By JASON KING
Leader sportswriter
Cabot’s chances at a higher tournament seed disappeared with a crack of Bryant catcher Jesse Taylor’s bat in the top of the fourth inning Thursday.
Taylor’s three-run home run gave the Lady Hornets a 9-3 lead and complete momentum, as Bryant went on to win 13-3 at Conrade Sports Complex.
A victory for the Lady Panthers (19-9, 12-1 7A-Central) would have tied them with Bryant for second in the conference, one game behind leader North Little Rock, but it was not meant to be.
The Lady Hornets (21-2, 12-1) held the Lady Panthers scoreless after the second inning and triggered the sportsmanship/run rule at the end of six innings. The Lady Panthers matched Bryant run for run early on.
The Lady Hornets scored two runs in the top of the first, but Cabot answered with a drive by No. 3 hitter Kristi Flesher that triggered a fielding error at shortstop, with the ball going into left where the fielder and bobbled it for the second error on the same play. The miscues scored leadoff hitter Caitlinn Gunn and Chelsea Conrade.
Bryant took the lead again in the second, but Cabot tied it again in the bottom of the second when designated player Taylor Anderson tagged up and scored when Sarah Martin popped out to left, making it 3-3.
But the rest was all Bryant.
The Lady Hornets scored two runs in the third, and added to their lead in the fourth with five runs off four hits, including Taylor’s homer over the left-field wall, and three Cabot errors.