HOT SPRINGS - The Tuckerman Lady Bulldogs scored 11 runs with two out as they made the most of their opportunities to come away with a 14-4 victory in six innings over the Woodlawn Lady Bears in the Class 2A State Championship softball game last Thursday at Majestic Park in Hot Springs.“We couldn’t get that third out. It seemed like it was escaping us,” said Woodlawn Coach Matt Huitt after the game.This was the second matchup this season between Woodlawn and Tuckerman. That first game - ironically played on the veiy same field - was much different as the Lady Bears pulled out a 2-1 win over in a tournament game played on March 13.Woodlawn senior Lari Rauls pitched a jewel in that one, holding Tuckerman to three hits and striking out 11 as she picked up a complete-game victory.The Lady Bulldogs’ Maegan Richardson took the loss in that one after giving up six hits with four walks and five strikeouts.But the state championship rematch as much different as the Lady ‘Dogs were able to connect.The Lady Bears got off to a great start as Jaci Hoyt and Kendall Tooke led off the game with back-to-back singles against Lady Bulldog sophomore starting pitcher Emma Davis. But Tuckerman pulled off a double play on an ensuing grounder but Hoyt was still able to score to give the Lady Bears an early 1-0 lead.That led held up until the second when Rauls, who put down the Lady ‘Dogs in order in the bottom of the first, gave up a solo homerun to Richardson to lead off the second.Ally Sampson followed with another hit for Tuckerman but Woodlawn caught her stealing and the next batter grounded out for the second out. That’s when the two-out issues started to emerge for the Lady Bears.The next two batters followed with a single and a walk before another hit drove in one run and another walk loaded the bases. One run then scored on a wild pitch before a single and an error added three more runs to suddenly give...
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