BEARCATS SPLIT WITH CEDARVILLE, MANSFIELD

The Booneville Bearcat baseball team has split a pair of lopsided five-inning games this week and are now 2-2.

The Bearcats clubbed 3A-4 foe Cedarville 14-0 on a chilly Tuesday afternoon but dropped a 17-4 decision to Mansfield on Wednesday in a game that had originally been scheduled for Monday.

Against the conference opponent Brooks Herrera (2-0) threw four shutout innings – Peyton Tatum finished it – allowing just two hits, both by Jaden Mothersell, and two walks, while striking out 10.

After Herrera got around a leadoff walk in the first with the first two of those 10 strike outs, the Bearcats scored five times.

The first five Bearcats to hit reached. Herrera singled and scored up on the first of three Rylen Ray hits . Ray then scored on a triple by Dax Goff – his second of the year.

A double by Tatum scored a run and after a single by Matt O’Bar, an error allowed Jace Washburn to reach and a run to come home and Dylan Todd drove in a run with a ground out to make it 5-0.

The Pirates committed three second inning errors and there were two walks and a hit batter that led to the lead doubling to 10-0. The only hit of the frame was a double by O’Bar that drove in a run.

O’Bar, who had three hits, drove in his second run of the day with a third inning single that made it 11-0.

Herrera singled and scored on a passed ball with the bases loaded and an error that allowed Macolen Tiller to reach made it 13-0.

Washburn drove in his second run with a single to make it 14-0 before the side was retired in the fourth.

After issuing two passes to start the Cedarville fifth Tatum got two ground balls and a strike out to finish it.

On Wednesday it was Mansfield pounding out 16 hits, including three home runs and seven extra base hits.

The Bearcats cut a 7-0 lead to 7-4 in the second. O’Bar started the inning with a walk and after a fielder’s choice Cameron Osborne singled and Dylan Todd (shown playing defense on Tuesday) doubled to right to score one.

After a walk to Herrera, Dunn Daniel lifted a sacrifice fly for a run and Dax Goff doubled home two.

Two errors, a home run, and a double pushed Mansfield’s lead back to 12-4.

Trey Vaughan hit two home runs and drove in five for Mansfield.

The Bearcats are scheduled to take the field again on Friday in Paris.