MONTALVO SINGLE SCORES GAME WINNER IN 1-0 WIN IN MENA

One hit is enough if it comes at the right time.

Peighton Montalvo, who has certainly not been a one-hit wonder this season, singled to right field to drive in Lexi Franklin with one away in the top of the eighth inning for a 1-0 Lady Bearcats (5-1) win in Mena Tuesday.

It was Montalvo’s seventh RBI of the season.

Franklin, who scored the eventual winning run from the extra inning placement at second base, took it from there.

Franklin got her 17th strikeout with the potential tying run at second base, got a ground out to herself for the second out that moved the tying run to third, then got a ground out, again to herself, to close it out.

Montalvo’s base hit was the only one of the day for the Lady Bearcats, whose only other baserunner in the game came in the form of a leadoff walk drawn by Franklin in the top of the fourth.

Franklin made it to third on a passed ball and a steal but was left there.

Mena had just two hits, one coming leading off the first with the runner stranded at third when Franklin struck out the cleanup hitter.

Mena also had a baserunner in the fourth on a hit batter, and had an opportunity to win it in regulation in the bottom of the seventh when a strikeout victim reached base and a two out single followed by a steal had the winning run at third.

Again Franklin got out of the jam with a strikeout.

Other than strikeouts, Mena had one out retired on a fly ball out of the infield and a couple of other ground balls to Ellie Smith (shown) at first base.

The win is the fourth in a row for the Lady Bearcats, who did so with a coaching staff of head coach Chad Simpson, whose first coaching job was in the red and black of Mena, and Mena graduate Bailey (Bunch) Stringer, who won a state title in red and black.

Up next for the Lady Bearcats is a tournament in Dover. The opening round opponent is scheduled to be Dardanelle at 7 p.m. Friday.