WEBB CITY, Mo. — An eight-run fourth inning propelled Carthage past longtime rival Webb City 9-1 on Tuesday in a Central Ozark Conference softball contest at Webb City High School.
The Tigers were clinging to a 1-0 lead when they erupted for eight runs in the game-changing fourth frame.
“We talked about putting the ball in play, bunting, moving runners over and putting the pressure on them,” Carthage coach Stephanie Ray said of the big inning. “We were able to get some runs across and then we finally got the big hit from Brooklynn (Dolon-Main) and that really sealed the deal.”
The big inning wasn’t the only highlight for the Tigers.
Carthage junior hurler Addison Wallace was stellar in the circle, as she limited Webb City to two hits and one walk while striking out six in the complete-game gem.
“She threw a really good game today,” Ray said. “She’s had some great games where we just didn’t give her any run support. Tonight, she threw just as well as she did last weekend and against Ozark. Tonight, she had the run support.”
Wallace induced 11 ground outs and four fly outs and went the distance on 86 pitches.
“She got ahead,” Ray said. “She was able to mix it up on them.”
The Cardinals got the best of the Tigers at the Joplin tournament, winning 10-2, but Carthage turned the tables in the rematch.
“It’s a good win for us,” Ray said. “They took one from us at the Joplin tournament where they had a big inning on us. So it was nice to see us get it done here tonight.”
The Tigers touched Webb City starting pitcher Laney Taylor for one run on two hits in the top of the first inning.
With one out, junior shortstop Ashlyn Brust singled to left and senior catcher Dolon-Main doubled to left-center before sophomore second baseman Lottie Youngblood drove in the game’s first run with a grounder to shortstop.
The Cardinals stranded the bases loaded in the bottom of the second, as Wallace recorded a key strikeout to keep her team in front.
Carthage broke the game open with eight runs on six hits, an error, a fielder’s choice and a hit batter in the fourth.
With the bases loaded, senior first baseman Alexis Smith drove in a run when the Cardinals were unable to corral her slow chopper in between the plate and the circle.
Next, senior outfielder Shelby Hegwer was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded before sophomore Jaycee Bayless drove in a run with a pinch-hit infield single for a 4-0 lead.
A fielder’s choice off the bat of junior designated player Aven Willis and an infield single by Brust made it 6-0.
The Tigers weren’t done. In the biggest blast of the game, Dolon-Main’s three-run double to right gave the visitors a 9-0 cushion.
Webb City got on the board when senior designated player Rilley Hanes homered to center in the bottom of the fourth.
Neither team scored the rest of the way.
Wallace, who didn’t allow a hit after the fourth inning, had five 1-2-3 innings.
The Tigers recorded 12 hits, with eight players contributing. Dolon-Main had three hits, while Smith and Brust added two hits apiece.
Taylor took the loss after allowing six earned runs on five hits in three innings. Makenzie Wynn gave up two runs on seven hits in four innings.
Webb City slipped to 10-4 and 1-2 in the COC.
Carthage improved to 9-9 overall and 2-1 in the COC.
“We talked to the girls about how this is a big week for us,” Coach Ray said. “We’ve already played in three tournaments. We’ve already played 18 games, so half of our season is done. This was a big game and we have Mac County tomorrow and Willard on Thursday. We talked about taking them one game at a time. We want to keep working on the little things, keep our energy high and we’ll see what happens.”
WHAT’S NEXT?
Carthage hosts McDonald County at 3:30 on Wednesday.
Webb City is at Nixa on Thursday.
FULL STATS: Webb City HS (webbcitycardinals.com)
