WEBB CITY, Mo. — On the day they debuted their newly-renovated softball stadium, the Webb City Cardinals put together one of their best performances of the season.
Solid in all facets of the game, Webb City rolled to a 10-0 run-rule win over Neosho on Tuesday in a Central Ozark Conference clash.
Before Tuesday, the Cardinals had played all of their home games of the 2021 campaign at Chuck Barnes Field. They finally got to host a game at their improved facility, which features new seating options for fans, a new backstop, new dugouts and a turf infield playing surface.
“The seniors were really excited about getting back on our field,” Webb City coach Shauna Friend said. “It was great to start off with a big win here in a conference game. I think the girls were focused today and they really wanted to give their best on this new field.”
The Cardinals got the bats going in a big way, took advantage of Neosho’s miscues in the field, played nearly flawless defense and received a solid pitching performance. It all added up to a convincing win.
“I was really pleased with our offense today,” Friend said. “I think we bounced back from our last few games where we struggled a little bit offensively. Neosho’s always a tough team. We know they’re always going to give their best, so it was just a good conference win for us.”
Neosho stranded eight runners on-base and never recorded a timely hit.
“I’m very disappointed in the way we played today,” Neosho coach Catie Cummins said. “Lili Graue got on-base with no outs every time she was up to bat and we couldn’t score a run. That’s unacceptable. If you can’t score, you can’t win. We’re missing a few players due to illnesses and that’s been a challenge, but that’s not an excuse. We’ve got to be better.”
Webb City is now 11-9 overall and 4-3 in COC play. Neosho fell to 11-8 and 2-4 in conference action.
After the Wildcats stranded a pair of runners on-base in the top of the second, the Cardinals pushed across a single tally in the bottom half to take a lead they would never relinquish.
Emma Welch tripled to right field and later scored on Ripley Shanks’ infield single.
The hosts added four runs in the third. Peyton Hawkins and Hannah Wells both singled before Kaylyn Gilbert delivered a two-run double to left.
Welch added an RBI single before two runs scored on a Neosho error after Shanks laid down a bunt.
The visitors looked to be in business in the fourth, as Maddie Carpenter singled and Chloe Patterson doubled, putting runners on second and third with one out.
But Webb City pitcher Laney Taylor maneuvered out of trouble by striking out both Baylie Bowers and Tatiyana Douglas.
Webb City went up 7-0 in the bottom of the fourth after run-scoring hits from Wells and Welch.
Later in the inning, another run crossed home after a fielder’s choice off the bat of Shanks, making it 8-0.
In the top of the fifth, Neosho had runners on second and third with one out, but the Wildcats once again failed to score, as Taylor induced a pop out and a fly out to end the threat.
Webb City ended the game in the bottom of the fifth. Lauren Hicks doubled off the fence in right-center, and after an out, Dawsyn Decker’s line drive down the left field line allowed pinch-runner Sydney Strickland to score. The game-ending run came home when Wells smacked a single through the right side.
Wells drove in two runs on three hits, while Welch had three hits, two RBI and two runs scored.
Shanks had four RBI on two hits. Brannon had two doubles and scored twice, while Gilbert added a pair of hits.
Taylor was the winning pitcher. A freshman, Taylor scattered five hits, walked three and struck out three in the shutout win.
“It was a great game for Laney,” Friend said. “She works hard for her teammates.”
Neosho’s Graue went 2-for-2 with a double and a walk from the leadoff spot. Abbie Carpenter, Maddie Carpenter and Chloe Patterson had one hit apiece.
Patterson took the loss. She gave up five earned runs on seven hits and struck out four in 3 2/3 innings. Carleigh Kinnaird went the final inning, allowing two runs on five hits with one strikeout.
Three errors in the field came at inopportune times for the Wildcats.
“You can’t ask for more from our pitchers,” Cummins said. “Webb City has a good lineup, but our pitchers were getting pop-ups and ground balls and we weren’t getting outs. We have to play better defense and we have to push some runs across when we have people on-base.”
Both teams are in Class 4 District 6, so they could meet again in the postseason.
Conference action continues on Thursday for both squads, as Webb City hosts Republic and Neosho hosts Nixa.
