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SMACKOVER - Pitching, defense and timely hitting proved to be the recipe for success Tuesday as Smackover downed Bismarck 4-0 in the championship game of the 3A Region 4 Tournament.

The Lady Bucks, who improved to 17-6, open play in the 3A State Tournament on Friday at 3:30 p.m. against Conway St. Joe.

Senior Maggie Butterfield hurled a three-hit shutout in the circle. She was backed up by spotless defense. Offensively, the Lady Bucks had nine hits and scored all of their runs with two outs.

“To me, we played a perfect game,” said Smackover coach Marsha Cowling. “We didn’t start off hitting the way I would’ve liked but once we got in a groove, swinging that bat. I don’t think we had an error on defense. To me, we played a perfect game today.”

Butterfield and Bismarck’s Melisa Walker matched hitless goose eggs through three innings. Smackover recorded the first hit of the game when Magan McDaniel drilled a line drive to rightfield in the fourth. The outfielder tried to make a shoestring catch but couldn’t and McDaniel slid into third with a one-out triple. Walker then squared off against Butterfield in a long duel. Butterfield fouled off several pitches before finally striking out on a 3-2 changeup.

The Lady Lions were one strike away from getting out of the jam but Smackover’s Nickole Frazier ripped a 3-2 pitch into leftfield for the RBI single.

The Lady Bucks added two in the fifth with a two-out rally. Sarah Poff singled to left and went to second when the ball got away from the outfielder. Jessica McDaniel drove Poff in with a single. Magan McDaniel followed with a single to right with Jessica McDaniel scoring on a bad throw from the outfield, giving the Lady Bucks a 3-0 lead.

Smackover bought some insurance in the sixth. Allie Ward led off with a bunt single. Kendra Marsh hit a grounder to third. Bismarck tried to get the force but Ward beat the throw to second. After Haley Herring popped up, Kristin Gentry hit a pop up that landed in left field. But, Ward had to hold up on the play and was forced at third for the second out. Poff would get the run in anyway with a two-out RBI double.

That was all the runs Smackover would need. Bismarck, which went undefeated during its conference season, threatened in the bottom of the sixth. Sarah Camras walked to lead off the inning. She tried to score from second on a base hit by Melissa Camras but the relay from Marsh-to-Jessica McDaniel-to-Poff cut down the run as Poff magnificently blocked the plate to get the out.

In the bottom of the seventh, Bismarck’s Kirsten Massey led off with a walk and Jennifer Cox hit a single. But, Butterfield got Haley Matlock to ground out to first before Camras flew out to Gentry in right for the final out.

“I’m just so proud of the way they showed up and played today,” said Cowling. “Even when Bismarck started hitting the ball and got on base, we didn’t let go. We didn’t stop. We didn’t let them have the momentum and that’s what we’ve got to do. I’m proud of them.”

Butterfield allowed three hits and four walks with four strikeouts in seven strong innings. Walker gave up nine hits and two walks for the Lady Lions.

Offensively, Magan McDaniel, Ward and Poff all went 2-for-4 at the plate for Smackover.

In the third place game, Horatio beat Fouke 4-2.