Lady Wildcats defeat Tucker to advance to states

FRANKLIN -- Top-seed Pendleton County captured the Class A, Region II best-of-three series by sweeping Tucker County on Tuesday night.

The Lady Wildcats took the opening game, 9-1, in six innings and the nightcap, 13-0, in five innings to advance.

Avery Townsend had three hits and a pair of RBIs and Baylee Beachler tossed a five-inning one-hitter in Tuesday's deciding game.

The Lady Wildcats jumped out to a 7-0 lead after two innings and tacked on four runs in the fourth and two more in fifth as the game ended after the top of the fifth inning do to the mercy rule.

Beachler cracked an RBI double in the first and later scored on a passed ball to make it 2-0.

Susan Vincell drew a bases-loaded walk and Lizzie Alt stole home for the other two runs in the frame.

Townsend had a run-producing double in the second, while Jenna Smith an RBI triple and Beachler an RBI groundout.

Isabella Lockard and Molly Rowe had run-producing singles and Townsend an RBI double as part of four-run third inning to push the advantage to 11-0.

Rowe added an RBI triple in the fourth.

Beachler fanned 13 of the 15 batters she faced on the night, walking just one.

Ava Shaffer was tagged with the loss.

Peyton Hicks had the lone hit for the Lady Mountain Lions.

She also saw time on the mound, along with Lillian Collar.

In Tuesday's opening contest, Pendleton County plated five runs in the fifth inning en route to the win.

An RBI groundout by Bella Loucks had treated Tucker County to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning.

The Lady Wildcats answered with two runs in the home-half of the frame on Jenna Smith's two-run double.

Beachler's grounder plated a run in the third to make it 3-1.

Townsend had a two-run double, Lockard an RBI groundout and two runs crossed on an error in the fifth inning.

Beachler earned the win in pitching the first frame, striking out two.

Vincell went the remainder of the game, allowing two hits and fanning nine.

Hicks took the loss in four innings of work, giving up seven runs on four hits and striking out five.

Loucks and Hicks tallied the hits for the Lady Mountain Lions, who finished with an 11-13 season, including winning a sectional title.