Van Buren’s Sikes off to hot start

Regardless of venue, Van Buren softball coach Andy Williams said senior McKennah Sikes can make an immediate impact in the first inning of games. Sikes is the team's pitcher, so she is capable of producing a shutdown inning right out of the gate at Lady Pointer home games. Then on the road, if there are runners on base, Sikes – batting fourth in the lineup – has the ability to drive them in. "She kind of sets the table," Williams said. "If we're at home, she sets the table or sets the scene where she can get three-up and three-down, and on the road, she kind of sets the scene in trying to get a run in the first inning where we can try and get a lead on the road. "Either way, she's kind of our table-setter, so to speak." Especially on offense, Sikes – who hit .410 as a junior – is off to a tremendous start. Through Van Buren's first six games, in which the Lady Pointers went 5-1, Sikes batted .688 with three home runs and 19 RBIs. Five of her 11 hits have also gone the opposite way, into right or right-center field. "I've just been seeing the ball a lot better this year," Sikes said. "My dad last year told me that I just needed to be more confident in the box and I go up there knowing that I'm going to hit the ball, and that's helped a ton this year so far." Another reason for Sikes' strong start at the plate was her off-season training, which included cross-fit sessions. She's also swinging a heavier bat, going to a 34-ounce model after using a 33-ounce the season before. "In the off-season, my dad put me on cross-fit and I can be able to tell it's helped build me a lot more strength, so I've been able to just power the ball to any part of the field mostly. ... (Cross-fit) has helped a whole lot, especially with my pitching, mostly just getting my endurance up, so that's helped a ton," Sikes said. "I've just been seeing the ball very well this year so far and I can just hope to try to get it to stay that way throughout the year." Case in point: Last week's game against Vilonia in the Benton Tournament. The Lady Pointers trailed 3-0 in the bottom of the third but had the bases loaded and one out. Up stepped Sikes, who promptly changed the game with one swing of the bat, hammering a grand slam as Van Buren took the lead. Then in the next inning, also with the bases loaded, Sikes cleared them with a three-run double, accounting for all seven RBIs in a 7-3 Lady Pointer win.

THE OFFICIAL SITE OF
Van Buren High School Athletics

VAN BUREN’S SIKES OFF TO HOT START

BUCK RINGGOLD

Times Record | 3/17/2017

PHOTO CREDIT: Aaron Shaffer