Perryville shuts out Lady Cats

By Zack O'Neal
UCA sportswriting

Perryville's Lady Mustangs blanked the Conway Lady Cats on Friday, 10-0, in a nonconference softball game at the Conway High School Softball Complex.

“It was good for about five innings, and then it got ugly,” Lady Cat coach Chad Longing said.

The teams went neck-and-neck through four scoreless innings as both sides played with high energy.

The biggest difference was the pitching. Erin Stidham pitched the whole game for the Lady Mustang, striking out 15.

“She’s a senior, and she’s been going a really good job,” Perryville coach Kevin Campbell said. “Her arm’s been a little sore, but she’s getting tougher and getting through. I think she did a good job today fighting through some of the soreness.”

Paige Liles pitched for the Lady Cats up to the fifth inning, striking out three. Right fielder Hannah Cooper finished the game, getting two strikeouts.

“We’re struggling right now to try to find a pitcher,” Longing said. “(Liles) threw extremely well in about the first four innings and then she just gave out. When she gave out we couldn’t find any control. By the time we went with another one, it was a little too late.”

The rally started when Liles walked the first batter in the fifth inning. After an out came four consecutive walks. The Lady Cats managed to get the second out after the fifth walk of the inning. Left fielder Lakyn Kendrick got a hit past third base to earn an RBI.

Stopping the Lady Cats from scoring a run at their bat, the Lady Mustangs’ walk around the bases continued as three consecutive batters walked. Right fielder Tori Taylor batted in a run with a line drive to left field.

“We needed to start, but I think we caught up to it,” Stidham said.

In the two innings, the Lady Mustangs had 14 stolen bases on wild pitches and missed balls. On four of the stolen bases, the runners stole home.

“I think we did a pretty good job about being patient at the plate,” Campbell said. “Then they started walking us and we got some base runners in. It was their misfortune on that we were able to make bases on that. One we got a few runs, I felt like we got more patient at the plate.”

The Lady Cats gave up another run in the last inning.

“Opportunities happened in the first inning, and in the third we leave one on second so we had a lot of opportunities out there early,” Longing said. “And if we get one hit right there early, the outcome could’ve been different. It changes everything.”

The Lady Mustangs outnumbered the Lady Cat in hits, 6-5 in hits. Brooks went 2-for-3.

With this defeat, the Lady Cats are now 4-12 overall.