WEBB CITY, Mo. — The Carl Junction Bulldogs ran into a buzzsaw in the Class 4 District 7 quarterfinals on Tuesday as their season ended with a 14-3 run-rule loss in five innings against the four-seeded Willard Tigers.
Willard exploded for four runs in the first inning and five each in the second and third, while Carl Junction plated a run in the first and two in the fourth.
In their prior meeting this season, just a week before they played in districts, Willard defeated Carl Junction 7-2.
“We came out flat and we never got settled,” Carl Junction coach Zak Petty said. “We’re young, and our inexperience showed today. Willard, they did a great job and hit the heck out of the ball. They didn’t give up an at-bat all day it seemed like. Even if we would have played our best game, it would have been a good game. It just didn’t go our way.”
The Bulldogs finish their best season since 2015 with an 10-16 overall record and their 10 wins surpass their combined nine wins from the previous two seasons. They graduate senior shortstop Sammie Sams and have the opportunity to return eight starters next season.
“I just told them that this is one of the successful seasons we’ve had in seven years,” Petty said. “They need to keep their heads up and take a lot of positives from it. It was a fun group. I had a blast coaching them this year.
“We lose one starter next year. Sammie is going to be a tough starter to replace not only on the field but off it. We’ll build from it and these young girls got a chance to taste a little bit of playoff action. We’ll be ready to go next year.”
Nearly a week after defeating the district’s top seed Nevada in the final game of the regular season, Carl Junction jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead on sophomore catcher Madi Olds’ RBI double bringing home Sims.
Carl Junction committed two errors in the first four Willard batters and the Tigers made the Bulldogs pay when Harley Durr hit a RBI double and Jazlyn Rennison a two-run double.
Willard retired Carl Junction in order in the second and third, while the Tigers sent eight to the plate in the first, nine in the second and eight more in the third.
Durr hit a two-run double in the second and Alyson Miller and Hannah Burks homered back-to-back in the third with Miller hitting a towering two-run shot over the scoreboard.
Sims and Olds both doubled to start off the Carl Junction fourth with Olds picking up her second RBI double of the contest.
The Bulldogs would go on to score two in the fourth, but it would not be enough runs to extend the game past five innings.
Willard, 20-16 overall, faces top seed Nevada (23-11) in the first district semifinal game on Wednesday, followed by No. 2 McDonald County (21-9) and No. 3 Webb City (17-19) in the other semifinal.
