NEOSHO, Mo. — The Neosho Wildcats improved to 6-2 overall and won their third straight game with a 15-0 victory in three innings on Wednesday against the New Covenant Academy Warriors at the Neosho Athletic Complex.
Senior pitcher Chloe Patterson tossed a perfect game and the Wildcats plated three runs in the first, four in the second, and eight in the third during a game that lasted just under an hour.
Neosho returned home Wednesday for a non-conference game between Central Ozark Conference road games Tuesday (Nixa) and Thursday (Republic).
“You throw a perfect game and run-rule them in three innings, it’s the shortest amount that you can play,” Neosho coach Catie Cummins said. “You hope to feel pretty good. … We feel good. I just felt like we did not hit the ball as hard as we could, and there were just a few things. I realize we got the outs available, and Chloe had a great game, but we need to be a little bit sharper with our effort in other areas.
“It’s hard when you play a big game the night before and win and come home and it’s not the same caliber of team. I understand that, but we got the win and got the job done. I sound a little nitpicky, but with great teams, you’ve got to be a little nitpicky.”
Patterson struck out seven Warrior hitters and Grace Johnson’s two-run triple in the third highlighted Neosho’s offensive production.
The Wildcats recorded 13 hits—two apiece from Autumn Kinnaird, Beclynn Garrett, Abbie Carpenter and Olivia Emery.
Carpenter drove in three runs, while Kinnaird scored three times.
Neosho vies for a 2-0 start in conference play when the Wildcats visit Republic on Thursday.
“Another big game,” Cummins said. “If we go in and get that game, we’re up 2-0 in conference and sitting pretty good after playing two of the toughest teams in the conference. I’m excited to go on the road again and play well. I think we should win that game and continue on a roll.”
Additionally, the win against Nixa and the potential win against Republic would also benefit Neosho in district seeding because they are three of the six COC schools in the eight-team Class 5 District 5.
Neosho defeated Nixa 2-1 on Tuesday in a game that will be remembered for the duel between Neosho freshman Olivia Emery and Nixa senior Madison Meierer in the circle.
“I can’t say we’re surprised by that (win), because we know what we’re capable of, but I know when that score was tweeted, others were surprised,” Cummins said. “It was huge for us, huge for our program. Our seniors, they wanted that one and they went and got it. Olivia was nails on the mound. We had some diving plays. We had line drives caught that could have easily been hits. We played very well, and I was so pleased. We got a lot of messages from other coaches around Neosho, a lot of teachers, so it was nice for them to realize how big of a win it was, as well.”
