JOPLIN 10, CARTHAGE 6
CARTHAGE, Mo. — Carthage held a 6-5 lead heading into the seventh inning when Joplin rallied for five runs and the eventual win in the Central Ozark Conference opener on Tuesday.
Joplin’s Jadyn Pankow led off the top of the seventh with a walk in front of Riley Kelly’s single before Taryn Casey sacrificed them up to second and third with a bunt. Gracie Williamson delivered the first big hit with a game-tying single up the middle to plate a run. Lily Glover followed with an infield hit to score the go-ahead run. Maria Loum singled to center field with two outs later in the inning to bring home a run and Abby Lowery added an RBI single to center to wrap the scoring for the Eagles.
Carthage loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the inning, but a pop out and a strikeout ended the threat.
Ava Wolf started and took a no-decision after allowing five runs, one earned, on eight hits, two walks and three strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings. Caelyn Bobski earned the win in relief after allowing one run on two hits, five walks and two strikeouts in 1 2/3 innings.
Addie Wallace took the loss after allowing 10 runs, eight earned, on 14 hits, three walks and two strikeouts in seven innings.
Pankow led the Eagles at the plate with three hits, a two-run home run in the top of the fifth and two doubles, three RBI and two runs scored. Lowery had two hits, two RBI and scored twice, while Loum had two hits, two RBI and scored a run. Kelly, Glover and Bailey Ledford had two hits each, with Kelly and Ledford each scoring a run.
Lexa Youngblood had three hits, including a double, and an RBI for the Tigers. Brooklynn Dolon-Main had two hits and scored twice. Jenna Calhoon doubled and scored a run.
Joplin (7-5, 1-0 COC) hosts Branson on Thursday.
Carthage (6-5, 3-1 COC) hosts Ozark on Thursday.
NEOSHO 8, NIXA 7
NEOSHO, Mo. — After Nixa scored a run in the top half of the inning to take a two-run lead, Neosho rallied with a three-run seventh to earn the walk-off win over the Eagles in the Central Ozark Conference opener on Tuesday.
Trailing 7-5 with three outs left, the Wildcats loaded the bases with the first three batters reaching on a walk by Kynden Smith, a single from Beclynn Garrett and a walk by Carleigh Kinnaird before Journey Arnall drove home two with a one-out single to right to tie the game at 7-7. After a strikeout for the second out in the inning and an intentional walk to load the bases, Ashlyn Stevens brought home the winning run on a fielder’s choice bunt, with the throw going home not in time.
Kinnaird started and took a no-decision after allowing six runs, four earned, on six hits, two walks and seven strikeouts in five innings of work. Olivia Emery earned the win after allowing one run on two hits and three strikeouts in two innings of work.
Paige Garetson took the loss after allowing three runs on two hits, three walks and four strikeouts in 1 2/3 relief innings. Brienne Chilton started and took a no-decision after allowing five runs on seven hits, two walks and four strikeouts in five innings.
Garrett had three hits, including a double, to lead Neosho at the plate. She also had a team-high three runs scored. Addy Hart had two hits and a team-high three RBI. Journey Arnall had a hit and two RBI for the Wildcats.
Neosho hosts Republic on Thursday.
