BENTON – Last year’s Class 5A finalists met in this year’s semifinals on Saturday, and the result was the same.
The Sheridan softball team defeated Beebe 3-0 at Benton High School, sending the reigning state champions back to the championship game.
Sheridan pitcher Chloe Clark said returning to the state finals is a big achievement for this team.
“It feels frickin’ awesome,” Clark said. “Doing it two times in a row is not easy, so like, just coming back is great. So great.”
Sheridan (23-6) shortstop Skylar Sterritt hit 2 for 3 with two triples, scoring 2 runs and driving in the other.
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Sterritt hit her first triple in the third inning, driving home left fielder Emma Harrell after Harrell drew a leadoff walk. Sterritt then scored on a passed ball after sliding under the tag. She tripled again in the fifth, then beat another tag at home after center fielder Sadie Sterritt laid down a bunt.
The Lady Jackets finished with four hits against two Beebe pitchers. Skylar Sterritt finished the three-game weekend 6 for 9 with 3 RBIs and 7 runs.
Sheridan coach Scott Hoffman said the Lady Jackets executed better Saturday than in their second-round win on Friday, and that allowed them to take advantage of Sterritt’s speed.
“Skylar’s dad is a pilot for Southwest Airlines,” Hoffman said. “He flies jets. She’s faster. We’ve struggled sometimes on execution, and I felt like we executed today. When we had to have a bunt, like Sadie. Little sister, gorgeous bunt. Squeeze play. We gotta get that extra insurance run. Boom. We put it down.”
In the circle, Clark ensured 3 runs were enough. She went the distance, shutting out Beebe (25-8) and holding the Lady Badgers to two hits and one walk with three strikeouts.
She had a streak of seven straight hitters retired between the two singles and retired Beebe in order in the top of the seventh to seal the game. Clark faced the minimum number of batters in four innings, including the first when a hitter reached on an error but was caught stealing by catcher Marly Lancaster.
One Beebe runner reached scoring position, and none reached third base.
After pitching multiple innings in each of Sheridan’s first two state tournament games, Clark finished the weekend having thrown 15.2 scoreless innings. As a pitching staff, Sheridan allowed 1 unearned run in three games.
Beebe’s second hit was a leadoff single in the sixth inning. Hoffman started to walk toward the circle to replace Clark, but she assured him she could keep going.
“It was just one hit,” Clark said. “We were up by 3. It’s just one hit. She didn’t even score, so it’s like, I knew. I had confidence in myself that I got it.”
These teams met in last year’s state championship game. Sheridan also shut out Beebe on that occasion, winning 5-0 to claim the state title.
With this win, the Lady Jackets will return to the finals next week at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway.
Hoffman said he kept something from last year’s finals. He wouldn’t say what it was, but he said he showed it to his players Saturday morning.
“I’ve carried it with me for a year, because it was something I was supposed to return, but I thought we could get back to the finals, and so I said, ‘I’m going to hang on to that,’” Hoffman said. “I brought it out this morning. I was like, ‘I just want you to know, this has been in my bag all year, and that we’ve believed the whole time.’”