Pea Ridge girls armed with experience
Posted on Friday, May 9, 2008
PEA RIDGE - The Pea Ridge softball team did its growing up last season. Now the Lady Blackhawks are seeing how important experience can be.
Pea Ridge (18-11 ) plays a first-round game at 5: 15 p.m. today against Brookland (17-10 ) at the Class 3 A State Softball Tournament at Regional Park in Pine Bluff.
The tournament continues there through the semifinals Monday. The championship game is 2 p. m., Saturday, May 17, at Lady'Back Yard in Fayetteville.
The Lady 'Hawks are back in the state tournament since making a quarterfinal appearance in 2003. They finished third in Region 1 while the Lady Bearcats are the runner-up team from Region 3.
Scharla Paryzek went 4 for 4 and Brittany Morgan drove in a pair of runs to lead Pea Ridge past Cedarville 4-3 in Tuesday's regional third-place game in Elkins.
The Lady 'Hawks fell behind 3-0 in the first inning but tied the game in the second and Kayla Bangs scored the winning run in the fifth on an error. They were sent to the consolation game with a 3-1 loss to Charleston in the semifinals. Pea Ridge was dominated by underclassmen a year ago under first-year coach Heather Wade. The Lady 'Hawks ended the year 14-15 following a 5-1 loss to Charleston in the first round of the regional tournament. Sophomores Morgan Marble (3 B ) and Morgan (P ) and freshman Bangs (C ) all were named All-Conference last year. Just one senior graduated from that squad and the returning lettermen helped Pea Ridge finish second this season in the 1-3 A West behind Elkins the defending 3 A state champion.
Paryzek (. 429 ), who is a senior, Bangs (. 400 ) and Morgan (. 375 ) have been consistent hitters throughout the season for the Lady 'Hawks. Ginny Nelms, a junior, is a three-year starting pitcher for the Lady Bearcats.
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