CONWAY, ARKANSAS - In a brilliant pitching duel for a state softball title, one swing of the bat turned out to be the difference.
A solo home run by Riverside's Annalee Qualls leading off the top of the sixth was the only run in Saturday's Arkansas Activities Association Class 2A state championship game against Hackett. Senior pitcher Klaire Womack then made that lead stand by throwing a shutout as the Lady Rebels won their second state title in three seasons with a 1-0 win against the Lady Hornets at the University of Central Arkansas.
"It's just unforgettable," said Womack, a senior who has signed with Arkansas Tech. "I've played with those girls since I was little; we all grew up together, we've played on the same AAU travel team, and it's just an unreal feeling to get to experience state championships with them."
Womack, who was named the game's MVP, finished the game by giving up three hits - one of which left the infield - and also struck out 12, including the game's final batter after Hackett (28-4) had a runner on first base.
"My rise ball was really working; they struggled with it," Womack said. "My curve ball was pretty much my go-to pitch and other than that, my defense worked behind me; we had some really great plays."
Buck Ringgold
Womack out-dueled Hackett senior Makenzie Freeman, a University of Tulsa signee. Freeman gave up just two hits and struck out 10.
"She's great and she has great stuff," Womack said of Freeman. "We knew it was going to be tough to come in; I knew they were really good hitters and I knew it was going to be a close game."
Freeman had no-hit the Lady Rebels (25-8) through the first five innings. But in the top of the sixth, Qualls came up to bat determined to break through.
She did just that, connecting on a pitch that soared well over the wall in deep center.
"I just knew (Freeman) was providing the power, I just had to look for my pitch to hit and she gave it to me and I just put my best swing on it," said Qualls, who will be playing next season at Freed-Hardeman University in Henderson, Tenn.
It was also sweet redemption in another way for Qualls. Last season, Riverside lost in extra innings to Mansfield in the 2A title game.
In the bottom of the seventh of that championship game, Qualls came up with a Riverside runner in scoring position and hit a ground ball. It was a close play at first base, but Qualls was ruled out, and the game went into extras with Mansfield eventually pulling it out.
Qualls still maintains she was safe that day, and has seen the replay countless times since then. But Qualls experienced a much different feeling on the same field Saturday.
"It feels great, like last year was just such a heartbreaker because I was out at first. ... I was the runner at first," she said. "Yes (I believe I was safe); the ball was aiming at (the Mansfield first baseman's) glove and then my foot was on the base, but there was nothing we could do about it now; we've got two (championships) now."
Womack remarked she was equally happy for Qualls, and especially for delivering the hit that allowed Riverside to take the lead.
"That was just an unreal feeling," Womack said of Qualls' homer. "I saw it go up and was like, 'That has a shot to go out,' and I was so relieved when it got over and I was so happy for her.
"(Last year's title-game loss) was a lot of motivation; that game gave us a lot of motivation for sure."
Womack had the Lady Rebels' other hit, coming in the top of the seventh, but Riverside didn't score. However, Womack made sure Hackett didn't score, either.
Hackett, which won the 3A championship last year, got base hits from Lilly Oxford, Michaelyn Freeman and Ryleigh Decker.
Buck Ringgold
UPDATES
A pair of recent state champions square off for the Class 2A softball championship in Arkansas.
Hackett - last season's 3A champion - takes on Riverside, which won 2A two years ago and was the 2A runner-up last season, for the 2A title as part of the Arkansas Activities Association's "Weekend of Champions" at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway. The game was originally scheduled for Saturday morning but was pushed back to the afternoon due to weather issues.
Going into Saturday's title game, Hackett's Lady Hornets come in with a record of 28-3. As for Riverside, the Lady Rebels come into the game at 24-8.
Follow The Sporting News correspondent Buck Ringgold (@Bucks_Ballpark) for all of the live updates and scoring from Conway.
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RIVERSIDE 1, HACKETT 0 FINAL
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SEVENTH INNING
- Riverside P Klaire Womack was named the game's MVP as she tossed a three-hit shutout and struck out 12. Hackett P Makenzie Freeman allowed two hits and struck out 10.
- Riverside pitcher Klaire Womack strikes out 12 batters, including the final batter, to end it as the Lady Rebels have won state for the second time in the past three seasons. Lady Rebels edge Hackett, 1-0.
- Riverside C Brooklyn Berry catches a pop up for the second out. One out away for the Lady Rebels. (Riverside, 1-0 | B7)
- Riverside P Klaire Womack gets a strikeout for the first out. Still a runner on first base. (Riverside, 1-0 | B7)
- Hackett's Ryleigh Decker leads off the bottom of the seventh by lofting a single into left center. Lady Hornets are in business. (Riverside, 1-0 | B7)
- Hackett P Makenzie Freeman strikes out a batter to end the top of the seventh. She has allowed two hits over seven innings and has fanned 10, but needs her teammates to come through as we head to the bottom of the seventh. (Riverside, 1-0 | B7)
- Riverside pitcher Klaire Womack beats out an infield single to start the top of the seventh. Lady Rebels seeking to add some insurance. (Riverside, 1-0 | T7)
SIXTH INNING
- Riverside catcher Brooklyn Berry throws out a runner attempting to steal second and the Lady Rebels are out of the inning. They are three outs away from a title. (Riverside, 1-0 | T7)
- RIVERSIDE STRIKEOUT. Klaire Womack gets a huge second out. She can escape trouble by retiring the next hitter.
- One out in the bottom of the sixth, Hackett's Michaelyn Freeman bunts her way on base, beating the throw at first for a single. (Riverside, 1-0 | B6)
- Hackett P Makenzie Freeman rebounds after the leadoff homer to retire the next three batters. But the Lady Hornets find themselves trailing entering the last of the sixth. (Riverside, 1-0 | B6)
- HOME RUN RIVERSIDE. Annalee Qualls leads off the top of the sixth by sending a soaring drive that clears the wall in deep center. It's the first hit of the day for Riverside, and it came at an opportune juncture. (Riverside, 1-0 | T6)
FIFTH INNING
- Riverside P Klaire Womack, an Arkansas Tech signee, gets a strikeout to escape the jam, as Hackett strands runners at second and third. Scoreless going to the sixth. (0-0 | T6)
- A wild pitch puts runners at second and third. There are two outs in the inning. (0-0 | B5)
- Ava Bartmier walks with one out. Runners are at first and second for Hackett. (0-0 | B5)
- Eva Thornburg draws a walk to lead off Hackett's side of the inning. Can the Lady Hornets take advantage? (0-0 | B5)
- Hackett P Makenzie Freeman retires the last two batters as Riverside strands a runner at second. Still scoreless to the last of the fifth. (0-0 | B5)
- Ryley Eakins leads off the top of the inning for Riverside by drawing a walk and then goes to second as Carly Jo Womack lays down a successful sacrifice bunt. (0-0 | T5)
FOURTH INNING
- Michaelyn Freeman reaches on a fielder's choice and then steals second, but Riverside P Klaire Womack retires the next two batters to escape potential trouble. Scoreless heading to the fifth. (0-0 | T5)
- Lilly Oxford, who has the only hit by either side in the game, draws a walk for Hackett to lead off the last of the fourth.
- A flyout, a pop-up in the infield and then a groundout in the top of the fourth for Riverside. Halfway done, and Hackett coming to bat in its half of the inning. (0-0 | B4)
THIRD INNING
- Another 1-2-3 inning from Riverside P Klaire Womack. Through three innings, there has been only one hit combined by both teams. (0-0 | T4)
- Hackett P Makenzie Freeman strikes out the side in order as well in the top of the third. Freeman now has seven strikeouts on the day. (0-0 | B3)
SECOND INNING
- Riverside P Klaire Womack shaking off her first-inning injury by striking out the side in order in the bottom of the second. Both Womack and Makenzie Freeman are dealing so far, so runs may very well be at a premium. (0-0 | T3)
- Hackett P Makenzie Freeman works around a two-out walk with a strikeout to end the top of the second. (0-0 | B2)
FIRST INNING
- Klaire Womack shakes off the pain and comes right back and retires the next two batters to end the first. Scoreless to the second. (0-0 | T2)
- With one out in the bottom of the inning, Hackett's Lilly Oxford hits a ball that glances off the leg of Riverside P Klaire Womack and reaches base on a single. They're looking at Womack right now; it may be her shin or her knee but she is trying to walk it off and get back in the circle. (0-0 | B1)
- Championship coaches in both coaching boxes for Hackett. At first base is assistant Bridget Freeman, who is the head volleyball coach and led the Lady Hornets to the championship this past fall, while third base is manned by head coach Jeff Oxford, going for back-to-back state titles on Saturday.
- Hackett P Makenzie Freeman gets back-to-back strikeouts after giving up the leadoff walk. Then Freeman gets out of the inning with a ground ball hit to third baseman Morgan Coryell. (0-0 | B1)
- Annalee Qualls draws a leadoff walk to start the game for Riverside.
- At 3:05 p.m. Central time, we finally have our first pitch after a delay of more than five hours. Riverside is at bat.
PREGAME
- Hackett starting lineup: Morgan Coryell (3B); Lilly Oxford (2B); Michaelyn Freeman (SS); Makenzie Freeman (P); Ryleigh Decker (1B); Eva Thornburg (C); Kali Reather (CF); Ava Bartmier (RF); and Laitlyn Holbert (LF).
- Riverside starting lineup: Annalee Qualls (CF); Kaylee Cox (SS); Brooklyn Berry (C); Katie Ridge (1B); Klaire Womack (P); Ryley Eakins (2B); Carly Jo Womack (RF); Blakely Biggers (3B); and Bennett Durham (LF). The top five hitters in the Riverside lineup are seniors.
- Hackett will be the home team in the contest, with Riverside serving as the visiting squad.
- Coming to you from an overcast Farris Field on the University of Central Arkansas campus in Conway. Hackett and Riverside are finally going to get to play for the Class 2A softball championship after a weather delay of nearly five hours. But the rain has stopped for the time being.