LADY BEARCATS FALL TO LINCOLN

Lincoln took advantage of eight walks to pull out a 4-2 win over the Lady Bearcats on Good Friday.

Four of those walks came in the top of the seventh when the Lady Wolves scored the two runs that made the difference.

Prior to that inning Lady Bearcat starter Lexi Franklin had walked just 21 on the season, or one every three innings, but saw pitches on a pair of 3-1 and 3-2 counts called ball four. One of the walks drove in a run, as did a hit batter.

The game was scoreless through the top of the third but in the bottom of the inning Roni Tillery lifted a soft single with two down and Lyddia Franklin came on as a courtesy runner.

Lyddia Franklin moved to second on a passed ball and then stole third base (shown). She scored when Layla Bryum slapped a ball off of third base and Byrum ended up as second.

Lincoln went ahead in the fifth. With the bases loaded a comebacker erased a runner at the plate for a second out but a throwing error allowed two runs to score. Lexi Franklin got a strikeout to end the frame.

Byrum reached on an infield single in the Lady Bearcat sixth and scored on a two out single by Lexi Franklin to tie the game.

The seventh started with a pop fly on the infield but would not end until Byrum dove for a ball behind second base and scrambled back to tag the bag with her glove. By then Lincoln had scored twice without a base hit.

The Lady Bearcats start another busy week today with a makeup game at Charleston. Charleston, who has not faced Hackett, is currently unbeaten in Conference 3A-4 play.