FRANKLIN STRIKES OUT 1,000TH OF CAREER IN REGIONAL TOURNAMENT

After a milestone 1000’th strikeout by Lexi Franklin Thursday evening at Equity Bank Sports Complex in Harrison the Booneville Lady Bearcats dropped back-to-back one run games on Friday.

The Lady Bearcats (22-12) punched their way into the Class 3A state tournament, which will be played starting Thursday in Hot Springs, with a 17-2 win over Flippin in the first round of the Class 3A Region 1 Tournament Valley Springs hosted at the complex.

It was in that game that Lexi Franklin struck out six Lady Bobcats in what was just a three inning game. The sixth strikeout closed the top of the third inning.

Flippin actually scored first in the game, turning a hit batter, a stolen base, and a bloop single into a first inning run.

The Lady Bearcats got that run back on an RBI groundout by Kylie Lunsford and went in front on a Lady Bobcat error, 2-1.

After a walk and three second inning strikeouts Franklin was at 999 for the career. It would be a while before the 1,000th.

That was because Haylee Taylor singled to open the bottom of the inning and after a pair of miscues on sacrifice bunts by Makinley Ensey and Farrah Stringer, the Lady Bearcats had the bases loaded and were on their way to a seven run inning.

A walk to Ellie Smith scored the first run. A single by Franklin got one, a single by Cam Parish got two runs, and Lunsford grounded out for the first out but she earned her second RBI.

A Roni Tillery triple made it 8-1 and Taylor’s second single of the inning made it 9-1.

After Franklin had gotten two strikes on the first four hitters in the top of the third, but could not send one to the dugout, she hit the milestone to end the third inning. But by then Flippin had gotten a couple of hits and scored a run to make it 9-2.

Franklin added to her day with an inside-the-park home run leading off the bottom of the inning.

That inning also saw Peighton Montalvo triple in three, Taylor driving in one with a fly ball, Stringer single one home on a play that included defensive interference, Franklin double home one and Parish single one in to make it 17-2.

That earned the Lady Bearcats a meeting with Lincoln, the Conference 3A-1 regular season champion they had beaten in nonconference play.

After the Lady Bearcats did not capitalize on Franklin’s one-out triple in the first inning Franklin left no doubt her next trip to the plate.

With Stringer aboard on a one out walk, Franklin sent a ball out of the park for a 2-0 lead. It stayed that way until the fifth, though both sides had their chances.

The Lady Bearcats loaded the bases in the fourth and had two aboard in the fifth and Lincoln left two in their third.

Two hits, a walk, and an error plated a run for Lincoln in the fifth to cut the lead to 2-1.

It was also defensive miscues that aided the Lady Wolves in tying the game in the seventh and winning it in the eighth, 3-2.

That meant an immediate turnaround to face Valley Springs, who had lost to Hackett in the first game of the day, for the three seed.

In that one the Lady Bearcats took a 7-5 lead to the bottom of the seventh but Valley rallied. The inning began with a hit batter, a walk, and a single that made it 7-6.

Franklin, who had been playing third base for three innings, came back to the circle.

A walk and a strikeout that included a ball away from the plate tied the game, but Stringer snagged a line drive to keep it tied for the second out, only to have Valley get the winning hit.

The Lady Bearcats had led throughout. Franklin doubled home Smith and scored on a passed ball and a Lady Panther error got a run home for a 3-0 first inning lead.

An inside-the-park home run by Smith made it 4-0 in the second.

Valley Springs got two back in their second but Parish singled home a run in the fourth to make it 5-2.

After Valley Springs cut the deficit back to two at 5-3 Taylor doubled home two in the fifth to make it 7-3.

In the sixth inning it was two bases loaded walks moved it to 7-5.

The Lady Bearcats will be the fourth seeded team from Region 1 and will play the Region 3 champion Atkins in a rematch of last year’s state title game at 10 a.m. on Thursday in Hot Springs.