BY JIM HENRY
A solid performance in all phases in victories over Carthage and Republic earned Webb City the Class 4 District 11 softball championship this past week.
"I was very pleased," Cardinals coach Shauna Friend said. "Haidyn (Berry) was definitely a dominating force in the circle, and our hitting, up and down the lineup we are swinging the bat well. It's nice to be able to pick each other up throughout the lineup. If the top isn't hitting, the bottom pics them up. It's worked out well throughout the season.
"I feel like everybody did their part, did their role, did everything it took to make sure we got a district win."
The 4-0 district championship victory saw Berry strike out 12 batters and walk none while pitching a five-hitter, and seven players contributed to a 12-hit attack, including two hits apiece by Keira Jackson, Stacy Tyndall, Alyssa Jennings, Karson Culver and Taylor Harris.
Tyndall, the No. 3 hitter in the lineup, is batting .539 for the season "and really seeing the ball well right now," Friend said.
Peyton Hawkins, Jackson, Berry, Culver and Reanna Blinzler are all hitting over .400 for the season, according to Friend.
The district title advances the Cardinals (21-6) into today's state sectional game against Raymore-Peculiar (23-5). Game time is 6 p.m. at the Webb City High School field.
Ray-Pec encountered little drama while winning the District 12 crown, beating Belton 6-1 and Lee's Summit 13-0.
Ray-Pec has won six of its past nine games since a 14-game winning streak that covered most of September.
"I've heard they have good pitching, and I've heard their hitters can swing it," Friend said. "That should be the case if you're still playing."
The Cardinals have outscored their opponents by an average of 7.4-3.1 this season, and Ray-Pec owns a 6.5-1.8 scoring advantage. Raytown and Blue Springs are common opponents. Webb City beat Raytown 15-0 and lost to Blue Springs 8-4, and Ray-Pec has a forfeit victory over Raytown and split two games with Blue Springs, both by 4-3 scores.
Webb City's probable lineup has Peyton Hawkins at shortstop, Jackson in left field, Tyndall in center field, Berry at pitcher, Jennings at second base, Culver at
third base, Harris at catcher, Emma Welch in right field and Blinzler at first base.
The Cardinals have reached the state tournament for the second time in three years and ninth time in the past 13 years.
Ray-Pec is in the state tournament for the second straight year. Last year, it defeated Central Ozark Conference schools Republic 11-2 and Ozark 9-2 en route to a third-place finish and 25-8 record.
Today's winner advances to Saturday's quarterfinal game against the winner between Rolla (18-11) and Kickapoo (23-5), who play today in Rolla. The Cardinals would be on the road against either team, and Ray-Pec would be at home against Rolla or at Kickapoo.
Joplin Globe 10/23/2019 (Used by permission)