LINCOLN -- Lexi Franklin continues to shine for the Booneville Lady Bearcats.
Franklin threw a two-hit shutout and went 4 for 4 at the plate to lead Booneville to a 5-0 victory over Hackett in the semifinals of the Class 3A softball state tournament Saturday. The win comes after Hackett beat Booneville twice earlier this season in 3A-4 Conference play by 2-1 and 12-2 margins.
But it'll be the Lady Bearcats who'll play for the Class 3A state championship next week in Conway on the campus of the University of Central Arkansas. The Lady Bearcats will face Atkins, which defeated Lamar 4-3 in eight innings in another semifinal game.
"The thing I was talking to my assistant about is how we've really come together as a team the last few weeks," Booneville Coach Chad Simpson said. "I'm just kind of at a loss for words. I just couldn't be more prouder of these girls."
Franklin was even more effective Saturday after she threw a shutout in a 2-0 victory over Baptist Prep on Friday. She got Booneville going offensively when she led off the third inning with a single and stole second ahead of Kylie Lunsford's RBI single.
Booneville (22-13) added two more runs in the fourth inning on singles by Leigh Swint and Franklin and a two-run single from Cameron Parrish. Hackett (24-6) threatened with the help of a walk and a dropped fly, but Franklin retired the next two batters to end the inning.
Franklin then added an RBI single in the fifth and a run-scoring double in the seventh before the game was delayed for an hour because of lightning in the area. But that didn't disrupt Franklin, who threw a first-pitch strike when play resumed and retired three of the four Hackett batters in the seventh to secure the victory.
"Hackett's a really good team, but we all had faith in each other to get it done," said Franklin, a junior who is committed to play softball at Pittsburg (Kan.) State. "All the hard work has paid off and I just really appreciate my teammates, every one of them."
ATKINS 4, LAMAR 3 (8)
Adrian Henderson hit a sacrifice fly to right field to drive in the winning run in the eighth inning and give Atkins the victory and a return to the state championship game after losing to Ashdown in last year's final.
With an automatic runner started the extra inning on second base, she moved to third on a single by McKinley Coffman. Henderson then lifted a high fly to right field and the runner slid across the plate to set up a celebration for the Lady Red Devils (24-7).
Lamar (15-13) had a chance to take the lead in the top of the eighth inning when the automatic runner advanced to third base after an infield single by Natalie Simmons and a fly to right by Bailey Cowell. The automatic runner tried to score but she was called out on a close play at the plate.