Frankton (27-2) needed an extra inning to knock off defending Class A state champion and top-ranked Morgan Township (27-2) as the Eagles prevailed 2-0 to win their first IHSAA state title in any sport at Hamilton Southeastern High School in Fishers.

Frankton junior Casey Clutch put the finishing touch on a dominating day with the key hit to break open a scoreless game and lead the No. 2-ranked Eagles to the victory.

Clutch delivered a one-out single in the top of the eighth inning to score Kandis Beardsley and Katie Bodkin with the Frankton runs. Beardsley and Bodkin had opened the inning by reaching base via Morgan Township errors.

The teams were deadlocked through seven innings as Clutch and Morgan Township pitcher Kim McGinley dueled. Each of them finished with 13 strikeouts, a Class A state championship game record.

For the day, Clutch whiffed 34 of the 57 batters she faced and yielded just six hits with no bases on ball in 17 innings of work.

Clutch limited Morgan Township to three hits, while McGinley held to Frankton to three hits. However, the Eagles were the recipients of four Morgan Township errors.

Kim McGinley of Morgan Township was awarded the IHSAA Mental Attitude Award in Class A Softball by the IHSAA Executive Committee.

The pitcher on Morgan Township’s Class A state championship team of 1999 and state runner-up team of 2000 was a four-year participant in volleyball, basketball and softball.

Academically, she ranked ninth in her class of 44 students. She is a member of the National Honor Society and served as class treasurer. She plans to attend Indiana State and study dental hygiene while playing softball.

Farm Bureau Insurance, corporate partner of the IHSAA, presented a check for $1,000 to Morgan Township High School in McGinley’s name.

E -- McLaughlin, McGinley, Lackey, Lessard. LOB -- Frankton 6, Morgan Township 4. DP -- NONE. 2B -- Graham. 3B -- Herlitz. SAC -- Schmink. SB -- Bodkin.

Umpires -- Steve Godfroy (home plate), Daren Maierle (first base), Michiael Shannon (third base). Time -- 1:38. Attendance -- N/A.

Riding the strong arm of junior Casey Clutch, No. 2-ranked Frankton advanced to its first IHSAA state championship game in any sport with a 2-0 triumph over Tecumseh in nine innings. Top-ranked Morgan Township followed with a 4-2 victory over Indianapolis Lutheran.

Clutch (23-1) struck out 21 of the 29 batters she faced and scored the go-ahead run on Mary Graham’s bases-loaded double. Graham’s shot came just inside the leftfield line with one out in the top of ninth. Lauren Flanders also scored on the play.

Kim McGinley (20-1), the winning pitcher in Morgan Township’s Class A victory over South Spencer, limited Indianapolis Lutheran to four hits while going the distance. Bobbi-Leigh Pietz (15-6) took the loss.

Morgan Township’s winning three-run rally came in the top of the fourth inning as Julie Inman, singled to leftfield with runners on first and third. Tami Herlitz scored on the play. Two batters later, McGinley scored on a fielder’s choice, and Inman followed on a wild pitch.