The Lady Cardinals advanced to the semi-finals of the Missouri state Class 4 softball championships with a 6-2 victory over Columbia Hickman on Saturday afternoon.

The game, played under bright sunshine and cool temperatures, started slow as both teams were set down in order in each of the first three innings.  The Kewpies threatened in the top of the fourth as a one out double and a two out single put runners on the corner before a strike out ended the inning.

The Cardinals broke through in their half of the fourth.  Lacy Resa laced a one out double to left center and Kaitlin Beason was handed an intentional walk.  Desirea Buerge doubled under the glove of the left fielder, scoring Resa but Beason was out on a play at the plate as Buerge advanced to third.  Morgan Lammey then slapped a run scoring single to left as the Cardinals took a 2-0 lead.

Webb City batted around in the fourth as they scored four unearned runs.  Mikaela Burgess led off with a single but was forced out at second on a Megan Heman ground ball.  Asia Bemo walked and a Resa ground ball resulted in force out at third.  Kaitlin Beason reached on a throwing error by the Hickman third baseman with Bemo scoring on the play.  The Kewpies elected to walk Buerge, and Lammey then drilled a single right back up the middle to score Resa and Beason.  Samantha Gilstrap drove in the final run with a base hit.

Hickman, kept off balance all game by Beason, mounted a threat in the top of the seventh.  They were able to score three runs before Beason ended the game with a strike out.

Beason pitched the entire game, only allowing six hits while striking out ten.  

Lammey and Gilstrap led the team with two hits each and Lammey drove in three runs.  Resa and Buerge each scored twice.

The Lady Cardinals (21-4) will play Eureka (26-4) on Friday afternoon at 1:00