A recent change to the batting order has helped the Webb City Cardinals put together a strong finish to the fall softball season.
Now, the Cardinals are all set to play for a state championship.
Webb City (27-5) takes on Webster Groves (15-2) at 10 a.m. on Friday in the championship game of the Class 4 state tournament at Killian Softball Complex in Springfield.
It’s Webb City’s first title game appearance since 2013, and the Cardinals will look to secure the program’s third state championship (2004, ’07).
“It’s been several years since Webb City’s been in the Final Four, so we’re excited about that step we’ve made,” Webb City coach Shauna Friend said. “The goal is always to get to the championship game and win it. The girls are excited, full of energy and full of intensity. They’re ready.”
Webb City advanced to the title game with last Saturday’s dominant 10-2 semifinal win at Platte County, while Webster Groves advanced to the finale with a 4-3 win over Rockwood Summit in nine innings.
It’s the first title game appearance for the Statesmen, who have won 10 of 11 games ahead of Friday’s showdown.
“Anyone that gets this far is going to be a solid team,” Friend said. “We’re going to have to come ready to play. We just have to play the way we’ve been playing all season. The girls are upbeat and have a lot of energy. Unfortunately, the weather this week has kept us indoors. But they’re definitely ready for Friday.”
SWITCHING THINGS UP
Coach Friend switched up her team’s batting order ahead of the district championship game with McDonald County. The move has jumpstarted the team’s offense.
Peyton Hawkins was moved from the leadoff spot to the No. 3 position, while Haidyn Berry was moved up to No. 2 from the three-hole. Emma Welch was inserted into the table-setter role as the leadoff hitter.
“Haidyn was starting to get intentionally walked, so we wanted to move her up in the lineup,” Friend said. “Peyton’s been hitting the ball really well all year long, with contact and power. She’s providing good protection behind Haidyn. Emma hasn’t missed a beat at leadoff. She’s great there.”
Simply put, if teams attempt to pitch around Berry, they have to immediately deal with Hawkins and cleanup hitter Alyssa Jennings with a runner on-base.
“We thought the change would benefit us, and it’s worked out real well for us,” Friend said. “You can’t go wrong with those top three in the lineup and Alyssa at cleanup. They’ve been hitting the ball well all year.”
A junior outfielder, Welch is hitting .413 with a .479 on-base percentage. She’s recorded 43 hits, scored 31 runs and driven in 31. A senior two-way standout, Berry is hitting .452 with a .529 on-base percentage. Berry has recorded 47 hits, with 18 home runs and 48 runs batted in. The home run total is second-best in state history for a season (Carlie Sanders of Hillsboro hit 21 in 2017).
A junior shortstop, Hawkins owns a .444 batting average and a .528 on-base percentage. She’s recorded a team-high 48 hits and scored a team-best 44 runs. A senior center fielder, Jennings is hitting .365 with 31 hits, nine homers, 27 runs and 23 RBI. Junior catcher Kaylyn Gilbert bats fifth or sixth. She’s hitting .337 with 33 hits and 23 RBI.
Junior infielder Emalee Lamar hits fifth or sixth and owns a .408 batting average with 40 hits, 29 RBI, 26 runs scored and seven homers. Junior outfielder/designated player Hannah Wells bats seventh in the order and has a .405 batting average with 32 hits and 19 RBI.
Junior second baseman Shea’lee Key and senior infielder Bri Batson hit at the bottom of the order. Key is batting .349 and Batson is hitting .247. Juniors Brynna Cupp, Maggie Crossley and Ripley Shanks are other players who could start in the outfield.
Berry has been dominant in the circle all fall. Berry is 25-5 with a 2.14 ERA. She’s struck out 226 in 186 innings.
She tossed a no-hitter in the district championship game against McDonald County and earned the pitching win against Bolivar in the quarterfinals and Platte County in the semifinals.
A CLOSER LOOK AT WEBSTER GROVES
Webster Groves’ ace in the circle is senior Maddie Buske, who has a record of 11-1 this fall. A 5-foot-4 right-hander, Buske gave up three runs, one earned, on eight hits in the semifinals, striking out six. In her team’s 5-1 quarterfinal win over Farmington, Buske struck out 12 and gave up just two hits. She’s struck out 103 batters in 75-plus innings this season.
Leading hitters for Webster Groves are Hannah Jansen (.609 BA, 39 hits, 39 RBI), Kelly Collins (.537 BA, 36 H, 16 RBI), Myah King (.483 BA, 29H, 25 RBI), Ivy Clark (.411 BA, 23 H, 19 RBI), Carissa Castro (.375 BA, 18 H, 11 RBI) and Ava Fitzgibbon (.357 BA, 15 H, 10 RBI).
In the semifinals, King hit a walk-off single in the ninth after blasting a home run earlier in the contest. Shortstop Collins and catcher Jansen had three hits apiece, while King and Taylor Knapp added two hits apiece.
STATE NOTES
Webb City is ranked first in Class 4 by the Missouri Fastpitch Coaches Association, while Webster Groves is ranked fifth. The Cardinals have already beaten four other ranked opponents—Platte County, Bolivar, McDonald County and Neosho.
The Statesmen average 11 runs per game, while Webb City has scored 8.3 runs per game. Both teams are only allowing three runs per contest.
Friday’s start time was moved up from noon due to Thursday’s games being postponed due to poor field conditions. The earlier start time eliminated a planned send-off for the Cardinals.
One of Webb City’s late-season losses came to Rock Bridge. The Bruins (28-0) face Lee’s Summit North (28-3) in the Class 5 title game.
WEBB CITY’S STATE HISTORY
Webb City last appeared in a championship game in 2013, a 7-1 loss to Lee’s Summit for the Class 4 crown.
Kaitlin Beason was Webb City’s starting pitcher in the game. Desirea Buerge had three hits, while Lacy Resa and Beason added two hits apiece.
Webb City won the Class 3 title in 2007 with a 2-1 win over North Callaway, with Kylie Jones hitting a go-ahead homer in the top of the seventh. The Cardinals beat previously undefeated Cape Notre Dame 3-0 in the semifinals, as Nicole Hudson struck out 15.
The Cardinals won the 2004 championship with an 8-0 win over Kearney, capping an undefeated season. Webb City was the runner-up in 2000, falling to Pleasant Hill 2-1.
WEBB CITY (27-5) VS. WEBSTER GROVES (15-2)
What: Class 4 championship game
When: Friday, 10 a.m.
Where: Killian Softball Complex, Springfield
How to listen: www.kneo.org
How to watch: https://www.mshsaa.tv/
Tickets: Fans can check ticket availability by going to: https://www.mshsaa.org/Activities/Tickets.aspx
