MILLER, Mo. — For the second straight year, the Jasper Eagles are headed to the Final Four of the spring softball state tournament.
Jasper rode a pair of big innings to an 11-4 win over Miller on Wednesday in a Class 1 quarterfinal.
Jasper (22-12) will meet Concordia (26-1) in the semifinals at 11 a.m. on Monday at Killian Softball Complex in Springfield.
A year ago, Jasper reached the Class 1 title game before falling to Wellington-Napoleon.
On Wednesday, Jasper trailed 4-2 after the top of the fourth inning.
But the Eagles rallied in a big way.
Jasper scored three runs in the bottom of the fourth and six more in the fifth to blow the game open.
In the fourth, Livia Dumm hit a two-run home run to center and Shiloh Storm contributed an RBI single.
In the six-run fifth, Emersyn Bass drew a bases-loaded walk, Brie Haddock contributed a two-run single and Taylor Hinds launched a three-run homer to left.
Jasper scored its 11 runs on 12 hits.
Dumm went 4-for-5 with two RBI, while Hinds drove in five runs on two hits and Haddock scored three runs and had two RBI. Alivea Roberts had two hits and Addison Atnip scored twice.
Grace Osborne was the winning pitcher. She allowed three earned runs on 11 hits. Osborne didn’t walk a batter and struck out eight in the complete-game effort.
Four players had two hits apiece for Miller, Hailey Mart, Rachel Nunez, Addison Stockton and Ashlynn Helton.
Loghann Leivan took the loss after allowing nine earned runs on 12 hits and five walks. She struck out five.
Miller ends the season with a record of 20-6.
Monday’s other Class 1 semifinal features Valle Catholic (18-3) vs. Ellington (16-6).
Two area teams will be competing at next week’s Final Four, as Mount Vernon advanced in Class 2.
