With the 2024 softball season now in the history books, Natural State Sports wants to highlight the individuals who put on the best performances over the weekend’s six state championship games.
The softball version of the Weekend of Champions kicked off Thursday afternoon at the University of Arkansas’ Shock Stadium with the 1A title game. Powerhouse Taylor won its state record seventh consecutive championship, and also state-leading tenth all-time, in a 10-0 run rule victory over impressive Cinderella story, Scranton, in six innings.
Class 5A followed that contest for the primetime matchup between Beebe and Sheridan. A leadoff triple by speedster Skylar Sterritt set the tone and the Lady ‘Jackets could not be stopped from there as the offense, combined with an impressive outing from Callie Kilburn, led to a 5-0 win. The victory gave Sheridan its sixth state championship in school history and first since 2019.
4A-1 foes Farmington and Pea Ridge got things started on Day Two. The Lady Cardinals wasted no time in getting runs home as they plated three in the first two innings, then two more in the fourth. One more was added for insurance in the sixth and all signs were pointing to them cruising to victory. Pea Ridge had others plans, though, as the Lady Blackhawks put a five-spot on Farmington in the seventh inning, but fell just short of the comeback and Farmington prevailed 6-5 to win its fourth all-time championship and first since 2011.
A pitcher’s duel in Class 6A that featured West conference squads Bentonville and Springdale Har-Ber between veteran Ryann Sanders and impressive freshman Cyarah Dotts. Bentonville scored the contest’s only run in the fourth inning and then Sanders did the rest to help her Lady Tigers escape 1-0 to win their sixth title since 2016 and third in four seasons.
The final day of the season started with a rematch of last year’s pitcher’s duel between Mansfield and Riverside. Mansfield scored the game’s first run in the fifth inning, then Riverside punched back at the bottom of the sixth and the contest ended up going into extra innings. The Lady Tigers ripped off three runs in the eighth to Riverside’s one to win 4-2 and they earned their first state title since 2012.
One of the more dominant performances of the weekend was put on by Hackett in a 12-2 win in six innings, the second run rule victory of the six championship games. The Lady Hornets struck quickly, scoring a run in the first inning, but the slugfest really got going when they took advantage of multiple Lincoln mistakes in the third and put up a four-spot. They added one more in the fourth and two more in the fifth, before another four-run inning in the sixth put this one away.
Jadyn Ashcraft – Sheridan
The junior finished 2 for 3 with a double, plus two RBIs, in Sheridan’s 5-0 win over Beebe.
Ayla Buford – Taylor
The junior ace pitched a complete game and struck out five batters while only allowing two hits in Taylor’s 10-0 win in six innings over Scranton in the 1A final. Buford earned state tournament MVP honors for the third consecutive season and also finished with a double and batted two runs in offensively.
Phoebe Caldwell – Beebe
The junior finished a perfect 3 for 3 in Beebe’s 5-0 loss to Sheridan in the 5A state final.
Callie Cooper – Pea Ridge
The Crowder College signee went 2 for 4, including a three-run home run, in Pea Ridge’s 6-5 loss to Farmington in the 4A final.
Morgan Coryell – Hackett
The junior hit a two-run inside the park home run in Hackett’s 12-2 3A final win over Lincoln in six innings.
Demi Donahoe – Bentonville
The Yale commit went 3 for 4 and stole a base in Bentonville’s 1-0 win over Springdale Har-Ber in the 6A final.
Cyarah Dotts – Springdale Har-Ber
The freshman threw a complete game in a 1-0 loss to Bentonville in the 6A final while striking out five batters.
Macy Downs – Taylor
The freshman hit a double, batted in two runs and stole a base in Taylor’s 10-0 in six innings win over Scranton in the 1A final.
Alyson Edwards – Mansfield
The University of Nebraska – Omaha signee struck out 15 batters while allowing only three hits in Mansfield’s 4-2 2A final win over Riverside in eight innings while earning Most Valuable Player honors.
Reese Fowler – Taylor
The senior scored two of Taylor’s 10 runs, plus batted in another, in the Lady Tigers’ 10-0 win in six innings over Scranton.
Kenzie Freeman – Hackett
The Tulsa commit struck out seven batters and allowed only two hits in Hackett’s 12-2 3A final win over Lincoln in six innings. Freeman also batted two runs in and hit a double and was named the Most Valuable Player.
Mikey Freeman – Hackett
The sophomore went 2 of 3 and scored three runs, while batting in another, plus stole a base in Hackett’s 12-2 3A final win over Lincoln in six innings.
Marissa Gianneschi – Bentonville
The sophomore scored the lone run of the game in Bentonville’s 1-0 win over Springdale Har-Ber in the 6A final.
Tatym Howell – Beebe
The junior finished a perfect 3 for 3 in Beebe’s 5-0 loss to Sheridan in the 5A state final.
Callie Kilburn – Sheridan
The Ouachita Baptist University signee pitched a complete shutout and struck out 10 batters while earning MVP honors in Sheridan’s 5-0 win over Beebe in the 5A state final.
Madison Lindsey – Taylor
The senior nabbed a team-leading three bases and scored one of Taylor’s 10 runs in the Lady Tigers’ 10-0 win in six innings over Scranton in the 1A final.
Heidi May – Taylor
The senior smacked a double, batted in two runs and stole a base in Taylor’s 10-0 win in six innings over Scranton in the 1A final.
Kinley Meek – Farmington
The senior smacked a two-run homer, the first for softball of championship weekend, in Farmington’s 6-5 win over Pea Ridge in the 4A final.
Annalee Qualls – Riverside
The junior scored both of Riverside’s runs in the Lady Rebels 4-2 loss in the 2A final.
Morgan Reaves – Farmington
The freshman earned MVP honors in Farmington’s 6-5 win over Pea Ridge in the 4A final. In a complete game performance, Reaves allowed five hits and struck out four batters.
Kristen Rhine – Lincoln
The senior batted in Lincoln’s only two runs in the 12-2 3A final loss to Hackett.
Ryann Sanders – Bentonville
The University of Louisville (Ky.) signee earned her second state tournament Most Valuable Player award in the past three seasons in Bentonville’s 1-0 win over Springdale Har-Ber in the 6A final. Sanders pitched a complete game and allowed four hits, walked only one and struck out seven. She also hit a single.
Lily Sewell – Taylor
The Southern Arkansas University Rodeo signee scored two runs and batted in another, hit a triple, plus stole three bases in Taylor’s 10-0 win in six innings over Scranton in the 1A final.
Reese Shirey – Farmington
The Northeastern State (Okla.) basketball signee finished 2 for 4, including a triple, and scored two runs in Farmington’s 6-5 win over Pea Ridge in the 4A final.
Skylar Sterritt – Sheridan
The speedy sophomore hit a leadoff triple that led to getting the scoring started for Sheridan in the first inning, plus stole two bases, in the Lady ‘Jackets’ 5-0 win over Beebe in the 5A state final.
Eva Thornburg – Hackett
The freshman finished 3 for 4 with three runs batted in and a double in Hackett’s 12-2 3A final win over Lincoln in six innings.
Morgan Uher – Farmington
The Ouachita Baptist University commit went a perfect 3 for 3 with three RBIs in Farmington’s 6-5 win over Pea Ridge in the 4A final, plus notched a crucial out on a web gem grab during Pea Ridge’s seventh inning rally.
Kynslee Ward – Mansfield
The Crowley’s Ridge College basketball signee smacked a double and recorded a web gem out while holding down shortstop.
Ambria Whittaker – Mansfield
The junior batted in two runs in Mansfield’s 4-2 win over Riverside in the 2A final.
Kylee Wyman – Bentonville
The freshman batted in the game’s lone run in Bentonville’s 1-0 win over Springdale Har-Ber in the 6A final.
(Cover photo of Taylor by Melissa Lindsey)
