ASHDOWN - Smackover came up with some clutch hits throughout the game as the Lady Buckaroos made the most of their opportunities for a 5-1 win over the Rison Lady Wildcats in the opening round of the Class 3A Region 4 Tournament at Ashdown last Thursday.The loss closed out the season for Rison, which was playing as the no. 3 seed in the regional tournament. The Lady ‘Cats finish with a 7-10 record. Smackover, the no. 2 seed from the 7-3A, advanced to the Class 3A State Tournament with its win.Four of the Lady Buckaroos’ five runs came with two out. The trend started in the opening frame and carried on throughout the rest of the game.Rison took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Layne Potter singled to lead off the game and eventually scored on Rhagen Price’s one-out fielder’s choice.In the bottom of the first, Smackover had a lead-off walk and then got a two-out single to push a run across to tie the game, 1-1.Smackover took the lead in the bottom of the third when, with two out, a runner scored on a passed ball to make it 2-1.The Lady Bucks’ added a run in the fourth off a two-out double, and in the fifth with a two-out single. Their final came on a ground out in the sixth.Rison had some chances to answer those scores but could not push any additional runs across.Riley Hyatt had a two-out double in the third but was left stranded there. Price had a lead-off single in the fourth but was never able to move into scoring position, and Potter had a two-out single in the fifth before a pop up ended the frame.Potter’s double and single accounted for half of the Lady Wildcats’ four hits. Hyatt and Price had the other two. Rison drew just one walk in the game.Carlese Johnson suffered the pitching loss after giving up three hits, four walks and striking out five over four innings. Potter closed out the final two frames, allowing two hits and two walks....
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