Freshman Rachel Rook turned in a great performance in her varsity debut, and the Republic Lady Tigers came from behind to beat Monett on the road in their season opener 3-2. Rook allowed just one earned run, striking out seven and giving up five hits. She walked one.
The highlight of Rook’s night was the bottom of the 7th, when she pitched around a leadoff triple by Brooke Burnside to preserve the one-run victory.
“I knew we could hold them,” Rook says of her defense. “I knew they’d have my back.”
Caty Eby, in particular, had Rook’s back on the very next play. With Burnside representing the tying run on 3rd base, Allie Krueger popped the ball into shallow left field. Eby made a diving catch, then threw to 3rd base to retire Burnside after she left too early. Bolstered by the defensive gem, Rook struck out the final batter to seal the win.
“We’re a young group and all week I just kept telling them, ‘Things are going to go wrong. We’re going to make mistakes. If we can just keep rolling, keep our heads up, keep going, things are going to go right sooner or later.’
“Our girls just hung on and kept their heads up and kept moving,” Dishman says.
The Lady Tigers had fallen behind 1-0 in the 1st inning when Krueger singled home Kelsey Wiseman. Republic tied the game when Morgan Cantrell scored on an error in the top of the 3rd. But Monett answered to retake the lead 2-1 on a sacrifice fly by Wiseman in the bottom of the inning.
The score stayed that way until a two-out rally in the 6th. Abby Norris reached on an error, and Taylor Gold tripled to right field to tie the game. After Emily Hall Walked, Morgan Cantrell singled home the go-ahead run to make the score 3-2.
Rook pitched around a two-out double in the 6th, then got out of bigger trouble in the 7th to earn the victory.
Monett (1-1) wasted a strong outing by Krueger on the mound. She struck out seven, allowed six hits and three walks, and did not allow an earned run.
Danielle Shelton was 2-for-4 for the Lady Tigers. Gold and Morgan Cantrell each chipped in with an RBI.
The Lady Tigers will be at home for the first time this season Friday against Springfield Glendale.
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