Bentonville holds off Cabot for Arkansas 6A softball crown
By Kyle Sutherland | Photos by Tommy Land
BENTON — On the first day of the Centennial Bank softball state finals at the Benton Athletic Complex, two programs won their second championship in as many years beginning with Tuckerman in Class 2A followed by Bentonville in Class 6A, which defeated Cabot 3-1 in the late game.
The win earned Bentonville its fifth state title since 2016 and was a revenge game of sorts from three years ago after the Lady Tigers fell 5-3 to Cabot in the 2019 championship game.
“It never gets old, it’s unbelievable,” Bentonville head coach Kent Early said. “I am so excited for these kids for the work they do all year long. It is just joy, that’s all. Just joy and I do not know how to describe it. You’re just so happy for the kids because you know how much they have invested. That is what means so much and makes it special every time.”
In a true pitcher’s duel, only three hits combined were allowed between the two pitchers, but Bentonville (24-3) was able to take advantage of a few Cabot mistakes in the bottom of the first inning that would end up being enough to seal the game.
With the bases loaded, Kasey Wood scored from third base on a wild pitch and the exact same scenario happened for Sydney Rhuda immediately after. A single by Trista Peterson scored Addy Ward with help from an error in the middle infield and just like the Lady Tigers led 3-0.
Cabot (21-6) was able to chip away at the lead during the top of the fourth inning on a leadoff home run from Akayla Barnard, then later a leadoff double by Emily Whitman at the top of the fifth gave the Lady Panthers additional hope, but they were not able to get much more than that as Bentonville ace Ryann Sanders was lights out setting the Cabot’s rotation in order a total of five times over the course of the night. Sanders struck out 14 of the 23 batters she faced allowing just two hits with no walks and won the Most Valuable Player.
“Amazing, absolutely amazing,” Early said of Sanders’ performance. “She gives up the home run then comes right back and gets three strikeouts. That took a lot of courage and a lot of guts, she withstood every challenge they threw at her.”
Sanders not only struck out the remaining three batters after the home run to get out of the inning, she also retired the next 12 of 13 that she faced for the remainder of the game.
“It feels amazing, but I am so undeserving,” Sanders said. “I have worked so hard for this, and I have to thank my parents so much for everything that they have done. I got a chance to step up in this big moment and I knew I had to take the opportunity. I give all the credit to God, my parents, and my teammates.”
As Early mentioned, Sanders was not shaken by the mistake she made giving up the home run in the fourth and it was obvious to anyone watching the game as she just took the ball right back and kept on throwing.
"I knew that I could not let it affect me," Sanders said. "I knew that if I did then I would not be able to do the job for my team and I did not want that to happen."
As great as Sanders was, Cabot’s Akayla Barnard also played very well despite the loss striking out eight batters on the evening and allowed one hit. During the postgame celebration, Early went over to Cabot’s side to express his respect for the impressive outing Barnard had displayed.
“She was absolutely amazing, I have the utmost respect for her,” Early said. “She’s awesome. We got one just as awesome too and that was a heck of a battle, I am glad I was here to see it.”
