WEBB CITY, Mo. — The home finale went well for the Webb City Cardinals.
A five-run second inning, timely hitting and stellar pitching propelled Webb City past Monett 8-2 on Thursday afternoon in a non-conference prep softball clash.
“It was a great way to end our regular season schedule at home,” Cardinals coach Shauna Friend said. “We’ve got one more game left in the regular season on Monday at Kickapoo, and it was good to see us come out and play good softball today. I’m proud.”
It was Webb City’s final home game on the schedule. However, if the Cardinals capture a district title, there’s a chance they would host a quarterfinal contest.
The Cardinals have won 12 of their last 15 games. And with the postseason arriving next week, Coach Friend noted she’s been pleased with how her squad has been playing.
“I think we’re right where we want to be,” Friend said. “We were a little up and down early in the season, but we got things going in the right direction. I like that our offense has come alive in the past few games. We need to keep that going. Our pitching was good today. I think everything is falling into place for us.”
Webb City hiked its record to 24-10, while Monett fell to 17-9.
GAME RECAP
Monett took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first on Jenna Herald’s sacrifice fly to left field, but the Cardinals plated five runs in the game-changing second frame.
During the big inning, Lily Hall hit an RBI triple to right, Rilley Hanes delivered a run-scoring single into right, Abby Sargent contributed an RBI single into left and the Cubs were unable to haul in Dawsyn Decker’s fly ball in shallow left field, allowing the hosts to take a 5-1 advantage.
“That five-run inning was big and that run support helped our pitchers settle in,” Friend said.
Next, Hall smacked a two-run home run to right in the third, giving the Cardinals a 7-1 advantage.
The Cubs got a run back in the fourth after doubles from both Herald and Kaehler Swearingen, but Webb City added an insurance run in the bottom of the fourth when Sargent walked and later came home on Alex Maturino’s RBI grounder.
Neither team scored after the fourth inning.
The Cardinals scored their eight runs on nine hits. A sophomore second baseman, Hall went 2-for-3 with three RBI and two runs scored. Sargent and Jensyn Pickett each scored two runs.
Two Webb City hurlers limited the Cubs to three hits.
Sophomore Makenzie Wynn earned the pitching victory after holding the Cubs to two runs on three hits and three walks in four innings.
Freshman Addie Burns tossed three scoreless innings in relief. She didn’t allow a hit, only two walks.
“Our two pitchers both did a great job today,” Friend said.
Monett’s Kilee Wilson took the loss after surrendering seven earned runs on nine hits and two walks in six innings.
The Cubs are the No. 1 seed for the Class 3 District 6 tournament.
WHAT’S NEXT?
Webb City will conclude the regular season at Kickapoo on Monday. Friend said the game was added to the schedule so the team wouldn’t have such a long layoff before beginning the district tournament.
Again, the postseason arrives next week.
Second-seeded Webb City will meet seventh-seeded Raytown at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 12 in a quarterfinal contest of the Class 4 District 7 tournament at Nevada’s Bushwhacker Field. The host Tigers are the top seed, with Belton seeded third and McDonald County fourth.
“It’s definitely a tough district,” Friend said. “It will take some really good softball to get out of that district for any team. There are a lot of solid teams in the district. But I think we’re ready.”
FULL STATS: Webb City HS (webbcitycardinals.com)
