TODD PERSEVERES, DELIVERS WALKOFF AGAINST HACKETT

If there were one of those how-it-started and how-it-ended side-by-side photos of Dylan Todd from Thursday’s game with Hackett at the Billy Kiersey Complex, the photos could not be more different.

How it ended was with Todd delivering a walkoff single to right in the bottom of the eighth to beat the Hornets 9-8, marking the second walkoff at bat by a Booneville athlete at the complex this week.

It was also the second straight time the Bearcats had walked off against Hackett with the other being in the district tournament semifinals last season – Hackett now resides in Class 2A.

Todd had been 0-for-4 on the day when he dug in against the fourth Hornet pitcher of the night with the bases loaded and one down.

After a called strike and a foul ball, Todd sent the 0-2 offering into right field to score Clint Osborne from third.

Osborne had recorded his second infield single of the day with one out to start the Bearcats on the way to completing a comeback from twice being seven runs down.

Rhett Nietert, who like Todd had been hitless on the day, followed with a double to move the winning run to third.

Hayden Daniel put down a bunt that the Hackett catcher retrieved a few feet from the plate but had no play to make, loading the bases for Todd.

Todd, who started the game on the mound had been on the hook for a loss when he left the game after five innings.

That was because of a miserable first inning in which the first seven Hornet hitters reached. The first two hitters had singles, an error loaded the bases, a single got a run home, a hit by pitch got a second, and another base hit made it 4-0.

A second error on a sacrifice attempt occurred before the first out of the day was recorded, which was followed by a walk before a strike out and ground out final ended the inning with the Hornets up 7-0.

Jace Washburn (3-for-4) delivered a two-out run scoring single in the bottom of the first to get the Bearcats on the board but Hackett got that run back in the top of the second and it was 8-1.

The Bearcats got back in it with a four run bottom of the second, doing so on just one hit. Hackett committed three errors in the inning – the Hornets committed five in the game – Parker Smith was hit by a pitch, and Jeremiah Shaw’s hit would be a double that was deflected into foul territory by the Hornet third baseman.

Head coach Arron Kimes sent Todd back to the mound for the third and the senior responded with a 1-2-3 frame. Kimes sent him back for the fourth and the got around a single and an error – the Bearcats had four of them – with an out at the plate after a passed ball.

Kimes sent Todd back out for the fifth and he had another unblemished frame finishing with 95 pitches thrown.

But while Todd was keeping it a three run game the Bearcats could not get closer.

After Washburn (2-0) took over in the sixth and set down the Hornets in order, Smith walked leading off the bottom of the inning. Smith was at second because of a wild pitch and moved to third on a ground out, eventually scoring on Osborne’s first infield single, a slow roller to third.

A Hornet error and a sacrifice bunt by Daniel had the tying runs in scoring position. A wild pitch made it 8-7 but Todd flew out to end the inning.

Washburn (shown), who would retire all nine hitters he faced, kept it there and would score the tying run in the bottom of the inning. He singled leading off the inning, reached second on a passed ball, third on a ground out, then scored on another passed ball to make it 8-8.

The Bearcats will be back in action today making their first road trip of the season to Greenwood. First pitch is set for 5 p.m.