BENTON — The Benton Lady Panthers (14-3, 9-1) have been on a tear in 2019. Winners in 10 of their last 11, the Lady Panthers welcomed 5A South rival Sheridan (16-2, 9-1) to town Tuesday hoping to avenge a 5-1 loss to the Lady Jackets from March 15.
Despite trailing by a run early, Benton overcame the deficit — and three errors in the game — to down Sheridan 3-2. The victory also pulled the Lady Panthers into a tie with Sheridan at the top of the conference, both sitting at 9-1 on the year and two games ahead of third-place Lake Hamilton.
Also, the win is the first for Benton over its rival since defeating the Lady Jackets 7-6 in 12 innings in 2016. Prior to Tuesday’s win, Benton had lost a combined five straight to Sheridan, falling by a total score of 47-8.
After playing to a nothing-nothing tie after one, Sheridan struck first Tuesday, scoring on a sacrifice fly after back-to-back errors to lead off the second inning.
Benton, however, would keep the Lady Jackets from adding more in the frame, ending it with a six-pitch strikeout.
Again going scoreless in the second, Benton eventually broke through in the third as Gracie Redmon doubled home Elana Scott and Shelby Samples for a 2-1 lead after the Lady Panthers loaded the bases via back-to-back one-out singles and a walk.
After swapping shutout frames in the fourth and fifth, Benton, again, was the one to break through on the scoreboard, adding an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth on a Sheridan error to lead 3-1 with an inning to play.
Looking to hold on for the much-needed win, Benton allowed a leadoff double, followed by a run-scoring error as Sheridan pulled within one with no outs in the seventh.
However, despite stealing all of the momentum, Sheridan would go down in order as the next three batters saw a total of 10 pitches with two hitters getting out on the first throw of the at-bat, ending the game in a thrilling Benton victory — its 14th on the year.
Redmon led the Lady Panthers with a hit and two RBIs, while Scott, Hallie Braley, Tuesday Melton and Cortney Wilcox all added a hit each in the win.
Melton logged a complete game from the circle and held Sheridan to only three hits on the day. She would give up two unearned runs while striking out five in the win and did not walk a person.
Coming into the contest, Sheridan had won 16 of 17 on the year and was riding a three-game winning streak with its only loss coming against North Little Rock (6-5) on April 8.
Benton now prepares for a road tilt at Lakeside on Thursday.
First pitch is set for 4:30 p.m.