Webb City’s performance in the championship game of the Paige Neal/Christina Freeman Joplin High School Softball Tournament was a microcosm of the team’s entire weekend.
Stellar pitching. Timely hitting. Solid defense. Good baserunning.
All of those components proved key as Webb City earned a 9-3 win over Nevada in the 16th annual event’s title game on a warm Saturday at the Joplin Athletic Complex.
The victory over the Tigers capped a 5-0 showing at the two-day tourney, which is sponsored in part by the Joplin Sports Authority.
“I was really proud of everyone,” Webb City coach Shauna Friend said. “It’s early in the season and it was good to see them come out and play good ball. We have a lot of things to work on, but I’m real proud of them. It seemed like every game we started out a little slow with our hitting, but we finally got some runs on the board. Our defense was pretty solid all around.”
Before heading home, the Cardinals posed with the championship plaque.
“It’s really exciting because we’ve been working really hard,” Webb City senior pitcher Haidyn Berry said of claiming the tourney title. “It’s good to start the season with a big win. And we’re thankful we get to come out here and play ball.”
Berry played a big role in the win. Last year’s Central Ozark Conference player of the year earned the pitching victory after limiting the Tigers to two earned runs on four hits while striking out six.
“KG (Kaylyn Gilbert) called a great game behind the plate,” Berry said of her catcher. “I’m really thankful for her and the intensity she brings every game.”
The team’s defense played well behind Berry, making only one error. The team’s outfielders, Brynna Cupp, Alyssa Jennings and Emma Welch, made some key catches.
“The outfield is going to be stellar this year and I’m really proud of the work they’ve put in,” Berry said. “Our whole defense is great.”
Berry also drove in five runs at the plate with a three-run home run and a two-run single.
“I thought Haidyn did a great job in the circle and at the plate,” Friend said. “She was a true senior leader for us this weekend and I expect that to continue throughout the season.”
Peyton Hawkins and Brynna Cupp contributed two hits apiece, while Welch scored three runs and Jennings scored twice. Playing center field, Jennings robbed Nevada’s Abby Harder of a home run in the sixth inning.
Kristin Buck drove in two runs for the Tigers, while Bailey Ast doubled. Harder took the loss after allowing seven earned runs on eight hits.
GAME RECAP
The Cardinals scored a run in the first when Welch came home on Gilbert’s grounder.
Nevada’s Buck delivered a two-run single in the top of the third, briefly giving the Tigers a lead.
But Berry connected on a changeup for a go-ahead three-run bomb to left field in the bottom half.
“It was coming right down the pipe and I took it for a ride,” Berry said.
The Tigers pushed across an unearned in the fourth, but Webb City’s Hawkins hit an RBI single in the bottom of the frame.
The Cardinals added four runs in the sixth.
Shea’lee Key doubled, Jennings walked and then Cupp delivered a run-scoring single into right-center. A fielder’s choice brought another run home before Berry followed with a two-run single into left-center.
The Cardinals made a number of nice defensive plays in the field late in the game to halt any Nevada rally.
Nevada coach Danny Penn noted he was proud of his team’s effort.
“It was really solid softball in the first few innings by both sides,” Penn said. “We came out and battled hard. Abby competed in the circle. We made plays defensively. As the game progressed, they (Webb City) came up with some big hits. They had some bloops that fell in and they piled on. Overall, I thought it was a good game and I’m happy with how we competed.”
In Saturday’s Gold Bracket semifinals, Webb City beat Carthage 7-4 and Nevada edged Monett 10-9.
SATURDAY’S OTHER RESULTS
In the third-place game, Monett defeated Carthage 6-5. Neosho beat Carl Junction 6-2 for fifth place, while Joplin defeated Seneca 4-3 for seventh place.
Check www.somo-sports.com later for a separate story on the other tourney games.
