JENA, La. — The Vidalia Lady Vikings picked the wrong day for their bats to go cold as they had just four hits in a 5-3 loss to the Bunkie Lady Panthers Tuesday afternoon.

This was a play-in game to determine which team would finish second place and secure a spot in the Class 3A playoffs and which team may be on the outside looking in – especially with the LHSAA using a new power ratings systems. Both Vidalia and Bunkie finished 7-3 in District 3-3A.

“We just hope for a wild card,” Vidalia head coach Jeannie Hall said. “We’ll find out something Wednesday.”

Vidalia (16-10) jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning, but that lead didn’t last very long. In fact, it was gone in the top of the third inning when Bunkie tied the game. The Lady Panthers scored two more runs in the top of the fifth to take a 4-2 lead.

The Lady Vikings scored one run in the bottom of the fifth to make it a 4-3 game, but the Lady Panthers gave winning pitcher Kara Simmons a little room to work with by scoring one run in the top of the seventh.

Even though Bunkie had 14 hits in the game, the Lady Panthers were unable to take advantage of several scoring opportunities that would have given them control of the ball game. Jessica Taylor went 2-for-4 with a triple and Kay Everett went 3-for-4 as six Lady Panthers players had at least two hits.

For Vidalia, Chelsea McElwee had a triple and Tori Lemoine had a double. Brittany Whittington took the loss for the Lady Vikings.

Franklin County 12, Tylertown 9

TYLERTOWN — Desiree Buie’s grand slam home run in the top of the sixth inning keyed a furious comeback by Franklin County as the Lady Bulldogs defeated the Lady Chiefs in a Division 7-3A game Tuesday night.

Franklin County finished the regular season with a 16-6 overall and in second place in Division 7-3A with a 6-2 mark. The Lady Bulldogs will travel to take on the Division 7-3A champion in the first round of the MHSAA Class 3A South State Playoffs.

It is still to be determined whether Franklin County will play at Purvis or Pass Christian. This much is known – the first two games will be played on Saturday. A third game, if necessary, will be played at Franklin County next Tuesday.

Franklin County trailed four different times in the ball game – 3-2 at the end of the first inning, 6-3 at the end of the third inning, 8-5 at the end of the fourth inning and 9-6 at the end of the fifth inning. After that, the Lady Bulldogs’ bats got hot and the Lady Chiefs could do very little about it.

Buie’s game-changing grand slam gave Franklin County the lead for the first time in the ball game at 10-9. The Lady Bulldogs then scored two huge runs in the top of the seventh to give them a three-run lead. Melissa McFarland shut down the Lady Chiefs in the final two innings to preserve the win.

Kristin Oglesby and Kacey Smith each went 3-for-5 with a double and Buie was 2-for-4 for Franklin County, which pounded out 16 hits in the ball game. Losing pitcher Jasmine Clements went 3-for-5 with a triple and Alyssa McGimmins homered for Tylertown.