WEBB CITY, Mo. — Willard pushed across runs in every inning but the fourth en route to a 10-4 win over Webb City on Tuesday in a Central Ozark Conference softball clash at Chuck Barnes Field.
Webb City fell to 6-5 and 1-2 in the COC with a third straight loss.
Willard hiked its record to 5-2 overall and 2-1 in the COC.
A Webb City error and Rylee Ritchey’s RBI single gave the Tigers a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning.
The Cardinals tied it up in the bottom half, as Morgan Brannon was hit by a pitch and later came home on a Willard error.
The Tigers went ahead for good in the second on Kennedy Dalton’s RBI single.
Willard scored four runs in the third to extend its lead to 6-1. The Tigers then added two more runs in the fifth.
The hosts rallied in the bottom of the fifth. Peyton Hawkins smacked a two-run triple to right and Hannah Wells followed with a run-scoring single to make it 8-4.
But the Tigers added a single tally in both the sixth and seventh innings, while the Cardinals were unable to rally in the final two frames.
The Cardinals were limited to five hits. Wells and Hawkins had two hits apiece, while Ripley Shanks added one hit.
Laney Taylor took the loss after allowing four earned runs on seven hits in 2 2/3 innings. Hawkins pitched the final 4 1/3, allowing four runs.
Sydney Fletcher was the winning pitcher. She struck out seven in a complete-game effort.
The Tigers recorded 14 hits. Willard’s Dalton went 4-for-5 with three RBI, while Jaz Rennison went 3-for-4 with two runs scored.
Webb City hosts Branson at 4:30 on Thursday.
