BRANSON, Mo. — Joplin softball had a strong showing with a 3-2 record and a second-place finish at the Branson Lady Pirate Invitational over the weekend.
POOL PLAY
The Eagles (19-5) went 1-1 on Friday with a 10-2 win over Cassville and an 8-7 loss to Bolivar to finish as the top seed in Pool D.
Ava Wolf earned the win for the Eagles, which scored eight runs in the fourth inning, over Cassville after allowing two runs, one earned, on six hits, two walks and two strikeouts in five innings. Libby Munn doubled and led the team with three RBI and added a run scored. Kirsten McMillen doubled and drove in a run. Jadyn Pankow had two hits, an RBI and a run scored. Abby Lowery had a hit, two runs scored and an RBI, Maria Loum added a hit, two RBI and a run scored.
Bolivar scored all of their runs in the second inning and held Joplin the rest of the way in the second game. Caelyn Bobski took the loss after allowing six runs on five hits and two walks in 1 2/3 innings. Munn led Joplin at the plate with a pair of home runs in a three-hit game along with three RBI and two runs scored. Riley Kelly had two hits, including a double, and an RBI. Bailey Ledford had two hits and scored a run.
CHAMPIONSHIP DAY
Joplin wrapped the tournament with a 2-1 record on Saturday with a 13-0 loss to Neosho before beating West Plains 7-6 and Branson 11-10.
In the opening loss to the Wildcats, who scored two runs in the first inning and 11 runs in the second inning en route to the three-inning win, Jill McDaniel took the loss after allowing eight runs, seven earned, on five hits, two walks and two strikeouts in one inning. Ledford had two hits, while Pankow also recorded a base hit.
Joplin scored in every inning, with five runs coming in the first two innings, in the win over West Plains. Wolf earned the win after allowing six runs, three earned, on five hits, three walks in 3 1/3 innings. Ledford had a hit, two RBI and scored a run, while Lowery had a hit, an RBI and scored twice and Kelly had a hit and drove in two. McMillen had two hits, while Munn doubled and drove in a run. Izzy Yust had a hit, scored one and drove in one.
Branson scored five runs in each of the first two innings only for Joplin to score the final eight runs, including a five-run fourth inning, to earn the win in the final game. Wolf earned the win in relief after allowing one unearned run on three hits, a walk and a strikeout in four innings. Yust tripled and had two hits, three RBI and scored a run. Ledford had two hits and three RBI, while Pankow had a hit, scored twice and drove in two. Ashley Phillips had two hits, an RBI and scored a team-high three runs.
Joplin returns to conference play with a matchup at Carl Junction on Tuesday.
