Victory sweet for Smithson

CEDARVILLE – Caroline Smithson wouldn’t exactly admit that delivering the decisive hit in the district championship game was better than being named basketball homecoming queen, but it’s close.

“I don’t know, they’re different but I like it when I can help the team,” Smithson said. “That’s always exciting even if you don’t get a huge hit, just moving runners over is a good thing.”

Smithson’s bases loaded single in the top of the seventh inning was the impetus in a four-run inning in Booneville’s 5-3 win over Hackett for the 3A-4 district championship on Friday at Cedarville.

Brooke Turner reached on an error and advanced to second on Joleigh Tate’s single. Both runners moved up on a wild pitch, and Hayley Lunsford was walked intentionally to load the bases for Smithson, a senior who came out this season for the team. Her approach on a full count on the ninth pitch of the at-bat was pretty simple.

“In that situation, I just didn’t want to strike out,” Smithson said. “With the bases loaded like that, if you just get the bat on the ball that’s the goal.”

Smithson’s hit put Booneville up, 4-2, and Lunsford scored on a wild pitch for a 5-2 cushion.

Lexi Franklin, the sophomore winning pitcher, belted a home run to start off the seventh inning to knot the score at 2-2.

“I was looking for a base hit in between any gap or anything,” Franklin said. “I wasn’t looking for a home run.”

Franklin, who improved to 16-1 with the only loss a 1-0 setback to Hackett and freshman Makenzie Freeman in March, did surrender a run in the seventh inning but struck out the final batter and finished with seven for the game.

“I knew I needed to calm down because I had so much energy in me,” Franklin said. “I knew I had to settle down.”

With Franklin and Freeman on the mound, the expected matchup for the district title wasn’t supposed to be an offensive display.

“Freshman and sophomore going after it; great pitching and both throw in the low- to mid-60s, they’re dominant,” Booneville coach Ronnie Denton said. “We said before the game if we can get to three runs we can win it.”

Booneville earned the top seed in next week’s Class 3A Region 1 Tournament at Greenland. The Lady Bearcats (23-1) will play on Thursday at 10 a.m. against the fourth seed out of the 3A-1.