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PREP SOFTBALL: McDonald County pulls away from Neosho in Class 4 District 6 semifinals

By:
Lucas Davis

NEOSHO, Mo. — Top-seeded McDonald County made the most of the miscues by fourth-seeded Neosho on the way to a 13-2 win in five innings in the Class 4 District 6 semifinals on Thursday at the Neosho Athletic Complex. 

The Mustangs (24-6) plated a pair of runs in the bottom of the first before the Wildcats cut the lead in half with a run in the top of the third. McDonald County hung three runs on the board in the third before scoring eight times in the fourth to build an insurmountable cushion. Of the 13 runs scored by McDonald County, just four of them were earned as Neosho committed six errors on the night.

“From the very first inning, we made adjustments up and down the lineup to put the ball in play and put pressure on them,” McDonald County coach Heath Alumbaugh said. “In playoff softball, you have to put pressure on a defense and see what happens. We were able to do that. … It was a great team win.”

Neosho finishes the season with a 14-14 record, while graduating seniors Kaitlyn Killion, Lili Graue, Alivia Campbell and Maddie Carpenter.

McDonald County advances to the district title game for the fourth straight season and takes on third-seeded Webb City at 5 p.m. in the district finals on Friday. The contest is a rematch of last season’s district championship, with Webb City walking away with a 5-0 win.

IN THE CIRCLE

Madeline McCall earned the complete-game win after allowing two runs, one earned, on one hit, four walks and 10 strikeouts in five innings of work.

“Madeline McCall is a fierce competitor and has been for four years,” Alumbaugh said. “She is going to continue to be for however long we have her for the rest of this season. That is what she came out and did tonight. She came out and fought through it.”

Chloe Patterson started and took the loss for Neosho after allowing nine runs, three earned, on six hits, a walk and seven strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings, while Carleigh Kinnaird allowed four unearned runs on two walks in a third of an inning.

GAME ACTION

McDonald County got the scoring started in the bottom of the first when Reagan Myrick reached on a throwing error that allowed a run to cross home in the process for a 1-0 lead. The Mustangs added a second run later in the inning on an RBI groundout by Adasyn Leach to make the score 2-0.

“Early runs can be the difference,” Alumbaugh said. “It just ratchets up the pressure right away. If you have a chance to get those runs early, you have to take advantage.” 

The Wildcats cut the lead in half in the top of the third when Graue reached on the free pass before coming around to score on an RBI single by McKaylie Forrest to make the score 2-1.

The Mustangs responded in the bottom of the third, with Carlee Cooper tripling to left-center before touching home on an infield hit by Myrick to push the lead back to two runs, 3-1. A pair of runners crossed home later in the inning on a Neosho error on a fly ball with two outs to make the score 5-1.

“We challenge our girls to win or tie every inning,” Alumbaugh said about his team’s ability to answer back after giving up a run. “At times, teams are going to get the best of you and push your back against the wall. But you have to come back fighting, and I felt like we did a good job of that today.”

Neosho added a run in the top of the fourth when Maddie Carpenter scored on a wild pitch, but McDonald County once again answered back in the bottom half when Leach singled to center with the bases loaded to plate a pair of runs and push the lead to 7-2. McDonald County put the game away later in the inning when a run scored on an error before back-to-back walks with the bases loaded forced in runs to make the score 10-2. Three more runs came around to score on another fielding error with the bases loaded pushed the lead to 13-2.

AT THE PLATE

Cooper had three hits, three RBI and scored twice to lead McDonald County. Leach had one hit, three RBI and scored a run, while Nevaeah Dodson had a hit, scored twice and drove in one.

Forrest had the lone hit and RBI for Neosho.

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