LADY BEARCATS TAKE GAME OVER IN LATE INNINGS

The Booneville Lady Bearcats were down 2-0 to Genoa Central to start the sixth inning of their Class 3A state tournament opening round game but they would score nine times in the final two at bats to beat the Dragons 9-2.

The Lady Bearcats sent 11 to the plate in the sixth inning and took a 5-2 lead in the game played scheduled for 12:30 in Farmington but played about 3:30 in Gravette.

After Layla Byrum (shown during the regional tournament) opened the inning with a single Ellie Smith reached on one of six Genoa Central errors.

With one down in the sixth Lexi Franklin drew a walk and Roni Tillery got the Lady Bearcats would get the Lady Bearcats (17-13) the board with a sacrifice fly.

During a walk to Cam Parrish a ball that got away from the catcher saw two score and it was 3-2. Kylie Lunsford drove in a run with a double to make it 4-2 and an error plated a fifth run.

Singles by Presley Walker and Byrum reloaded the bases but the Lady Dragons were able to avoid further damage, at least until the seventh.

Before that would happen Franklin issued a walk to open the GC sixth but after one out was recorded Parish started a double play to end the inning – Byrum had turned one to keep the game scoreless through three.

Besides the plays behind her in the field, Franklin also had a notable day, recording five strikeouts to become the school’s career strikeout leader with 679.

In the top of the seventh Leigh Swint led off with a double and led Franklin, who had walked, around the bases on a double by Tillery that made it 7-2.

After another error made it 8-2 Lunsford lifted a fly ball to make it 9-2.

Genoa had taken a 2-0 lead in the fifth, scoring both runs after there were two outs.

The Lady Bearcats move on to the quarterfinals at 10 a.m. on Friday and will face Baptist Prep, a four seed who took down a one seed in Dumas.