BEARCATS DROP GAME

The Booneville Bearcats continued their season opening road show Monday night with a 7-0 loss at Morrilton.

The Bearcats (1-2) have yet to play a home game – the scheduled home opener was moved to allow the game to be played after a state tournament basketball game – and are scheduled to play at the Billy Kiersey Baseball/Softball Complex against Paris on Friday.

The Bearcats allowed an unearned first inning run. After surrendering a leadoff double Peyton Tatum recorded a pair of strikeouts then hit a batter. The run scored on a steal and an error.

Tatum (1-1) then picked off the remaining runner on base to get out of the inning.

Tatum pitched around a second error in the second – the Bearcats committed four – and got out of a bases loaded jam in the Devil Dog third with one of his five strikeouts.

Freshman Conner Lentz (shown diving back to first) would record the first Bearcat hit of the day in the top of the third, but was stranded.

Tatum was lifted in after a pair of singles and a walk loaded the bases.

Making his first appearance this season Jace Washburn allowed three hits and there was an error that helped Morrilton run the lead to 6-0.

Morrilton added a run on a two-out single in the fifth to go up 7-0.

With two down in the Bearcat sixth Rhett Nietert and Dax Goff singled but were left aboard – it was Goff’s second hit of the night – but the Bearcats couldn’t get them across.

Matt O’Bar made his second appearance of the year on the mound in the home half of the sixth and retired the Devil Dogs in order.

After a Dunn Daniel single, O’Bar also walked in the seventh but three strikeouts ended the game.

The Bearcats are scheduled to open Conference 3A-4 play at Cedarville today.