Cornell adds more power to lineup

BENTONVILLE -- Haley Cornell insists she isn't doing anything different with her hitting approach than what she has done in previous years. Bentonville High's junior catcher, however, is doing it better so far this spring. She has already hit more home runs in six games this year than she did all of last year. She's also well on her way to surpassing the number of runs batted in she had a year ago, and her batting average is more than 100 points higher. "I've just been practicing on and off, at practice and after school," Cornell said. "I've always been practicing and making sure my swing is as good as it can be every time. I've been practicing off the tee, off the machines and in the cages as much as I can. That's all you can do -- just practice and set a goal for yourself. "I don't think there was anything wrong (last year). They just weren't the power numbers I was looking for. I just didn't hit as many as I did my freshman year." The goal Cornell had in mind when the season started was Bentonville's single-season home run record of 14, set by Alex Sullivan in 2010. Some may have thought it was quite a reach since she hit only two home runs last year, down from the five she hit as a freshman. Cornell began her quest in earnest during the Benton Invitational, when she belted a two-run shot against Sylvan Hills. Then came the 7A-West Conference opener last week against Fayetteville, when she belted two home runs and drove in seven runs in Bentonville's 17-0 rout. "The Fayetteville game has been the peak of things so far," Bentonville coach Kent Early said. "She's having a good pitch selection, and she's always been a patient hitter. She sees the ball well, and she's really good on all her tracking drills, so her success is not a surprise. "That goal is something she set for herself, and I'm all about it. Those are great personal goals to have because with them comes team success." Early said Cornell's first home run against Fayetteville was a "no-doubter," a towering shot over the center-field fence in the first inning. She added a single in the third before playing a huge role in the Lady Tigers' fourth-inning surge, hitting a grand slam to begin a 12-run outburst and later adding an single that drove in her seventh run of the game. "On the first home run, I remember going up to the plate and telling myself I just needed to get a hit," Cornell said. "I was just trying to get a hit to score the runner, and the week before coach Early had us in practice, working on getting the run in. You had three chances to stay in the game, and that was my mentality at the plate. "The grand slam -- gosh, I was so nervous. I was so mad because the first time I swung, the ball was right down the middle and I missed. I fouled that one off, and I got another strike before I fouled off a bunch of pitches. Finally, I got the one, and I was shaking in the batter's box through my two-strike approach. I guess I connected because it felt good off the bat." Early expects Cornell, who bats third in Bentonville's lineup and sports a .500 average with 10 RBIs, to get a lot more chances at those kinds of swings this season, especially with a loaded lineup around her. Megan Crownover and Jenna Wildeman are hitting .684 and .500, respectively, at the top of the order and setting the table. Cornell has hitters such as Payton Wildeman and Tymber Riley ready to hit behind her if needed. "That's her job -- to get those big hits," Early said. "I'm just glad to see her have that kind of success so far. "It's hard to find a weak spot in the top of that lineup because we have good people in front of her and good people behind her. You have to pitch to somebody, and you have to pick your poison a little bit because the top of that lineup is really, really strong."

THE OFFICIAL SITE OF
Bentonville High School Athletics

CORNELL ADDS MORE POWER TO LINEUP

HENRY APPLE

NWA Democrat-Gazette | 3/24/2017

PHOTO CREDIT: Ben Goff