FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. - The Rose Bud Lady Ramblers got big games from their seniors to claim their second state title in four years, defeating the Genoa Central Lady Dragons, 7-3, for the Class 3A State Championship at Bogle Park on Monday.
Rose Bud's Joley Mitchell was 3-for-3 at the plate, scoring four runs and adding three RBI and a home run.
Gracie Hartle gave up three hits for Rose Bud. She struck out seven with no walks. Hartle was named the game's MVP.
While Hartle has yet to sign anywhere, Mitchell will continue her softball career at Notre Dame.
It looked like Rose Bud was well on its way to winning the title by jumping out to a 4-0 lead after two innings of play.
Mitchell led off the bottom of the first inning by reaching on a walk. She stole second, moved to third on an error, then scored on a wild pitch. With one out, Hope Hartle belted a double to the wall in left field and scored on a single down the third base line by Gracie Hartle.
With two outs in the bottom of the second, Briley Chandler doubled to center, scored on a double by Mitchell who then scored on a triple by Kameron Pierce to make it 4-0.
Rose Bud took that 4-0 lead into the fourth as Gracie Hartle did her best to keep the Lady Dragons (17-16) off the bases as she struck out three but two of those reached first on a strikeout-dropped third strike.
The Lady Dragons finally got things going in the top of the fourth.
Raegan Keith led off with a single to left, then Madison Banister singled into left. The two runners moved up a base on a passed ball then a single to left by Kelsey Mattson scored Keith.
A sacrifice fly to left by Josie Walls scored Banister and a groundout by Braylee Hagan plated Mattson to cut the score to 4-3.
Rose Bud got two of those runs back in the bottom of the fourth.
Chandler singled to left with one out then Mitchell followed that with a two-run home run over the wall in left field to make it 6-3.
The Lady Ramblers added one more insurance run in the bottom of the sixth when Mitchell led off with a single, stole third base and scored on a wild pitch.
Rose Bud finished with 11 hits, three each by Mitchell and Gracie Hartle, while Chandler had two.
After their big first three innings, the Lady Dragons only had one more baserunner over the last three innings when Olivia Cross was hit by a pitch to begin the fifth, but Gracie Hartle struck out the next batter and her defense turned a double play. The last six Genoa Central batters were retired in order.