SEARCY 6, TEXARKANA 4
BENTON -- Searcy's first-round Class 6A state softball game against Texarkana started Thursday afternoon, but didn't end until Friday morning, which was fine for the Lady Lions.
Texarkana (9-16) led Searcy 4-3 when a weather delay suspended play Thursday evening at Benton High school after Texarkana had taken its first lead.
But when play picked back up on Friday morning, Searcy (14-13) struck for three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning, highlighted by a game-tying single from Lauren Joyner, followed by a go-ahead two-run home run to left-center field by Karsen Dunvan.
Senior right-hander Maegan Pistokache allowed 5 hits, walked 1 and struck out 12 to pick up the victory. Only one of the four runs she allowed were earned as Searcy committed three errors.
When play resumed, Gabby Tipton led off the bottom of the sixth with a bunt single, and she advanced to third as the next two Lady Lions were retired.
Joyner flared a blooper down the right-field line that fell just fair for a hit that tied the game at 4-4.
Dunavan hit her home run two pitches later to give Searcy the lead for good on a drive that just cleared the left-center field wall.
Pistokache struck out the first two Lady Razorbacks batters in the top of the seventh. Then, Kaitlyn Fortenberry reached on a single to right field, but she was thrown out trying to advance to second.
Searcy's quarterfinal game against Greenwood was suspended by weather with the score tied 2-2 in the top of the fourth.
Sports on 05/13/2017