FRANKLIN, PARISH DRIVE IN FOUR APIECE IN WIN VALLEY SPRINGS

Lexi Franklin and Cameron Parish both drove in four runs for the Lady Bearcats in a 13-7 win over Valley Springs in the Class 3A Region 1 third place game Saturday afternoon.

The Lady Tigers scored a first inning run on a two out hit but the Lady Bearcats (16-13) scored five times with two down in the bottom of the inning and led throughout.

Franklin doubled home a run to tie it at 1-1 and, after Roni Tillery was hit by a pitch, Parish singled home a run for the lead.

Kylie Lunsford tripled home two to make it 4-1 and a Karmen Kent double made it 5-1.

A solo home run got Valley Springs within 5-2 in the third and was followed by a double and a pair of walks, but Franklin got a strikeout to lead the bases full.

The Lady Bearcats got that run back when a ball was dropped in the outfield in the bottom of the inning.

With two down in the fourth, the Lady Bearcats loaded the bases for Parish (shown stopping at third) and she tripled home all three with a triple to center to make it 9-2.

Franklin hit a three run inside the park home run in the fifth to make it 13-4.

Valley Springs mounted a threat in their final at bat with a second home run and a Lady Bearcat error that allowed two runs to score but would also see the game end with the final out recorded at third base.

The Lady Bearcats will be the three seed in the Class 3A state tournament this week and will face Genoa Central at 12:30 Thursday in Farmington. Quarterfinal and semifinal rounds will be played in Lincoln, who is the host school.