The Lady Cardinals wasted little time in keeping Parkview winless as they exploded for 14 runs in the first inning. With their first COC West Division win, they were able to celebrate the accomplishments of this years senior group after the final out was made.
With each senior in the starting lineup, the offense never skipped a beat, sending 18 hitters to the plate in the first inning. Liz Rhuems led off the game with triple down the left field line and scored on the next swing as Abby Sargent lifted a sacrifice fly to center field. A base hit, walk and hit batter loaded the bases. Laney Taylor drove in run number two with a single to left. Addie Burns drove in the next run on a fielders choice. The Cardinals now led 3-0 but there were two outs in the inning. Another 11 batters would make it to the plate and 11 more runs would score before the third out was made.
A Lily Hall single was followed by a three run blast from Alex Maturino that easily cleared the left center field fence. Rhuems, in her second appearance of the inning, tripled once again. Abby Sargent reached on an error before Addison Brown followed with a triple of her own. The Vikings contributed several errors in the inning that the Cardinal hitters took advantage of. Coach Shauna Friend was able to pinch hit freely as the inning continued with 12 different hitters among the 18 plate appearances. When the inning came to a close, Webb City had scored 14 runs on 11 hits in the inning.
Scoring three more runs in the second inning, the Cardinals were able to shorten the game to only a three inning, 57 minute contest.
Laney Taylor pitched the first two innings, striking out four, with Addy Brown pitching the third and striking out the side to end the game.
Afterwards, the team ended the night with a salute to this years seniors; Laney Taylor, Emily Wood, Rylynn McFarland and Addison Brown.
Webb City will take part in the Springfield tournament this weekend, traveling to Monett on Monday before returning home with a COC meeting with Ozark on Tuesday.