SBLive Arkansas Super 7 softball rankings: Tournaments cause shakeups in several classes

Here are the SBLive Arkansas Super 7 softball rankings for March 21-28.

Coming off multiple tournaments statewide, teams took steps forward and backward forcing multiple movements in this week’s SBLive Super 7 softball rankings. Though a couple were challenged, the top squad in each class remained the same from last week. The schedule is very limited this week with most teams taking off due to spring break.

Here are the SBLive Arkansas Super 7 softball rankings for March 21-28. 

6A

1. Bentonville (7-0)

2. Cabot (5-0)

3. Bentonville West (8-0)

4. Bryant (4-0)

5. Rogers (4-0)

6. Conway (4-4)

7. North Little Rock (6-2)

Outside looking in: Fort Smith Northside, Rogers Heritage

Analysis:

-Bentonville won the Harrison Ozarks Classic Tournament last week defeating Pea Ridge, Tuckerman, and Camden Fairview.

-Cabot has been a machine starting 5-0 outscoring opponents 60-2.

-West won the Farmington Tournament taking down Prairie Grove, Greenwood and Hackett all in a day’s work.

-Bryant had as great of a week as you could expect defeating Fort Smith Northside and Mount St. Mary by a combined score of 28-0. The Lady Hornets will play in the Southern Warrior Classic in Murfreesboro, Tenn., over spring break competing in 12 games in 4 days.

-Rogers defeated Southside 12-0 but did not play its second game of the week against Fayetteville due to rain.

-Conway went 1-2 in the Red Division of the Brookland Bearcat Blast.

-North Little Rock had a great showing at its hometown North Little Rock Tournament defeating Sheridan, DeWitt, and Junction City only falling to 3A powerhouse Baptist Prep.

5A

1. Benton (7-0)

2. Greene County Tech (6-0)

3. Greenwood (4-2)

4. Mountain Home (6-3)

5. Sheridan (5-4)

6. Marion (3-2)

7. Beebe (6-4)

Outside looking in: Van Buren, White Hall

Analysis:

-Benton took care of business on the road against Pleasant Grove (Texas) and in a conference-opening doubleheader at Beebe, then finished off the week shutting out Greenbrier 6-0.

-Greene County Tech handled Nettleton in a conference-opening doubleheader outscoring the Lady Raiders 18 runs to 2. The Lady Golden Eagles will compete in the Gulf Coast Classic in Gulf Shores over spring break.

-Greenwood drummed Fayetteville in the opening round of the Farmington Tournament then fell to Bentonville West and Gravette (11 innings). The Lady Bulldogs got the best of Fayetteville again in the consolation game.

-Mountain Home won five of its six games to begin the year but faced some roadblocks over the weekend falling to Camden Fairview and Tuckerman resulting in a fourth-place finish in the Ozarks Classic.

-Sheridan took a step back last season after forming a dynasty in Class 5A from 2016-19 winning four state titles in a row but were unable to play for an undisputed fifth due to COVID-19 in 2020. With a plethora of young talent and some solid early season wins under their belt, the Lady Jackets are primed to make a return to the top.

-Marion split games in a conference-opening series with Searcy.

-Beebe had a doubleheader to forget against powerhouse Benton to open conference play but followed that up with a 2-1 win over Stuttgart to claim the final spot in the Super 7 rankings.

4A

1. Morrilton (6-2)

2. Nashville (5-2)

3. Gravette (9-4)

4. Valley View (8-1)

5. Malvern (9-2)

6. Farmington (6-3)

7. Stuttgart (5-3)

Outside looking in: Bauxite, Pea Ridge

Analysis:

-Morrilton fell 9-5 against Super 7 No. 6 Sheridan and rebounded with a 10-1 victory over a sneaky CAC squad.

-Nashville took a 1-0 conference loss to Bauxite personal and took out frustrations on Hope scoring 15 runs.

-Gravette defeated conference foe Farmington to take third place in last weekend’s Farmington Tournament.

-Valley View took first-place in the Brookland Bearcat Blast following a forfeiture from Stuttgart.

-Malvern is red-hot right now winning its past seven games, including an 8-5 victory over top-ranked 1A Taylor to win the Gold Bracket of the DMac Tournament.

-Excluding a 15-0 victory against arch-rival Prairie Grove, Farmington did not have much to write home about in the Farmington Invitational and will use spring break to get recharged.

-Stuttgart advanced to the finals of the Red Division in the Brookland Bearcat Classic but had to forfeit due to lack of numbers from injuries.

3A

1. Baptist Prep (7-2)

2. Hackett (7-2)

3. Lincoln (11-3)

4. Ashdown (7-0)

5. Gosnell (9-2)

6. Smackover (7-2)

7. Atkins (7-3)

Outside looking in: Booneville, Greenland

Analysis:

-Baptist Prep went 4-0 in the North Little Rock Tournament and seem to have not lost a step from last season with its two losses coming only to 6A schools.

-Hackett had possibly the best week of any team in the state defeating Boonville at home and then coming up one run shy in the Farmington Invitational to 6A No. 3 Bentonville West.

-Lincoln swept the conference series with Green Forest and Valley Springs and moves into the 3A Top 3.

-Ashdown goes into the break feeling confident and undefeated following a 7-6 conference win over Glen Rose.

-Gosnell took fourth place in the White Division of the Brookland Bearcat Blast falling to East Poinsett County and then Quitman in the third-place game.

- Smackover looked like its normal self this week in wins over Junction City, Dumas, and McGehee.

-Atkins has won four in a row following two road victories last week over Clinton and Perryville.

2A

1. McCrory (11-0)

2. East Poinsett County (9-0)

3. Woodlawn

4. Tuckerman (6-2)

5. Salem (6-1)

6. Magnet Cove (5-3)

7. Fordyce (5-3)

Outside looking in: Midland, Rector

Analysis:

-Even though Class 2A is deep, it is tough not to put McCrory as the favorite at this point after continuing to impose its will winning the Black Division of the Bearcat Blast.

-East Poinsett County moves into the No. 2 spot after making a statement in the Bearcat Blast winning the White Division 9-2 over Jonesboro Westside.

-Woodlawn has hardly been tested but answered every call in dominant fashion 77-1.

-Tuckerman was busy this week earning three conference wins before claiming third place in the Ozarks Classic Tournament.

-Salem fell in Game 1 of the Bearcat Blast to Rector but finished strong with wins over Rose Bud and Riverside.

-Magnet Cove went 1-2 in the Gold Bracket of the DMac Tournament against good competition with its lone victory coming over 1A power Mt. Vernon-Enola.

-Fordyce really opened some eyes in the DMac Tournament winning the Blue Bracket defeating Bismark, De Queen, and Arkadelphia.

1A

1. Taylor (6-1)

2. Mt. Vernon-Enola (4-2)

3. Wonderview (3-2)

4. Calico Rock (5-1)

5. Greers Ferry Westside (3-0)

6. Concord (3-0)

7. Ouachita (4-2)

Outside looking in: Izard County, Shirley

Analysis:

-Taylor showed it is not immortal after falling to Class 4A No.5 Malvern in the Gold Bracket championship of the D-MAC Tournament, but certainly can still hang with just about any team in the state in any classification. 

-Mt Vernon-Enola fell in the first two games of the D-MAC Tournament to Bauxite and Magnet Cove, but bounced back to finish strong and beat Bradley 8-2.

-Wonderview went 2-1 last week and heads into spring break following a 3-1 win over Guy-Perkins thanks in large part to Gracie Williams’ two-run bomb.

-Besides a one-run loss to Izard County, Calico Rock has been solid this year most recently defeating Mountain View and a blowout 18-0 win over Norfork.

-Greers Ferry Westside shutout South Side Bee Branch 7-0 to begin the week before having its final game before spring break with Concord cancelled due to rain.

-Concord had a chance to go even higher in the Class 1A Super 7 rankings had they been able to beat Greers Ferry Westside last week, but mother nature interfered with that game from happening.

-Ouachita has the pitching to compete with some of the best of the best from Class 1A. The Lady Warriors closed out the final week before spring break 2-1 and claimed the final spot in the 1A Super 7.