By RAY BENTON
Leader sports editor
The Beebe softball team earned a pair of 5A-East Conference victories on Wednesday, blowing out Wynne 10-0 and 9-0 in a league doubleheader at Gilliam Fields.
The Lady Badgers scored three runs in the first inning, four in the second and three in the fourth of game one to put an early end to the game, while starting pitcher Ellie Reaves threw a no-hitter, striking out 11 Lady Yellowjackets.
Two home runs by Nikita Howell highlighted the game-one win.
Two hits, a walk and an infield error led to Beebe’s first-inning rally. A base hit by Courtney Shepard scored Calah Hill and Howell, who had reached on a walk and base hit, respectively. Megan Davlin then hit a grounder to shortstop that was misplayed, allowing Shepard to score.
A hit, an error and a walk loaded the bases for Howell in the second, and she cleared them with a swing of the bat on the first pitch for a 7-0 lead.
Two base hits preceded her at bat in the fourth inning, and she cleared them again, this time on a 1-0 pitch, to set the final margin.
Howell added three more base hits and a walk in game two, to finish the doubleheader with a 1.000 on-base percentage by going 6 for 6 with two home runs, a double, a walk, six runs scored and 11 RBIs.
The top of the lineup did all the damage in game two, with the first four batters scoring all nine runs. Hill also had three base hits in game two and scored six combined runs.
The Lady Badgers, 14-2, 6-0, will host Paragould on Tuesday in another 5A-East doubleheader.
