FRANKLIN HITS 4TH HOMER, SWINT HAS 4 HITS, SMITH SCORES 4 TIMES

Lexi Franklin belted her fourth home run, Leigh Swint had four hits, and Ellie Smith, wearing number 4, scored four times, but the Booneville Lady Bearcats dropped a 9-8, extra inning decision in Clarksville Friday to close out the regular season.

The Lady Bearcats (13-11) will be the two seed in this week’s district tournament which is set for Cossatot River.

The winning run was the first time Clarksville had led in the game Friday.

The Lady Bearcats jumped in front in the first inning on a double by Lexi Franklin that scored Ellie Smith, who had reached on an error.

Smith scored a second time in a three run third that featured Franklin’s home run. It was a Swint (shown in a previous game) triple that chased Smith home after she reached on a fielder’s choice that erased Roni Tillery who had walked leading off the inning.

Franklin followed with her home run for a 4-0 lead.

A pair of hits, a walk, and a miscue played into the Lady Panthers getting three runs back in their third to make it a one run game again.

Smith scored a third time in a three run Lady Bearcat fifth. She singled leading off the inning and moved to third on a Swint double. Franklin drove in a run with a ground ball and Cameron Parish followed with a single to make it 6-3. A two-out single by Karmen Kent drove in another run.

After Clarksville got a run back in the fifth Smith scored her fourth run in the sixth to make it 8-4. Smith singled with two down and scored on Swint’s second double.

Clarksville tied it with four in the bottom of the sixth with one coming on a double, one on a ground ball, and two on another error.

After the Lady Bearcats went in order in their seventh Franklin got around two walks in the bottom of the seventh to force the extra inning.

The Lady Bearcats got Kent to third in their eighth inning but were unable to score her and Clarksville got their runner home on a fly ball to end it.

As the two seed in this week's district tournament the Lady Bearcats have a bye to the semifinals and are qualified for the Class 3A Region 1 tournament, set for May 4-6 in Harrison.