GREENBRIER Senior Night couldn't have ended any better for Greenbrier softball coach Brian Butler.
The Lady Panthers' Lauren Rose came through with a single in the ninth inning, which brought home pinch-runner Robin Jones to give Greenbrier a 4-3 victory over Vilonia. The win also significantly increased the Lady Panthers' chances for a spot in the 5A state tournament beginning this weekend. The upset also bumped the Lady Eagles out of the No. 1 seed because of the tiebreaker that Alma had over them. However, Vilonia still gets a piece of the 5A-West Conference title.
"We knocked Vilonia out of the top seed on Senior Night, and I don't think it can get better than that," Butler said. "That puts us in line for the state tournament, but there are some other things that have to happen. This win certainly gives us some opportunities. This was a great win."
Greenbrier (11-9, 8-6) is currently sitting as the No. 3 seed in the West, but Greenwood and Morrilton are lurching closely behind. The final seeds will not be awarded until after the conference games today.
The Lady Panthers scored first in the third inning when Stephanie Lasley crossed home after a double by Brittany Hill. Kayla Waters singled in Hill.
Vilonia (15-9, 10-4) sliced the lead in half after Courtney McEntire scored on a single from Amanda Curtis in the top frame of the fourth. The Lady Eagles knotted the score at two in the sixth. McEntire started the inning off on a double. She advanced to second on a bunt by Carley Gaines. McEntire later scored after she beat a tag at the home plate.
The Lady Eagles then took a 3-2 lead in the eighth when Whitney Bowman scored on Gaines' sacrifice fly. Greenbrier answered in the bottom frame when Kayla Waters single allowed Brittany Hill to trot home.
"We came up here and we knew that they were going to be tough," Vilonia coach Calvin Robinette said. "They made the right plays. I mean, what can you say, it was a tough game. It went into nine innings. They scored, and we didn't. That's how you win ballgames."
Lasley was the leading batter by going 3 for 5 at the plate, which included a double. She made a diving catch from second on the final out with the bases loaded in the ninth inning.
"I can't say enough about Stephanie," Butler said. "She's just a great player."
When Butler was asked about the win giving his team confidence going into the state tournament, he wasted no time to answer.
"I sure hope so," Butler said. "We're not going up to state just to play one game. We're planning on going over there to do some damage. We're hitting the ball better from top to bottom. We just have to continue to work on our bunting."
The win went to Cicely New, who finished the game with three strikeouts in a complete game.
Vilonia, the defending Class 5A state champion, will be paired against Greene County Tech in first-round action on Friday in Harrison.
"They're the No. 3 seed out of the (5A) East," Robinette said, referring to Greene County Tech. "I don't know a whole lot about them. I do know that they took Nettleton to extra innings. Nettleton was fortunate to beat them. This tournament is going to be wide open. There are about six or seven teams that could win it all. It just depends on who is hot. Hopefully, we can get our bats going."
