The No. 19 seed Benton Lady Tigers fell to No. 3 West Monroe 9-4 in the second round of the non-select Division I playoffs Wednesday at West Monroe.
District 1-5A runner-up Benton closed the season 16-15. District 2-5A champion West Monroe improved to 25-8. Benton’s loss brought the season to an end in Bossier Parish.
The Lady Tigers got off to a great start, scoring four runs in the top of the fourth. Leadoff batter Emma Holmes drew a walk. Olivia Livers and Makaylyn Lawrence loaded the bases with back-to-back singles.
Bayleigh Moniz then smacked a home run over the center field fence.
That caused West Monroe to replace starting pitcher Evie West with Parker Buford. Callie Turner and Audrey Stark both singled with two outs but were left stranded.
Buford gave up only four hits the rest of the game.
While she didn’t last long in the circle, West made her presence felt at the plate with a three-run home run with two outs the bottom of the second. The Lady Rebels scored four in the inning and took the lead for good at 6-4.
West Monroe’s final three runs came in the third.
Benton put runners on base in the fourth and sixth but couldn’t take advantage.
The Lady Tigers finished with nine hits. Livers went 2-for-3. Lawrence went 2-for-4. Maggie Landman had a leadoff double in the third but the inning ended on a double play.
West Monroe’s Bella Costello went 3-for-3.