Clarksville, Ark.-The Lady Eagles' defense stood tall and freshman pitcher Arlisa Arwood kept the hot-hitting Texas-Dallas' bats cool as Ozarks ended the season with a 4-3 American Southwest Conference win Saturday.
Ozarks (7-33, 1-23 ASC) got four straight hits to open the bottom of the first. Casey Mays drove in Kelsey Mefford and Mays would score later as the Texas-Dallas right fielder let a Kelsey Stephens single roll past her. Texas-Dallas (18-20, 7-15 ASC) responded with two runs in the top of the second, but that would be all Arwood would allow until the seventh. Arwood did not allow a runner in scoring position in the third, fourth, fifth and sixth inning. The right-handed hurler got some big time defensive plays to help her cause. Left fielder Ali Mathis used her strong arm to throw out a runner at second base, while Mefford made a leaping catch in the infield to rob a hit. But the biggest play of the game came when Colbey Russo took away a home run as she made a spectacular catch at the center field fence.
Ozarks generated two more runs in the fourth to hold a 4-2 advantage. The Comets made things interesting in the seventh, putting a pair of runners in scoring position with no outs. Arwood forced an easy groundout and then a fly out, which the Comets would score one on. Arwood then forced another infield groundout to preserve the win.
Arwood (3-8) struck out three in the win.
Mefford, Mays and Stephens each had two hits.
Topics: Athletics