CARTHAGE, Mo. — The Carthage Tigers put at least one runner on board in six consecutive innings during their 3-0 loss to their Central Ozark Conference foe Willard on Thursday at the Fair Acres Sports Complex.
Willard scored all three runs in the second inning, but otherwise Carthage pitchers Ashlynn Jackson and Addison Wallace matched zeroes against Willard’s Hannah Burks.
“We played seven innings tonight and in only one inning did we get our leadoff batter on,” Carthage coach Stephanie Ray said. “For us all season, we get a leadoff batter on, we know we’re going to score. We get a leadoff batter on (Thursday), girl makes a great play at second, doesn’t give up on a ball, and it shuts us down right there. We had only three hits, and I think that’s the least amount of hits we’ve had in a game. This is the first time we’ve been shut out (this season). If our sticks aren’t going, it’s going to be a tough game for us.”
Jackson singled to left and Brooklynn Dolon-Main reached on a fielder’s choice in the second, Jenna Calhoon hit a two-out double in the third, Alexis Smith reached on an error and stole second in the fourth, Ashlyn Brust worked a two-out walk in the fifth, Landry Cochran hit a leadoff single in the sixth, and Aven Willis reached on a two-out hit-by-pitch in the seventh.
The home Tigers left six runners behind, and Carthage was shut out for the first time in 23 games since a 5-0 loss last Oct. 9 against McDonald County.
Jackson took the loss, and she allowed three runs (two earned) on six hits with four strikeouts and no walks over 5 2/3 innings. Wallace retired all four batters she faced in relief with three 5-3 groundouts and one strikeout during her 12 total pitches.
Dolon-Main provided one of the defensive highlights when she gunned down a Willard runner attempting to steal third to end the fifth.
“Once we got out of that second inning, we did everything good,” Ray said. “We made the plays we needed, our pitcher threw strikes, got flyball outs, and they definitely kept us in the game. Just take away that second inning, it’s a scoreless ballgame.”
Carthage dropped to 10-10 overall and 1-3 COC after the loss.
“We have the rest of the weekend off,” Ray said. “Next week, we go to Branson (Tuesday, Sept. 20) and Nixa (Thursday, Sept. 22). Then on Saturday, we’re at Rogersville to play a doubleheader against Rogersville and Camdenton.”
