NEOSHO, Mo. — There have been a plethora of Central Ozark Conference softball games this season that featured a bevy of runs crossing the plate, but Tuesday’s matchup with Neosho hosting Joplin was not one of them.
The Eagles and Wildcats found themselves in a pitcher’s duel, with Joplin taking the initial advantage before Neosho scraped back to take the lead and held onto it the rest of the way en route to a 4-3 win that had conference and district implications.
“I thought we could have been a little cleaner on defense, but I was really, really proud of how we just gritted our teeth and made some plays in the field,” Neosho coach Catie Cummins said. “Carleigh (Kinnaird) threw great and worked out a couple of jams. We did just enough to squeak by with those four runs. … At the end of the day, having these tough wins that make you kind of bow your neck at the end are what takes teams through the postseason. I would have loved to score more runs, but I am just pleased with how we finished the game. That puts us in a good spot to know that we have been in tough situations against one of the best lineups in Missouri.”
IN THE CIRCLE
Carleigh Kinnaird earned the complete-game win in the circle for the Wildcats after allowing three runs, one earned, on seven hits, a walk and nine strikeouts in seven innings.
Caelyn Bobski started and took the loss for Joplin after allowing three runs, two earned, on five hits, a walk and two strikeouts in four innings. Ava Wolf allowed one run on three hits in two relief innings.
“I was very pleased with the pitching today from our sophomores,” Joplin coach Brenden Schneider said. “Bob did a great job. When you only give up two hard hits all game, that is credit to what our girls have done. The experience they have from pitching so many innings this year will put us in a great spot later on. They have done everything asked of them and I’ve been very pleased.”
GAME ACTION
The Eagles started the scoring in the top of the first when Jadyn Pankow picked up an RBI on a groundout with runners on second and third and no outs for a 1-0 lead.
Neosho tied the game up in the bottom of the second inning when Olivia Emery grounded out with runners on the corners to force home a run and make the score 1-1.
The Wildcats jumped in front in the third inning when Autumn Kinnaird led off the inning with a double to right field before scoring on a sacrifice fly from Beclynn Garrett.
“I will brag and brag and brag about the bottom of our lineup because 7, 8 and 9 were so clutch for us,” Cummins said. “We got bunts down and had some great at-bats. … When you look at the difference in the game, that was a huge part of it.”
In the next at-bat, Carleigh Kinnaird gave herself some insurance when she smacked a ball to the opposite field over the wall in right-center for a solo homer and a 3-1 advantage.
The Eagles cut the lead to one in the top of the fifth after Maria Loum, who reached on an error, came around to score on a wild pitch with two outs in the inning to make the score 3-2. Joplin had the tying run on third but failed to push it across.
“We missed some opportunities on offense and kind of shot ourselves in the foot on defense,: Schneider said. “Which has kind of been something that we have done this year. And in close games, you can’t do that if you want to win.”
Joplin’s Libby Munn led off the sixth inning with a sharp double to left field to get the tying run in scoring position but Kinnaird struck out the next three Eagles to end the threat.
“She did a great job,” Cummins said. “Since they have such a good lineup, we tweaked the game plan a little bit and I am really pleased with how she adjusted. She is gritty and tough as nails and wants to win so badly. … Overall, I am very pleased with her and the maturity she has shown on the mound.”
Avyn Blair singled in front of a double by Emery before Ashlyn Stevens reached on a bunt to load the bases with no outs for Neosho in the bottom of the sixth. Kynden Smith gave the Wildcats insurance with a one-out sacrifice fly to left field to plate a run and push the lead to 4-2.
Joplin refused to go away quietly, as Bailey Ledford reached with two outs in the seventh on a single to left before taking second on a heads-up play on the throw back in. Abby Lowery beat out an infield hit in the next at-bat, with Ledford coming all the way around from second to slide in safe at the plate and cut the deficit to 4-3.
Kinnaird induced a groundout with runners on first and second to end the threat and the game.
“I was really pleased with how we gutted it out,” Cummins said. “ I was talking to my family after the game and I told them I feel like I’ve been hit by a train, and I am sure the girls feel that way, too. It was just gutsy. I am proud of our fight.”
AT THE PLATE
Autumn Kinnaird and Emery each doubled on the way to two hits and a run scored apiece. Emery added an RBI. Carleigh Kinnaird homered, drove in one and scored once. Garrett had a hit and drove in one for Neosho.
Ledford had three hits and scored twice for Joplin. Munn doubled and had two hits, while Lowery and Pankow each had a hit and an RBI.
ON DECK
Neosho (21-5, 6-1 COC) is at Willard on Thursday.
Joplin (13-11, 3-4 COC) is at Nixa on Thursday.
