Three-win week for Lady Bears—Tomes walks it off in extra innings over Grayson County
Miley Franzell and Karrington Hunt trot to the dugout after scoring two of Butler County’s 16 runs on Breckinridge County. PHOTO | Greg Moore
By Greg Moore
Banner Sports Editor
An easy win at home over Breckinridge County began a busy week for the Lady Bears softball team, who traveled to Warren East on Tuesday. The backend of the week had the team hosting Franklin-Simpson and Grayson County on Thursday/Friday.
On Monday night, in only three-innings, the Lady Bears safely reached base 19 times while scoring 16 runs. The offensive explosion was much due in support of pitcher, Miley Franzell, who has been toeing up the rubber very solid on the season.
While Franzell cruised in the circle, hurling a one-hitter, Carley Cardwell led the hit parade at home over the Lady Tigers. Cardwell had two singles and a double. Also collecting multiple hits were Karrington Hunt, Callyn Smith, and Franzell, who was supporting her own cause.
Karrington Hunt circles third on her way to score another run for the Lady Bears. PHOTO | Greg Moore
Emmalin Mode, Jenna Tomes, and Taylor Smith all had a hit, also. Lydia Brown reached base safely, twice. Shelby McDaniel and Madison Jones were both aboard in the 16-1 shellacking as well.
The Lady Bears mustered five hits at Warren East without stacking much together, ultimately falling 6-1. To the contrary, they took full advantage of every opportunity back at home on Thursday night, coming away with the 6-1 win over Franklin-Simpson, who have beaten Edmonson and Muhlenberg Counties.
Coach Rogers started 7th grade pitcher, Callyn Smith, who went four innings in the circle while claiming her first varsity win over the Lady Cats, who were 5-2 on the season coming in. Smith did not allow a run; she gave up only two hits and a walk before Franzell cleaned up the last three innings to secure the win.
Hunt paced the Lady Bears at the plate with a single, a double, and an RBI. In addition, Hunt had one of the team’s six steals while scoring twice. Mode hit two singles, swiped a bag, and scored. Cardwell and Franzell each stole two bags in the running affair in addition to driving in a run on a hit, apiece. Tomes, who reached base all three times, produced two runs on a clutch double.
Nothing was more clutch than a walk-off homerun to win an extra-inning, district slugfest with Grayson County, though. That is exactly what Tomes did in the bottom of the 10th inning on Friday night to send the Lady Cougars packing and celebrate a three-win week for her Lady Bears.
Jenna Tomes, shown here against Breckinridge County, was locked in when she sent the game-winning homerun into the flags ending the extra-inning affair with Grayson County. PHOTO | Greg Moore
With the game tied at two after seven innings, the visiting Lady Cougars finally got a run when the international tiebreaker play went into effect in the top of tenth, going up 3-2. In the bottom half, Hunt, who was placed on second with no outs, according to rule of the tiebreaker, but got thrown out advancing to third on a sacrifice. The moment had the orange fans thinking of victory; then, Tomes stole the show.
The dramatic blast and win put the Lady Bears ahead 4-3 while improving their record to 3-4 overall and 1-0 in 12th district play. After traveling to Bowling Green and Brownsville on Monday and Tuesday, Butler County will go to Russellville to play Logan County on Thursday.
The Lady Bears will be facing a familiar foe from Grayson County, Penny Reece, who has made another move and is trying to rejuvenate a Lady Purples program that has been a bit stagnant. The Edmonson County matchup should be another great 12th district showdown. And Logan County is another winnable game for the Lady Bears, who hope to build on their momentum before spring break.
