Ashdown downs Atkins to claim Arkansas 3A softball championship

By Buck Ringgold | Photos by Ted McClenning

BENTON — Karielle Forbes has hit 13 home runs for Ashdown as a sophomore this season. 

Technically, she pointed out she had 12, because the other homer was an inside-the-park job.

When she came to the plate in a scoreless game with two on and two outs in the third inning of Saturday’s Class 3A championship game, Forbes might have been inclined to add to her home run total.

Instead, all she needed was correct ball placement on the field.

Guessing change-up, Forbes lofted a ball just over the head of Atkins’ second baseman for a double, bringing in both runners. The Lady Panthers added two more runs apiece in the fourth and fifth innings as they went on to a 6-0 win at the Benton Sports Complex.

“I’ve kind of been able to place the ball,” Forbes said. “(Coming up for the pivotal at-bat) it was hard; I was really anxious. … I thought (originally) it was going to be popped up right there (for an out).”

But Forbes’ hit put the Lady Panthers (25-5) in front to stay as they won their first state softball title since 2008.

“We lost a good group of seniors last year and I knew this year we were going to be young,” Ashdown coach Ashlyn Pelotte said. “But these girls, almost every single one of them, have been playing ever since they could pick up a ball together, so I told them as long as they stayed together and played their hardest ball, that they would be standing here in the state championship.”

Ashdown extended its lead to 4-0 in the fourth on consecutive RBI hits, a single from Jaela Coleman followed by a double from Lakenya Williams.

An inning later, Kaylee Walker’s RBI single made it 5-0, and Walker scored from third on a successful double steal attempt.

The Lady Panthers then used pitching and defense, especially from their outfielders, to preserve the shutout. Sophomore pitcher Madison Cook threw 115 pitches in allowing five hits and four walks while striking out five.

“She’s only a sophomore, but she knows how to hold on to it, stay focused in and really deliver there in these high-pressure games,” Pelotte said of Cook.

In the top of the fifth, Atkins got runners on second and third with two out. The next batter, Addison Flory, hit a flare into shallow center, but Ashdown center fielder Jala Richard made a running catch to grab the ball, ending the inning.

“We’ve got a lot of speed on our team and they’re primarily outfielders, so they’ve got the ability to track that ball, and they can go on and get there quick and we relied on them a lot this tournament," Pelotte said.

Coleman, the right fielder, then took several steps to catch a fly ball to end the sixth, as Atkins stranded another runner.

“We haven’t seen an outfield that fast all year, they caught everything,” Atkins coach Matt Porter said. “They’ve got a great team over there; great defense, and a lot of balls hung up in the air (Saturday) and it did us.”

The Lady Red Devils (20-9) had one more opportunity in the seventh, loading the bases with two out. But Cook induced a pop fly that landed directly at Forbes, playing shortstop.

Ashdown’s Kylie Erwin, a sophomore catcher, was named the Most Valuable Player, though Pelotte pointed out it was more because of Erwin’s play the entire tournament than just Saturday’s game.

“This entire tournament, she has just really followed through in the field, being there behind the plate, being a complete wall,” Pelotte said. “But even at the plate, we had a couple of close games with (Central Arkansas Christian) and Lincoln and in those two games, Kylie was leading us at the plate the whole time, so it was an easy pick for us to sit here and say Kylie is our MVP of this tournament.”

Forbes and Coleman each went 2-for-3 for Ashdown. For Atkins, Maven Cauthen was 2-for-3 and Libby May 2-for-4.

Both teams have a great chance to return to the title game next year, as each squad will graduate only one senior. However, Ashdown will move up to 4A next season, so it won’t get to defend its 3A title.

At this point, though, Pelotte is eager to see what her squad can do in a higher classification.

“We are very excited to have all these girls back and make a run for it again next year,” she said.

Likewise, Porter believes his primarily young team can use Saturday's loss as fuel to get right back to having a chance to play for a title next season.

“This (loss) will be in the back of our head all next year, I’m sure," he said.