Class 3A Arkansas softball final: Lexi Franklin leads Booneville to first state title in two decades following last minute trip to hospital

CONWAY - Near disaster struck for Booneville prior to the 3A state championship.

While at batting practice, Lady Bearcats ace Lexi Franklin suffered an accidental bat to the forehead and had to take an unexpected visit to the emergency room to get six stitches. 

She assured Booneville first year head coach Chad Simpson that she would return and did so with about 20 minutes prior to first pitch to lead the Lady Bearcats to their first softball state championship since 2004 defeating Atkins 4-3 at Farris Field on the University of Central Arkansas.

"You can't hit here (on site) so we stopped at a park," Simpson said. "They were hitting and then all of the sudden she was bleeding. I was freaking out and did not know what to think about it. 

"She told me before she left that she was coming back no matter what so I was not worried about that part. She threw a heck of a game. If we would have not committed any errors they may not have scored a run." 

Franklin's efforts earned her Most Valuable Player honors after throwing 103 pitches giving up six hits and punched out three Atkins batters. 

"I was so numb and at that point that I could not worry about myself - I have to get my team the win," Franklin said. "The pain was not even there."

With Atkins (24-8) down to their final three outs in the bottom of the seventh, Franklin quickly retired the first two batters and worked a 2-2 count with Atkins' Lexxie Gooden at the plate. 

After missing on what was very close to the final strikeout, her catcher, Roni Tillery, called time to have a quick meeting in the circle.

"I told her that we needed her," Tillery said. "She came back after getting her eye done and all of that was a little bit scary at first, but I was like 'you got this - let's get it done.'"

That is exactly what Franklin did as she got Gooden swinging on a full count to secure the win.

Franklin smacked a leadoff, stand-up double in the top of the second inning, then advanced to third on an error. Franklin scored on Tillery's sacrifice during the next at-bat. Karmen Kent hit a two-out double three at-bats later sending Kylie Lunsford home for the 2-0 lead. 

Booneville (19-13) threatened again in the third loading the bases that got started on a leadoff single from Ellie Smith. A passed ball advanced Smith to second, Franklin walked on the next at-bat, then Cameron Parish was hit with two outs, but Atkins was able to escape the inning without any damage recording the final out on a flyout to right field. 

Atkins responded in a big way during the third on a triple from Makinley Coffman to deep right field scoring pitcher Libby May following May's double. The Lady Red Devils took advantage of Booneville errors in the middle infield, as well left field, sending Coffman across the plate and put Adrian Henderson on third. 

Gooden walked during the next at-bat putting runners on the corners and Christin Flory's RBI-single to left field plated Henderson for the go-ahead run. 

"We knew that we would be able to come back," Franklin said. "We have done it before and I knew my team had my back."

Booneville again battled back loading the bases on their first three at-bats. Karmen Kent was tagged out at home, but Franklin was intentionally walked to load the bases again, then a two-out walk that put Tillery on first brought Layla Byrum home as Booneville took back the lead 4-3 and never relinquished it.

Up against a brutal schedule, the Lady Bearcats were 13-12 after the regular season before catching fire to win six of their final seven games.

"It was a struggle for a little while, but these girls trusted what we were doing," Simpson said. "The last two weeks they really figured it out and I am so proud of them. 

Karmen Kent led Booneville at the plate finishing 3-for-4, while Tillery was 2-for-3. 

Makinley Coffman recorded two hits for Atkins, including a triple, while Libby May struck out six batters, allowed seven hits, and walked six.

Atkins, who was also very battle-tested, made a return trip to the finals this year after falling to Ashdown in 2022. 

"It is hard to put into words the adversity this team faced," Atkins head coach Matt Porter said. "To make it through regionals and back to the state finals, this is a special group. 

"We have four seniors that I am going to miss a lot but this is just such a special group."