AURORA, Mo. — The Joplin softball team finished the Kickoff Classic hosted by Aurora High School with a 2-1 record on Saturday after earning wins against Hillcrest and Branson and falling to Duncan, Oklahoma, to finish with a 4-1 record over the weekend.
“This weekend was great to start our season,” first-year Joplin coach Brenden Schneider said. “We competed in every game. I was proud of how the girls responded to the adversity. Whether it was giving up two in the first to CJ (on Friday) or having to constantly battle through multiple tie-breaker innings against Duncan. I was also proud of how we responded after the tough loss to Duncan by beating a tough Branson team.”
JOPLIN 6, HILLCREST 1
Joplin kicked off its Saturday by scoring at least one run in each of the first four innings en route to the win over Hillcrest.
The Eagles plated two in the first inning, scored single tallies in the second and third frames and wrapped up their production with two more runs touching home in the last of the fourth inning to build a 6-1 lead, ending the game through five innings.
Ava Wolf earned the win in the circle after allowing one run on one hit, eight walks and three strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings. Caelyn Bobski worked 1 1/3 relief innings without allowing a run and surrendering two hits.
Camryn Summers took the loss after allowing six runs, three earned, on five hits, a walk and a strikeout in four innings.
The Eagles picked up two runs in the first off an error by the Hornets and an RBI groundout by Abby Lowery before Bailey Ledford scored on a wild pitch with two outs in the second for a 3-0 lead. Hillcrest got a run back in the top of the third before Izzy Yust scored on a wild pitch in the bottom half.
Kirsten McMillen doubled to left to score Ledford in the fourth before Pankow doubled to center to plate another run to bring the score to 6-1.
Ledford had two hits and scored three runs for Joplin at the plate. McMillen had one hit and two RBI.
DUNCAN 5, JOPLIN 4 (8 INNINGS)
Joplin and Duncan took a 2-2 tie into the sixth inning when both teams traded single tallies in the sixth and seventh innings to force extras, which saw the Demons score a run in the last of the eighth to walk off the win.
Emily Wilson earned a no-decision after allowing three runs on nine hits, three walks and 10 strikeouts in six innings. Finley Davis earned the win after pitching two scoreless relief innings, allowing three hits and striking out one.
Jill McDaniel took the loss after allowing four runs, two earned, on eight hits, two walks and nine strikeouts in 7 2/3 innings.
Abby Lowery was 4-for-4 at the plate and scored a run. McDaniel and Maria Loum each had two hits.
JOPLIN 6, BRANSON 2
Joplin scored four runs in the top of the third inning on the way to a weekend-closing win over Branson in the final game on Saturday.
Pankow started the scoring in the third inning with an RBI single two batters before Lowery doubled to center field with two outs to plate two runs to push the lead to 4-0. Libby Munn followed with a two-out RBI single to center to bring the lead to 5-0.
Pankow had two hits, two RBI and scored a run, while Lowery doubled, drove in two and scored a run to lead the Eagles at the plate.
Bobski earned the win in the circle after allowing two runs on six hits, three walks and a strikeout in 5 1/3 innings. McDaniel pitched 2/3 of a relief inning, striking out one.
ON DECK
Joplin hosts McDonald County on Tuesday in the home opener on Tuesday at the JHS Athletic Complex.
