CHRIS GILLIAM
Sports Editor
Back-to-back triples allowed Magnolia to come from behind and defeat Hot Springs 7-5 in the first game of a doubleheader Thursday afternoon.
In the nightcap, the Panthers dominated the Trojans 23-1.
"That was a huge inning," Magnolia coach Bobby Beeson said, referring to the bottom of the fifth in the opening game.
"We finally put together some good at bats. Devaughn Gales came up huge hit and Korey Callaway followed with a powerful shot," said the Panthers' head coach.
Beeson said that was the positive moment in the game, but added the Trojans are getting better and better.
"It wasn't our best game by any means and we struggled offensively. Defensively, we struggled pitching wise," said the coach.
He said the Trojans put the ball in play and put pressure on his defense.
"We folded a little today, but we came out with the win, which was important," he said.
The Trojans went up 2-0 in the first inning and held that advantage in the second.
The Panthers showed some life in the third, scoring three runs off two hits and an error.
Caleb Ward started things with a single, followed by Austin Miller reaching base on an error.
Blake Hall provided an RBI double and Matt Goodheart added an RBI sacrifice to even the game at 2-2.
Following a walk by Gales, Callaway provided an RBI sacrifice to put the Panthers up 3-2.
After a scoreless fourth inning, the Trojans wasted little time regaining the lead.
Four singles resulted in three runs as Hot Springs went up 5-3 in the top of the fifth.
In the bottom half, Miller and Hall led off with walks. After an out by Goodheart, Gales popped a two-RBI triple to tie the game at 5-5. Callaway stepped to the plate and provided a RBI triple to give Magnolia the lead.
Thomas Prince gave the Panthers their seventh run on a sacrifice fly to the outfield.
"We are going to get ugly wins and this was one of them," said Beeson.
Dalton O'Donnell started on the mound, hitting four batters before being relieved in the fifth.
Hall followed, forcing two batters in the fifth to ground out and sitting down the Trojans in order in the sixth.
Though he hit a batter in the seventh, he struck out a Trojan, forced another to ground out and caused a third batter to hit a line drive to center field that was caught by a diving Miller.
The Trojans out-hit the Panthers 7-5 in the opener.
In the nightcap, Magnolia scored two in the top of the first, then put the game away with 12 runs in the second. The Panthers added seven 7 in the third and two in the fifth.
Magnolia reeled off 15 hits in the game. Goodheart, Gales, Callaway, Brandon White and Miller each had two hits. Prince, O'Donnell, Kurt Pletcher, Tyler Metcalf and Dylan Drake had one each for Magnolia.
The Panthers moved to 7-1 in 5A-South Conference play and 13-2 overall. They will travel to Camden Fairview Tuesday for a 4 p.m. game against the Cardinals.
They will return home a week from today for a huge battle against White Hall.
5A South standings
Magnolia........................7-1
Lakeside........................6-2
Watson Chapel...........6-2
White Hall...................5-3
Camden.........................4-3
De Queen.....................3-5
Hope...............................1-8
Hot Springs.................0-8
JOE INSCORE
Banner-News
The Magnolia Lady Panthers swept a double-header from Hot Springs Thursday afternoon at Lady Panther Field.
By mercy rule scores, Magnolia took the first game 15-0 and won the second contest 17-2. The Lady Panthers improved their conference record to 5-3 with the pair of wins.
In the first game, Grace Basinger was in the circle and set the Trojan batters down in order to start off the first inning. In Magnolia's half of the inning, Taylor Yates walked, and advanced to third on a wild pitch. Jacii Powell was walked, and Alex Whaley came to the plate and scored substitute runner Hannah Maloch on a sacrifice fly.
Powell scored on a wild pitch, Kandyse Flanigan beat out an infield hit, and advanced to second on a bad throw. Karlee Strickland walked and Katherine Pletcher advanced both runners with a bunt. Flanigan and Strickland scored on a passed ball, and Pletcher advanced to second. Arica Clayton's single scored Pletcher from second before the inning ended for a total of five runs.
In the second inning, Basinger again set the Trojans down 1- 2- 3. The Hot Springs pitcher walked Whaley and Flanigan in the bottom of the second, but the inning ended for Magnolia when Strickland hit a hard line drive to the shortstop for a double play.
The Trojans started the third inning just as they had the other two, with Basinger getting the first three batters out in order.
In the Magnolia half of the inning, the Lady Panthers exploded for 10 runs. Pletcher walked, stole second, and advanced to third on a passed ball.
Basinger walked, and was replaced by Sahara Sturgeon as a substitute runner, who then stole second. Pletcher scored on an error, and Sturgeon scored on a bunt. Stockwell got on with a fielder's choice, and Powell was walked. Stephanie Stockwell scored on an error, and Whaley doubled Powell across the plate. Hannah Maloch scored on a passed ball, Whaley scored on an error, and Strickland stole home. Sturgeon had an infield hit, and scored on a fielder's choice.
Clayton's hit plated another run, and as was fitting on Senior Day, Stockwell, the only senior on the team, knocked in the winning run.
Hot Springs had no hits and threes errors, while Magnolia five hits and no errors.
Thursday was Senior Day for the Lady Panthers, and Stephanie Stockwell was honored as the only senior on the team.
She was presented a plague and other items in appreciation for her dedication and hard work, and her parents Wes and Neca Stockwell accompanied her on the field to accept the honor.
The second game was a make-up from an earlier rainout. Basinger was again the starting pitcher and loaded the bases in the first inning.
She was able to get out of the inning only allowing one run. Magnolia started the inning with Taylor Yates getting a walk, then she promptly stole second. Powell stepped to the plate and doubled Yates in, and Whaley singled in Powell and stole second. Flanigan walked, and Strickland was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Pletcher walked in a run, and Basinger cleared the bases with a double. Sturgeon went in for Basinger as a replacement runner, stole third and scored on a fielder's choice from Clayton.
Stockwell was walked, Yates was hit by a pitch and Powell doubled. Whaley scored Powell on a sacrifice fly, and both Flanigan and Strickland walked. Pletcher got on with a bunt and advanced the runners. Clayton singled in two runs, stole second, went to 3rd on a passed ball, and scored on another error. Stockwell singled and stole second, but was stranded there as the inning ended with the Lady Panthers scoring 15 runs.
Whaley stepped on the pitcher's mound for Magnolia in the second inning and got into a bit of a jam. She hit the 1st batter, and ended up loading the bases.
The Trojans only scored one run as the Panthers caught a Trojan runner trying to steal home for the third out. The Panthers failed to get the first two batters on, but Flanigan walked, advanced to second, and then third on a passed ball. Strickland walked and stole second, and Pletcher singled in two runs for a total of 17 for the Panthers.
Whaley retired the side in the top of the third to seal the win in the second game.
Magnolia got its 17 runs on nine hits with three errors. The Trojans had one hit and no errors.
Lady Panthers Head Coach Candi Bailey said, "We came out and played really well,. We started out and finished strong, and our pitchers pitched great games."
"And as was fitting, our only senior got the winning RBI in the first game," she added.
The Lady Panthers will be back in action on Tuesday when they play a pair of games at Camden, starting at 4 p.m.