BEARCAT RALLY FALLS SHORT

The Booneville Bearcats trailed 6-0 through two and a half innings but trimmed the deficit to 6-4 and had the tying and winning runs on base before falling to Prairie Grove Tuesday.

Casey Carter walked leading off the bottom of the third and Rhett Nietert singled, but would be erased trying to steal.

Dylan Todd was hit by a pitch to bring up Dax Goff who delivered his first home run of the season to make it 6-3.

The home run for Goff was the 16th of his career.

Nietert relieved Matt O’Bar (0-1), who had gotten his first career start on the mound and would throw four shutout innings, allowing just two hits and two walks with five strikeouts.

The Bearcats got a leadoff single from Tayden Washburn (2-for-2 and shown putting down a sacrifice bunt) in the home fourth but could not move him around.

The Bearcats had two runners in scoring position in the fifth when a Goff double sent Conner Lentz, who had singled, to third, but again failed to score.

In the Bearcat sixth a walk, hit batter, and a second Carter single were not enough to score a run due to a pickoff.

But in the seventh singles by Nietert, Todd, and Rylen Ray 2-for-4) filled the bases and a one out single by Washburn made it 6-4 before the next two hitters were retired by the third Tiger pitcher of the day.

In what was the home opener for the Bearcats, the Tigers jumped to a 2-0 home run two batters into the game with a two run home run.

A second inning hit batsman stole a base, moved to third on a wild pitch, and scored on a throwing error to make it 3-0.

The Tigers used a walk, a pair of singles, and a double to double their lead to 6-0 in the top of the third.

The Bearcats next scheduled game is at home Thursday against Mansfield.