Alma softball team splits with Cyclones 4/8/22

Alma softball team splits with Cyclones 

By Kevin Taylor

Alma Schools 

 

Taelynn Perry, Julia Nutt, and Jada Wallis blasted home runs in three consecutive at-bats while helping lead the Lady Airedales to a 17-4 win over Russellville in the first game of Wednesday’s 5A-West doubleheader. 

 

The Lady Cyclones’ Kiana Reeves had four hits in the nightcap as Russellville earned a split, 6-1. 

 

Makenzie Martin had three hits as well to raise her season batting average to .636 (21-for-33) as the Lady Airedales remained in the thick of the 5A-West standings. 

 

Makinzie Erwin and Jordan Gramlich were also 3-for-5 in the first game. Jordan Gramlich, who is hitting .400 for the season, scored four times in the opener. 

 

Martin doubled home Gramlich as part of a two-run first, and she legged out a two-run triple in the second to extend the lead to 4-0. 

 

Jaden Gramlich, Erwin, and Jordan Gramlich each doubled as part of a six-run third. 

 

Alma scored seven times in the fourth to extend the lead to 17-4, highlighted by Perry’s third homer of the season and Nutt and Wallis’ second home runs of the campaign. 

 

Russellville handed the Lady Airedales a 6-1 defeat in the nightcap, blowing open a tight game with four runs in the sixth inning. 

 

Alma was scheduled to host Prairie Grove Thursday. 

 

Baseball 

 

Alma senior left-hander Logan Taylor was one pitch away from getting out of a fifth-inning jam Wednesday. 

 

After back-to-back strikeouts with the bases loaded, the Cyclones’ Cade Palmer fought off two foul balls before lining a two-run double just inside the third-base bag to finish Taylor’s day. He threw 106 pitches while striking out eight in 4 ⅔ innings of work. 

 

Cash Wilson was saddled with the loss. The Cyclones scored six times in the final inning for a wild 15-11 victory. 

 

Derek Hatcher’s first-inning grand slam helped Alma to an early 6-0 lead. Hatcher and Taylor each finished with three hits. 

 

Russellville won the night camp, 11-0. Noah Likens took the loss. Chander O’Kelly struck out three in 1 ⅔ innings. Likens and Tyson Shepherd hit safely in the nightcap for the Airedales. 

 

Alma will host Southside on Friday and resume 5A-West play next Tuesday against Van Buren.