After four scoreless innings, Carthage put the go-ahead run on the scoreboard in the top of the fifth inning only to see Joplin rally for four runs with two outs in the sixth on the way to a 4-1 win in the Central Ozark Conference opener on Tuesday at the JHS Athletic Complex.
“We keep finding ways to grind out wins when it matters,” Joplin coach Brenden Schneider said. “If we can continue to do things like that, we are going to be really tough. If we continue to play defense and we continue to throw strikes, our girls are going to be a force. But we have to keep playing that way. Overall, coming off of a big weekend when you could rest on your laurels a little bit coming into this game at 10-2, I am just really proud of them. It was a big district win and a big conference win.
“We have a lot of girls who are trying time and time again to make something happen,” Schneider added about his team’s start to the season. “That is a credit to them for understanding the game and knowing what they need to do.”
Joplin is now 11-2, 1-0 in the COC on the season, while currently riding a five-game winning streak.
Carthage falls to 5-6, 0-1 COC.
“We talked about eliminating the little mistakes and how we are sometimes just one hit away from breaking an inning open,” Carthage coach Stephanie Ray said. “We are young and are still going through growing pains, but we don’t want to use that as an excuse because I still feel like this is a group of kids who, at any moment, can go on a 10-game run.”
IN THE CIRCLE
Jill McDaniel earned the complete-game win in the circle after allowing one run on five hits and seven strikeouts in seven innings.
“The thing I was most impressed with about Jill was that she didn’t walk anyone,” Schneider said of his senior pitcher. “Regardless of how many strikeouts she had or how many hits they had off of her, and one run allowed is a nice line to have, but the cherry on top for me really is no walks. That tells you she is locked in and pounding the zone, and our defense likes that because they get to go out and make plays for her.”
Ashlynn Jackson started and took the loss for Carthage after allowing four runs on six hits, one walk and four strikeouts in six innings of work.
“She gets in the circle and competes every time,” Ray said of the pitching effort from her senior. “She spins it well and does a great job of keeping hitters off balance by mixing speeds. She pitched a great ballgame there.”
GAME ACTION
Carthage and Joplin took a scoreless pitcher’s duel into the top of the fifth inning when the Tigers were able to find the scoreboard thanks to the first multi-hit inning of the game. With runners on first and third and two outs, Aven Willis came up with an infield hit on a high chopper to the pitcher, reaching first base before the throw to plate the go-ahead run for a 1-0 lead.
McDaniel doubled to center field with one out in the bottom half of the inning to get the Eagles in business. Unfortunately, a flyout followed by an out at third after the runner tagged up resulted in an inning-ending double play.
Joplin again threatened to tie the game in the bottom of the sixth inning when Bailey Ledford and Abby Lowery led off the inning with singles.
Both runners moved up 90 feet with two outs inning when Ledford took advantage of a mental lapse on defense with a delayed steal of home to tie the game at 1-1 and completely shift the momentum of the game in the process.
“It was funny because I was thinking about it, but she is the one who initiated it,” Schneider said. “That is (a varsity player) who understands what her abilities are. … Bailey and I kind of made eye contact and she said, ‘I really want to take it. I think I can.’ I told her, ‘OK, get a big secondary and we’ll see what happens.’ She executed perfectly, obviously. Credit to her because it was something she was thinking about and wanting to do. I didn’t have to bring it up to her. What an awesome play.”
Izzy Yust followed with an infield hit to the hole in short to reach first and plate the go-ahead run in the process for a 2-1 lead.
“I think, for her, it was one of those moments where she knew what she had to do,” Schneider said. “Lately, she has been in some critical spots for us. What more could you ask from a senior shortstop?”
The Eagles were not done, with Libby Munn followed with a two-run home run to center field to bolster the lead to 4-1 by the time the dust settled.
“Libby is on a tear right now,” Schneider said. “I think she has three or four home runs over the last week. Credit to her because you could see in her second at-bat (that she found the timing). … You knew with her coming back up, if she could get something right there, she would be all over it. And she was. I think it was a five or six-pitch at-bat. She does a great job of just grinding through at-bats.”
AT THE PLATE
Munn homered, finished with two RBI and had a run scored for Joplin, while Ledford and Lowery each had a hit and scored a run. Yust had a hit, scored a run and drove in a run, while McDaniel registered a double at the plate.
Ashlyn Brust, Brooklyn Dolon-Main, Shelby Hegwer and Willis all had hits for Carthage. Abby Rogers scored a run.
ON DECK
Joplin hits the road for a matchup at Seneca on Wednesday before traveling to Branson on Thursday.
Carthage is on the road again with a matchup at Ozark on Thursday.
