BATESVILLE — The Franklin  County Wildcats put a scare into Batesville Bulldogs Saturday night.

For the bigger part of three quarters it looked to be a relatively uneventful 10-12 point victory for the BHS boys basketball team.

But how things can change.

As the final horn sounded, the ball was out of the hands of a Franklin County player with a chance at victory.

The shot was just off the mark and the Bulldogs escaped with a 66-64 victory.

The Bulldogs took a 63-48 lead near the three minute mark of the fourth quarter.

A 14-1 run by the Wildcats, which drew the visitors within two points at 64-62, triggered a FC timeout with 1:06 to play in the game.

The Wildcats would soon tie the game at 64-64 before a Mike Hoeing shot was rebounded and eventually put back by brother Bryan with under five seconds to play in the game.

Coach Joe Neuman’s crew nearly pulled off the comeback, but came up just short.

“What a finish,” BHS head coach Aaron Garrett commented. “We did not do a very good job taking care of the basketball late in the game, but give Franklin County a lot of credit.

“They did not give up and hit some huge baskets when they needed them most,” he added.

It was not the first time in the game the Wildcats had erased a relatively large deficit.

Batesville led by as many as 16 points in the first half. By the middle of the third quarter, the lead had diminished to four on a field goal by Dylan Cregar.

Batesville went on to lead 51-43 at the end of the third quarter.

The advantage then grew to 15 on some key baskets and free throws by Bryan Hoeing, Quinn Grimsley and Nathan Longstreth then later a three-point field goal Blake Walsman.

The Bulldogs were led in scoring by Bryan Hoeing with 17 points and Walsman with 15. At the other end, the Wildcats got a team high 13 points from Zach Sizemore.

The Batesville junior varsity was a 40-31 winner over the visiting Wildcats.

The Bulldogs turned in a one point first quarter lead into four by halftime and eight by the end of the third.

Jacob Vogelsang scored 16 points and Matt Moorman added 12 to set the pace offensively.

Varsity Scoring

Batesville (66) - Player 2FG-3FG-FT-TP; Grimsley0-0-2-2-2; McKinney 2-0-0-1-4; B. Hoeing 4-1-6-7-17; Kase 1-1-0-0-5; Walsman 2-3-2-3-15; Taylor 2-0-2-2-6; M. Hoeing 1-0-1-2-3l Longstreth 4-0-0-0-8; Dennis 2-0-2-2-6; Totals 18-5-15-19-66.

Franklin County (62) - Player 2FG-3FG-FT-TP; McCool 3-1-0-0-9; Miller 0-1-0-0-3; Cregar 2-0-1-2-5; Meier 2-1-0-0-7; Sizemore 4-1-2-2-13; Kunkel 1-0-0-2; Ortman 5-0-2-3-12; Totals 19-6-8-13-64.

Junior Varsity Scoring

Batesville (40) - Prickel 0, Moorman 12, Meyer 0, Gowan 8, Vogelsang 16, Nobbe 0, C. Reer 4, J. Reer 0, Koehne 0.

Franklin County (31) - Calihan 5, Ball 2, Schnecker9, Sweet 2, Shires 6, Meyers 5, Bischoff 2.