Nixa defeats Carthage 2-1
NIXA, Mo. — Nixa broke a 1-1 tie in the bottom of the sixth inning when Sara Sweaney hit a solo home run to center field on the way to a 2-1 Central Ozark Conference win on Thursday.
Nixa (6-0, 1-0 COC) opened the scoring in the game with a run scoring in the bottom of the first inning on an RBI single by Paige Gardner before Carthage (7-7, 1-1 COC) tied the game in the top of the second with an RBI single from Ashlyn Brust that scored Presley Probert.
Madison Meierer earned the win for Nixa after allowing one run on five hits, a walk and five strikeouts in seven complete innings.
Jensyn Elder took the loss after allowing two runs, one earned, on five hits and 10 strikeouts in six complete innings.
Gardner had two hits, including a double, and an RBI to lead Nixa, while Probert led Carthage with a perfect 3-for-3 game at the plate with a run scored.
Late runs lift Branson past Joplin
BRANSON, Mo. — Branson held a 2-1 lead before scoring five times in the fifth inning and three times in the sixth en route to a 10-5 win over Joplin in Central Ozark Conference action on Thursday.
Peyton Bonsey earned the win after allowing five runs on 11 hits, three walks and four strikeouts in seven innings.
Jill McDaniel took the loss after allowing seven runs, three earned, on nine hits, two walks and two strikeouts in five innings. Madisyn Tracy allowed three runs on four hits and a walk in one relief inning.
Sierra Dailey and Ally Dicken both led Branson (5-4, 1-1 COC) with three hits each and combined to score three runs. Lillie Bell had one hit and a team-high three RBI.
Jadyn Pankow, Liz Snider and Tracy each had three hits to lead Joplin (7-6, 0-2 COC). Tracy, who doubled, had a team-high 2 RBI.
Ozark scores five in the sixth to beat Webb City
OZARK, Mo. — Ozark rallied back from an 8-5 deficit by scoring five runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to defeat Webb City 10-8 in Central Ozark Conference play on Thursday.
With two outs in the sixth inning and the Cardinals up 8-7, an error on Webb City allowed an Ozark (5-2, 2-0 COC) run to score and tie the game. In the next at-bat, Savannah Hughes hit a two-run home run to right field to give the Tigers a 10-8 lead and eventual win.
Jordyn Foley earned the win in the circle after surrendering eight runs on 11 hits, three walks and eight strikeouts in seven innings.
Laney Taylor took the loss after allowing 10 runs, four earned, on eight hits, two walks and three strikeouts in six innings.
Hughes homered and had two doubles on the way to three hits, three RBI and two runs scored for Ozark. Abby Ford tripled and drove in three, while Mekaylee Linnebur also homered, drove in one and scored twice.
Kaylyn Gilbert homered and doubled for Webb City (6-3, 1-1 COC), driving in a team-high three runs and scoring twice. Hannah Wells and Emalee Lamar each had two hits.
Republic beats Carl Junction in high-scoring game
REPUBLIC, Mo. — Both teams combined for 35 runs on 35 hits but it was Republic that came away with a 23-12 win over Carl Junction on Thursday in Central Ozark Conference play.
After each team scored three times in the first, Carl Junction scored eight runs in the third to take an 11-10 lead. Republic responded with an eight-run fourth, two runs in the fifth and three more in the sixth inning en route to the win.
Emi Essary started and earned the win after allowing eight runs on seven hits, seven walks and five strikeouts in four innings. Mara Lakey allowed one run on four hits, a walk and a strikeout in two relief innings.
Hannah Cole took the loss after allowing 23 runs, 18 earned, on 24 hits, four walks and three strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings.
Lakey led Republic with two home runs and a double on the way to four hits, eight RBI and two runs scored.
Madi Olds had three hits, two runs scored and an RBI for Carl Junction, while Addie Brock homered and had three RBI.
