Joplin moved to 4-0 on the young season after earning a 4-2 win over Hillcrest and a 10-1 win over Branson on Saturday to wrap up play in the Branson/Aurora Bash softball tournament.
Carl Junction fell to 0-4 after dropping a 17-0 contest to Branson and a 10-6 game against Hillcrest.
JOPLIN 4, HILLCREST 2
Joplin erased an early deficit with three runs crossing home in the bottom of the first inning before going on to beat the Hornets in the opener.
With Joplin trailing 1-0 after the top half of the first, Bailey Ledford reached on a four-pitch walk and touched home to tie the game moments later on an RBI triple from Jadyn Pankow, who came around to score on a wild pitch in the next at-bat to give the Eagles a 2-1 lead. The third run of the inning came around to score on an RBI groundout by Hope Oakley.
Joplin pushed the lead to 4-1 in the last of the third inning when Izzy Yust picked up an RBI on a groundout that scored Ledford.
Payton Jones earned the win in the circle after allowing two runs on eight hits, a walk and two strikeouts in five innings of work. Jill McDaniel earned the save after striking out one and walking one in one relief inning.
Pankow and Yust each had one hit, one RBI and scored a run, while Taryn Casey and Ryleigh Surridge each recorded base hits. Ledford walked twice and scored two runs, with Oakley also tallying an RBI.
JOPLIN 10, BRANSON 1
Joplin scored in every inning on the way to a 10-1 win over Branson to close out the Branson/Aurora Bash.
The Eagles scored two runs in the first and second innings, one run in the third and fourth innings and capped off the win with a four-run fifth inning.
McDaniel earned the complete-game win in the circle after allowing one unearned run on four hits and six strikeouts in six innings.
Madisyn Tracy highlighted the first inning with a two-run double to give Joplin a 2-1 lead. Abby Lowery tripled home a run in the second before a second run came home on a passed ball. Yust picked up an RBI double in the fourth inning, while Libby Munn and McDaniel recorded RBI singles in the last of the fifth.
Tracy led the Eagles at the plate with two hits, including a double, two RBI and a run scored. Liz Snider had two hits and scored a run, while Ledford also recorded a pair of hits. Yust doubled, scored a run and drove in one, with Lowery adding a triple, a run scored and an RBI. Pankow tripled and scored a run. Munn and McDaniel each had hits, scored a run and drove in one.
Joplin is at McDonald County on Tuesday.
BRANSON 17, CARL JUNCTION 0
Branson scored nine runs in the first inning and eight more in the second on the way to a three-inning win over Carl Junction on Saturday.
Kaleah Morrison earned the win for the Pirates after allowing one hit, walking four and striking out two in three innings.
Hannah Cantrell took the loss for Carl Junction after allowing nine runs, one earned, on four hits and four walks in 2/3 of an inning. Emma Fleming allowed eight runs, three earned, on two hits, four walks and a strikeout in 2 1/3 relief innings.
Sierra Daily led Branson at the plate with two hits, including a triple, three RBI and a run scored. Langley Miller had a double, three RBI and scored twice.
Madi Olds led CJ with a 1-for-2 game at the plate.
HILLCREST 10, CARL JUNCTION 6
Hillcrest scored four times in the first inning and crossed home six times in the third to build a 10-1 advantage on the way to the win over Carl Junction on Saturday.
Carl Junction scored five runs in the fourth inning to trim the deficit to four, with the rally ending there.
Cantrell led the Bulldogs at the plate with a perfect 3-for-3 game, scoring a run and driving in one. Allison Plumlee doubled, with Dezi Williams earning a hit, scoring a run and picking up an RBI. Olds and Addie Brock also recorded a hit.
Hannah Cole took the loss after allowing 10 runs, two earned, on seven hits, four walks and two strikeouts in four innings.
Carl Junction hosts Cassville on Monday at 4:30.
