Panther softball has earned a first-round state playoff bye.
On the week of April 27, they played their last games of the regular season, comprised of three conference matchups with Henderson County foes. With two more blowout wins, they finished as one of the state’s top 5A teams.
On April 27, they traveled to East to rehash their 16-1 Mountain Eight win over the Eagles last month. This time the Panthers looked even more dominant, leading 29-0 after three innings to trigger the mercy rule and end the game on the spot.
Kendall Rumans, Alyssa Awtrey, Taylor Carrion and Makayla Pendergrass all hit home runs in the game, combining for nine hits, 18 RBIs and 12 runs scored.
The next night the Panthers returned to Macon Middle School for the first of a two-game Mountain Eight series with West Henderson. Just behind the 10-2 Falcons in the standings, the 9-3 Panthers needed two wins to overtake West for second.
Franklin came out swinging to start the game, plating four runs in the first three innings including another homer from Awtrey. West answered with a homer of their own to lead off the fourth, but Franklin stayed hot with three more runs in the next frame. They added three more runs in the fifth to take a commanding 10-1 lead, which they maintained through two more innings for the win.
Including her second home run of the week, Awtrey finished 3-for-4 at the plate, adding a double, three RBIs and three runs scored. Suzanna Cabe went 3-for-4 with a double, two RBIs and two runs scored, and dealt five strikeouts to just four hits in seven innings on the mound.
Two nights later both teams reconvened at West for their regular-season finale. This time the Falcons struck first however, taking a 7-1 lead through the first two innings. Franklin responded with four runs in the third and fourth, but West went on to win 16-5. The loss snapped an eight-game win streak for the Panthers.
Cabe and Meliah Mason hit home runs in the game, combining for three hits, four RBIs and three runs scored. Ashlyn McConnell went 3-for-3 on the day, including a double and a triple.
Franklin ended their regular season with a record of 17-7 overall and 10-4 in the Mountain Eight, where they finished third. As the 5A classification’s 13th-ranked 5A team they earned a first-round bye in the state playoffs, and will host an opponent to be determined at MMS May 8.
Sports Editor Will Woolever can be reached at sports@thefranklinpress.com