Van Buren rallies for much-needed 7A-West win

After dropping its 7A-West opener before spring break, Van Buren couldn't afford to fall to 0-2 in conference play. The Lady Pointers were in danger of doing just that on Tuesday, as they were held to one hit through five innings and trailed Rogers Heritage, 2-0, entering the bottom of the sixth. But Van Buren finally broke through by scoring five runs, highlighted by a three-run double by Baylor Miles, as the Lady Pointers rallied for a 5-2 win. "I don't know if we had a good game (Tuesday), but we had a good inning," Van Buren coach Andy Williams said. "Up to that point, we had recorded 16 outs and we struck out 13 times and they had 10 hits and we had one. "Then all of a sudden, we got a walk, a bunt single, a stolen base to second and third after the bunt single, then a walk to (pitcher McKennah Sikes) and Baylor comes up and hits a three-run double, then we end up getting two more runs after that. We had only four hits in the game and three of those were in that inning." Van Buren (7-2, 1-1) lost its conference opener to defending 7A champion Bentonville on the road. Williams said he can live with the Bentonville loss but added the possibility of losing at home on Tuesday was more devastating. "Losing at home would have been a killer in the conference because we're a lot better at home like most people are," he said. "Losing on the road at Bentonville, that didn't hurt us because everybody's going to lose at Bentonville, but what we've got to do is hold serve at home and hopefully, beat them here by more than one when it comes down to it and only have one loss and can win the conference." Miles came up in the bottom of the sixth with the bases loaded and brought all three runners home on her double, giving Van Buren a 3-2 lead. Van Buren then added two more runs as Katianne Bramlett, who came in to run for Miles, scored on a wild pitch while Kayleigh Evans came home on an error. Sikes then pitched a scoreless seventh to get the win, striking out nine batters. Williams added having Miles, who had missed several games with a concussion before returning for the Bentonville game, come back couldn't have come at a better time for the Lady Pointers. "She's been our catcher for four years and her and (Sikes) have thrown and caught each other for years in summer ball and now for three years in high school. ... Also getting her back not only behind the plate, but also getting her bat in the lineup and we bat her behind (Sikes) to protect (Sikes), now they've got to pitch to (Sikes) and pitch to (Miles), so they've got to pitch to somebody; they can't walk them both," Williams said. Van Buren now gets set to host its annual River City Rumble tournament, to take place Friday and Saturday at the Field of Dreams complex.

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Van Buren High School Athletics

VAN BUREN RALLIES FOR MUCH-NEEDED 7A-WEST WIN

BUCK RINGGOLD

Times Record | 3/30/2017

PHOTO CREDIT: Van Buren High School Athletics