BY JASON PEAKE
Webb City's bats had been mostly kept silent through four innings on Thursday night. But once the bottom of the fifth arrived, the Cardinals finally made some noise.
Top-seeded Webb City rode a pair of fifth-inning home runs and some late insurance to a 7-2 come-from-behind win over fifth-seeded Carthage in a semifinal contest of the Class 4 District 11 softball tournament at Fair Acres Sports Complex.
"We were a little slow with our bats early, but we were confident the girls were going to come through and get the offense going," Webb City coach Shauna Friend said. "And they did just that. They kept their composure and stayed together as a team."
In the second semifinal, second-seeded Republic finished strong in a 12-4 win over third-seeded Neosho.
Webb City (19-6) and Republic (18-9) will meet for the district championship at 5 tonight.
WEBB CITY, 7-2
The Cardinals were trailing 2-0 when the game-changing bottom half of the fifth arrived.
Keira Jackson got things started by blasting a solo home run to straightaway center. Stacy Tyndall then reached on an error and Haidyn Berry launched a go-ahead, two-run home run over the fence in left field.
"I knew we needed to score those runs," said Berry, a junior pitcher who went 2-for-3 with three RBI. "She brought the pitch right down the middle and I took it out. I just had to do what I could for my team."
"Knowing Haidyn, I knew she was bound and determined to drive that ball somewhere," Friend said.
After the Tigers stranded a pair of runners in the top of the sixth, the Cardinals extended their lead in the bottom half as Taylor Harris walked, Emma Welch reached on an error before Reanna Blinzler delivered a tworun single to left.
Later in the frame, Berry and Alyssa Jennings contributed run-scoring singles to make it a fiverun game. "It was really good to get some more runs there," Friend said. "It gave us some security."
The Tigers (13-16) were unable to rally late in the gam, and saw their season come to an end.
"It was a good game and it just got away from us at the end," Carthage coach Mike Godfrey said. "I'm so proud of our players. They went out and competed. We can walk away from that one with no regrets."
Berry, the lone Cardinal with multiple hits, earned the victory after limiting the Tigers to two runs on seven hits while striking out seven in a complete-game effort.
"When we were down, I told my teammates, 'We're not losing this game,' " Berry said. "I had to do my part. I was a little iffy early, but (catcher) Taylor and I eventually got on the same page."
Carthage senior Emily Calhoon was charged with the loss, but she kept her squad in the game. Calhoon, who pitched nine scoreless innings one night earlier, allowed seven runs on five hits and struck out seven.
"Emily threw a great game and I'm proud of the way she competed," Godfrey said.
Landry Cochran and Katie Crowe had two hits apiece for the Tigers, who scored a single tally in the second when Crowe scored from third on a wild pitch. Carthage took a 2-0 lead in the top of the fifth when Crowe walked and later scored on Mary Grace Richmond's fielder's choice.
"Carthage did a great job," Friend said. "They were ready to play. They gave us a great game. I was just happy our girls stuck together and pulled this one out."
Republic beat Webb City in last year's district title game, but the Central Ozark Conference champion Cardinals topped the Tigers 4-1 in this year's lone meeting.