WEBB CITY 4, BRANSON 3
WEBB CITY, Mo. — Webb City got back to .500 overall and improved to 5-3 in the Central Ozark Conference with a 4-3 win over the Branson Pirates on Thursday.
The Cardinals (13-13) pushed across two runs in the first inning. The first run came home after two Branson errors before Madeline Barchak delivered an RBI single into left.
In the top of the fourth, Brooklyn Davis smacked an RBI double into right-center to cut Webb City’s lead in half.
The Cardinals added two runs in the bottom of the fourth. A wild pitch and an error on the same play allowed both Addison Brown and Rylynn McFarland to score, giving the hosts a 4-1 lead.
The Pirates plated two runs in the fifth, trimming the Cardinals’ advantage to one.
However, the Cardinals kept the visitors off the scoreboard in the sixth and seventh innings to secure a win.
Alex Maturino went 2-for-3 for the Cardinals. Dawsyn Decker, Sydney Strickland, McFarland and Barchak had one hit apiece.
Webb City’s Laney Taylor was the winning pitcher. She went six innings and allowed three earned runs on seven hits with five strikeouts. Karsyn Cahoon closed it out by pitching a scoreless seventh.
The Cardinals did not commit an error in the field.
Branson’s Sierra Dailey took the loss. She allowed one earned run on six hits and two walks.
Savi Engel had two hits for the Pirates (9-12, 0-8 COC).
The Cardinals will compete at this weekend’s Springfield Tournament.
Webb City has two home games next week, as the Cardinals host McDonald County on Monday and Joplin on Tuesday.
CARTHAGE 12, REPUBLIC 8
CARTHAGE, Mo. — Carthage rode a 10-run third inning to a conference victory.
The hosts trailed 7-0 when they erupted for 10 runs in the third. Carthage added single tallies in the fourth and sixth innings.
Ashlyn Brust and Landry Cochran recorded two hits apiece for Carthage, while Shelby Hegwer drove in three runs.
Cochran and Addison Wallace each had two RBI, while Lexa Youngblood and Alexis Smith had one RBI apiece. Brust, Ashlynn Jackson, Aven Willis and Abby Rogers scored two runs apiece.
Wallace was the winning pitcher. She allowed one run on three hits in 4 1/3 innings, striking out four.
Jackson pitched 2 2/3 innings, giving up one run on three hits while striking out three.
Republic’s Piper Dishman took the loss after allowing nine earned runs on nine hits in six innings.
Republic’s Emi Essary hit two home runs.
Carthage (15-12, 4-4 COC) hosts Monett on Monday before traveling to Neosho on Tuesday.
NEOSHO 6, WILLARD 2
NEOSHO, Mo. — Carleigh Kinnaird earned the pitching victory and also hit a home run in Neosho’s 6-2 win over the Tigers on Wednesday.
In the circle, Kinnaird allowed just two runs on six hits while striking out four in the complete-game effort.
Autumn Kinnaird went 4-for-4 at the plate, with two doubles and two triples.
Maelynn Garrett and Grace Johnson drove in one run apiece for the Wildcats, while Olivia Emery had one hit.
Willard’s A. McMillin took the loss after allowing six earned runs on six hits.
The game was tied at two when the Wildcats erupted for three runs in the bottom of the fifth.The frame was highlighted by Carleigh Kinnaird’s two-run home run to center.
Neosho added an insurance run in the sixth on Autumn Kinnaird’s RBI double.
Neosho (19-4, 6-2 COC) hosts Grove, Oklahoma, on Monday.
NIXA 5, JOPLIN 0
Nixa broke open a scoreless tie with three runs crossing home in the sixth inning before scoring two more in the seventh on the way to a Central Ozark Conference win to hand Joplin its fourth straight loss on Thursday.
Nixa didn’t record a hit through the first five innings before Chloe Krans led off the top of the sixth inning with a double to left-center field to get into scoring position. Later in the inning with two outs and two runners on base, Harper-Jane Simpson singled home a pair of runs for a 2-0 Nixa lead. Maddy Meierer followed with a shallow single to right field to bring home a run for a 3-0 lead.
Nixa added two more runs with two outs in the seventh inning when Krans and Sara Sweaney hit back to back solo home runs to left-center field for a 5-0 advantage.
Meierer earned the complete-game shutout win after scattering three hits and striking out eight over seven scoreless innings.
Jill McDaniel took the loss for Joplin (20-9, 4-4 COC) after allowing five runs on six hits, three walks and seven strikeouts in seven innings of work.
Abby Lowery, Jadyn Pankow and Riley Kelly all had hits for Joplin, which left four runners on base.
Krans had two hits, scored twice and drove in a run, while Sweaney had a hit, scored a run and drove in one. Simpson finished with a hit, drove in two and scored a run.
Joplin hosts Glendale on Monday in the final home game of the regular season.
OZARK 12, CARL JUNCTION 0
CARL JUNCTION, Mo. — Ozark scored nine runs in the first three innings and limited Carl Junction to one hit in a six-inning Central Ozark Conference win over the Bulldogs on Thursday.
The Tigers plated two runs in the first before a six-run second inning and added a third run in the third frame to go up 9-0. Ozark added three insurance runs in the sixth inning.
Jordyn Foley earned the win after allowing one hit over four scoreless innings, striking out 10.
Hannah Cole took the loss after allowing 12 runs, five earned, on 17 hits in six innings.
Morgan had three hits, including a pair of doubles, and three RBI to lead Ozark. Foley added two hits and an RBI.
Hannah Cantrell had the lone hit for Carl Junction.
Carl Junction takes part in the Springfield Invitational with games against Lee’s Summit North and Camdenton on Friday.
