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The Monticello Lady Billies needed to win their final two contests of the regular season in order to take the 4A-8 Conference Championship without any type of tie at the top of the conference standings.
The Lady Billies completed the first needed step on the road to their fourth consecutive Conference Championship when the team travelled to Star City and came away with a one run win over the Lady Bulldogs, the only team in the conference to to defeat the Lady Billies this season.
The Lady Billies would leave Star City with a 3-2 victory.
The next step would be taking care of business at home against the Warren Lady Lumberjacks on Thursday, April 24.
The Lady Billies would send Addi Frazer to the circle to start the contest.
Frazer would start the contest with a strikeout followed by a walk and the next runner reaching on an error before Raeleigh Milton connected for a three-run home run to give the Lady Jacks a 3-0 lead.
In the bottom of the first, Libby Kingston would lead off with a walk, followed by Addi Frazer connecting for a two run shot to cut the lead to 3-2.
Alaina Lyle would get on with a double followed by the first out of the inning.
Ashley Hales would be hit by a pitch followed by a single by Bliss Becker to score courtesy runner Grace Ferguson.
After a walk by Macey Stell, Halle Ross would get a fielder’s choice to score Becker and Hales for a 5-3 lead.
The Lady Billies would go on to score three runs in the bottom of the second, two in the bottom of the third and fourth, and three in the bottom of the fifth inning to take the 10-run Sportsmanship Rule contest 15-5.
The Lady Billies connected on five home runs in the contest with one by Frazer, one from Libby Kingston, and three by Alaina Lyle.
Ashley Hales and Lyle also connected for doubles in the contest.
The Lady Billies would return to action in their final conference contest of the regular season, hosting the Crossett Lady Eagles on Tuesday, April 29.
A win against Crossett would secure the Lady Billies Conference Championship.
The Lady Billies would get on the board first in the bottom of the first inning on a homer run by Alaina Lyle to give the Lady Billies a 1-0 lead.
After sitting the Lady Eagles down in order in the top of the second inning, the Lady Billies would return to add six runs in the bottom of the second inning.
Hales led off the inning with a single and after an error and a walk, Ross would ground out to score Hales.
Ashlyn Snow would single to score Bliss Becker followed by a single by Kingston to load the bases.
Frazer would connect on a grand slam to increase the Lady Billie lead to 7-0.
Monticello would come back to score four runs in the bottom of the third inning to increase the lead to 11-0.
Crossett would get one on the board in the top of the fourth inning to cut the lead to 11-1, but the Lady Billies would add a run in the bottom of the fourth inning to increase the lead to 11 runs, 12-1.
Lyle would close the game, getting the Lady Eagles out in order to give the Lady Billies the conference title.
Monticello will keep busy in their next two contests in non conference games.
On Thursday, May 1, the Lady Billies travel to White Hall to face the Lady Bulldogs at 4:30 pm and will return home to face the North Little Rock Charging Wildcats on Friday, May 2 at 4:30 pm.
