JASPER, Mo. — A four-run second inning proved to be the difference as second-seeded Jasper knocked off top-seeded Liberal (with Bronaugh) 7-3 on Wednesday in the championship game of the Class 1 District 6 softball tournament.
The game was deadlocked after the first inning before the Eagles pushed across four runs in the second inning.
Neither team scored the rest of the way and the Eagles captured a second straight district title.
Jasper (21-15) now gets a date with Miller (20-5) on May 16 in the quarterfinals. Miller defeated Purdy 10-9 for the District 5 title.
Last year’s Class 1 runner-up, Jasper took an early three-run lead on Shiloh Storm’s first inning bases-clearing triple.
The Bulldogs responded with three runs of their own in the bottom half, as Kyla Porter drew a bases-loaded walk before Laney Simpson hit a game-tying two-run double.
Jasper plated four runs in the second on an RBI single from Emersyn Bass and a three-run double off the bat of Taylor Hinds.
There was no scoring after the second inning.
Liberal threatened in the seventh before the Eagles turned a game-ending double play.
Bass went 3-for-4 with two runs scored for Jasper, while Hinds and Storm drove in three runs apiece. Livia Dumm and Brie Haddock scored two runs apiece.
Grace Osborne was the winning pitcher. She went the distance and allowed two earned runs on just two hits. Osborne walked six and struck out nine.
Liberal’s Jordan Goodell took the loss after allowing seven runs on seven hits and seven walks. She struck out nine.
Liberal’s lone two hits of the game were recorded by Simpson.
The Bulldogs went 20-12 this season.
