the plate.

Hicks just a little bit behind it, but she's able to barrel it up because she lets that barrel get through the zone.

Long What a timely hit.

There may be no more timely hit in Hicks's career than being able to tie the game in the top of the seventh.

The season on the line.

Really dangerous base running there by Nichols.

But she gets there Bates to throw.

So first third and now the go ahead run is at third base for the Lady Hornets.

Could this game in any other way?

No, but we knew this was going to be a slugfest.

Going both directions, both teams, five runs.

Both teams have double digits now in hits.

Macie Hoskins fouls that one back.

She is oh for three in the contest reached on a fielder's choice fly out to center lane grounded out to third Cabot hasn't lost to a team in class six eight all season long.

I know that one listed but foul a healthy cut from Hoskins not intimidated by her and are not letting the moment get too big.

She was ready and locked in to hit a large ahead one to a 35th matter that Bernhardt has faced.

And you can see that the innings pitched, the strikeouts.

She has been busy today.

You really have to give a tip of the cap to this Bryant lineup, just making her work.

And we talked about at the beginning of the broadcast, the first and second inning, she flew 50 pitches between those two frames and they've made her earn everything out.

There haven't been really any cheap outs, any quick innings?

No.

She threw 23 pitches in the fourth, 19 in the fifth.

How one shot foul on the left side off to do it again can credit Bryant for battling in the box being down five three Going into the final three outs of your season it is really easy to fold and just go 1 to 3 in order.

But Bryant has shown a lot of grit here in the top of the seventh inning.

It's easy to forget first pitch swinging and start restoring.

We're all tied up runners at the corners.

Hoskins At the plate.

She steps out, collect her thoughts.

And I like the decision to call for time.

This is a very pressure filled moment.

Does it hurt you?

Anything to step out?

As long as the home plate umpire gives you time barrage to chew up and out of the zone?

So that's going to allow the runner at first to be put into motion.

So maybe one in the gap can push two runs for Bryant Hicks is a runner at first, Nicholls is a runner at third.

A big moment for both Bryant and Cabot.

That's a little bit of an understatement.

But runner at first will on a full count, runner at third will hold to see if the ball's in play.

And if I'm Hoskins here, I'm looking for something good to hit because she knows that Bernard does not want to walk the bases full in this situation.

Melville on who would be next Power lifted the laugh.

That one's high.

It's deep gone three runs shy.

Bryant has blown this game open here in the seventh.

What a good swing that Hoskins put on it.

Six home runs on the season.

As soon as that one made contact, we knew was laying the ball on the fence.

Hoskins got a ball that was elevated in the zone.

It goes back to that ball being up, being easier to drive.

Hoskins gets the bottom half of the ball, gets the back swing, the back spin, and that ball just flies out of Ferris Field three run homer as Bryant played five in the inning.

Look at the contact point.

It is up around the letters where it says Bryant Nice high follow through.

That extension is where that power is coming from.

Another no doubter in a huge moment for the Hornets.

Yeah, that was definitely no doubter.

And Bryant, who's no stranger to success, their football team has built a powerhouse and their softball team may not be far from it.

Five runs here in the seventh inning.

Man, what a frame.

Buck James would definitely call it as being 212.

No doubt about it.

That's going to bring up a villain.

His five runs have already come across the plate.

Cam.

It was just two outs away from a state championship and Uncle Mo has certainly shifted.

Really important for Bernard to try and put that out of her mind.

That is easier said than done in this big situation, but Cabot has the ability to score three runs in their own half of the inning.

So if you're the Lady Panthers, you have to be able to go ahead and forget that, get the batter inside the box, then try and battle your way back in your half.

You're hitting so that one catch is enough there, Somerville and down out.

Oh too.

And you're exactly right, Doreen And you've got to stop the damage here because you're an offense that has scored in bunches all season long.

You've scored nine runs against this team already once this year.

So you know, you can get the job done, but you have to limit it to three now.

But they will.

And since that one out towards second now the shorts Duncan they're underneath and she makes the play but five runs come across and the big one Macy Hoskins a three run no doubt earns a left field seats has given the lady Hornets O'Briens an 8 to 5 lead three outs away from a title.

We'll find out if they can get it done.

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We were talking during the break and during and I word did not necessarily see that one coming.

And the Bryan offense came life when the season was on the line.

An impressive fashion this quality at bats make making Bernard worth the pitcher for Cavett and that one swinging the bat.

This thing certainly changed.

Five runs in the top of the seventh inning for Bryant is why you play until your final out.

You never know what's going to happen, how the game is going to unfold.

So credit the Hornets with fighting until the end.

Now, Cabot needs to do the exact same thing here in the bottom of the seventh.

So it's going to be Scales, Potter and Duncan, Cabot.

You can hear the Bryan crowd is now locked into every pitch.

This game has been back and forth for most of that week.

The late innings really like Bryant, was battling uphill against this Cavan squad.

And that one's going to be a hit by a pitch.

So Scales is going to get first and that's the last thing you want do if you're the lady.

Hornets is handing out free passes.

Exactly.

Especially with leadoff batters.

You never want to issue free passes in any way.

Screwball just gets away from Armstrong and catches the hands.

I'm a little surprised they didn't keep skills inside the box because it was off the hands.

Didn't really move out of the way.

But home plate umpire says it's a hit by pitch so skills will be down at first.

And if you're Bryant, you have to be able to stop the run before it starts because this is the best case scenario for CAB.

It doesn't matter how you get on for the Lady Panthers, you just need baserunners.

So Peyton Nicholson is going to run for Scales.

Nicholson's been at second base.

She's the designated player, but she's going to run for Scales.

Who's the designated hitter.

And now Jared Potter is going to step in.

She's got a couple of base hits today.

The conversation at this point in the game is just saying forget about the runner at first.

Focus on the batter inside the box with a three run cushion.

The runner at first does not matter.

Now, we talked about that in the top of the seventh as well.

In terms of the run differential in the batters versus the runners and men making a difference.

But for Bryant, you got to put that out of your mind.

Just focus on getting outs.

You'll trade in that runner advancing for an out right No doubt about it you even give up that one run for an out at this point on Armstrong face was Potter misses outside so Armstrong's now thrown one inning of work she's faced four batters struck out one Potter spins one high and deep two left have enough to carry a great job out there in left field by Chloe Lovell to track that one down the foul territory and a very loud out number one.

Lovell has come up with two big defensive plays in each of the last two tracks.

The score all the way as it is tailing towards the foul line.

Make sure she has enough room checks where she is against the fence, gets behind the ball, secures the outs and you think back to the diving play that she made to Rob Bernhard of what likely would have been an RBI hit that's looming large here with it being a three run game.

No question.

Maybe so.

Alyssa Duncan now at the plate.

She's two for three with an RBI and fouled straight back.

She's quickly going to know to hold on strong going right after Duncan inside the box situationally.

That's what you need to do.

Go after the hitters, be aggressive about attacking the zone.

That one lifted the left side and it looks like it's going to get out of play.

So Duncan lived to see another pitch.

It's so hard to calm the nerves in this situation.

You get really amped up.

This game has had some really big swings in terms of momentum.

And so to be able to really restore ready yourself and reset and be patient inside the box, it's a really good at bat here from Duncan.

She calls time to collect her thoughts facing an 82 hole runners on first down by three for the lady Panthers and for a couple of extra soft balls to come in kind of prolong things.

I mean, we're getting close to the point where they have to push back the start of the one, a softball championship.

But we'll worry about that one when this one's I'm sure that's Duncan, the chase.

That one Sky is at high to the shortstop.

And the catch is made by Nichols and two are away.

Bryant can feel it now.

They are getting close, but the last out is always the most difficult.

You're climbing to the top of the mound that last ten feet.

Always the toughest ball up in the zone.

Duncan just a little bit underneath it easy pop out for Nichols Bryant one out away a state title Yep Alley on three steps and this is a big batter as well because if you don't record an out here at the top, the lineup looms large.

Coming up next, Armstrong's first pitch up and out of the zone.

It's just kind of feel the change.

And that's the best part about being involved in these state championships.

The emotion is riding on every pitch, fouled away, even some to count at one a piece.

But it's the best part about being on this side of it.

It's not as tension filled as being on that side of it, no question about it.

Eight five Bryant looking for their first title since 2012 when fouled away one strike away Cabot on three does have to find a way to prolong the inning that Armstrong gets the signal she sets and delivers strike three Bryant who trailed going to the top in the seventh, is your six day state champion.

The Lady Hornets rally for five runs in the seventh and they close the door as they have enjoyed two regular season losses and they win.

The one that matters as they take down Cabot 8 to 5.

What a big moment for the Bryant Hornets.

Down to their last three outs.

Find a way to rally never gave up hope come up with five big runs in the top half of the seventh inning for their first state title in more than a decade.

State championship trophy presentation.

We'll find out who's your MVP coming up.

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Have a wild finish.

And this one is Bryant's rallies back in claims a68 state championship for five runs in the seventh inning.

As we try to digest that she's Doreen Kraft I'm Bobby Swafford and this game was everything we expected it to be we knew it was going to be a heavyweight battle.

These two had a great contest in the regular season and well today did not disappoint.

The state final lived up to and surpassed the first two rounds between Cavett and Bryant.

Well-played game on both sides of the field.

Unfortunately, someone has to win.

Somebody has to lose.

And it all came down to that last opportunity.

Bryant plating five in the top half of the seventh and this is one of the more exciting state championship games I've seen in a long time.

That's what this stage is all about, seeing the best teams play in the biggest moments.

And Bryant came through as they've just received their hardware and their banner and now they get to take the the picture they've all been waiting for.

You grow up hoping to take this picture in Bryant for the first time since 2012.

It's the take that picture and more importantly, it's older some rings and we can do all about the hardware.

But Bobby, for me, Bryant's run really actually with that win over Bentonville that win gave Bryant a lot of confidence coming into this game.

And even when they fell down, it never felt like Bryant thought they were out of the game.

The Hornets always like they were able to battle back in the toughest moments.

Everybody thought this was going to be a rematch from last year.

We're talking about Bentonville and Cabot.

But Bryant had other ideas.

They off the defending champion and then they rallied in the seventh for five as they take down Campbell and they win at 8 to 5.

Let's take a look at some highlights from how we got here today and all the was been a long one, two and a half hour contest, but this game really lived up to it.

Bernard's solo home run.

And at that point it really felt like Cavett was going to take over, even though it didn't necessarily give them the commanding lead.

It really felt like having had all the momentum, Bryant just refused to go away in the fifth inning.

This is room really started to kind of pull away a couple RBI singles back up the middle.

They built a 5 to 3 lead going into the seventh inning, but that's one of the big bats.

Bryant really started to come to life, this kind of chip away, chip away, then all of a sudden big blow.

And that's why this Bryant Lady Hornets team is holding trophy.

All you need sometimes is a bloop in a blast.

Bryant got a handful of balloons, came up with a big blast off the bat of Macey.

Hoskins And that was the game ender.

That's the big blow.

And that's why Bryant says you're six eight state champions.

8 to 5.

Don't go anywhere.

Arkansas PBS is just getting warmed up today and this weekend.

The one eight state softball championship is coming up in just a little bit.

First pitch may be delayed by a few minutes.

First pitch 707.

But Taylor and Bradley, round five, the five time defending state champion going for number six, talking about Taylor.

But their biggest rival stands in the way.

That's coming up in just a little bit.

So don't go anywhere.

She's Doreen Kraft on Bobby Swofford.

Appreciate you tuning in.

Be sure to stick around for the one day title game as you've watching the Centennial Bank State softball Championship on Arkansas PBS Sports.