Good as Gold

Republic second baseman Taylor Gold emerged from her hitting slump in a big way, hitting her first two home runs of the season and driving in five runs in a 9-8 win at Nixa Tuesday night. Gold drove in five runs to lead the Lady Tigers, who also got homers from Kami Holt and Emily Hall (see video above).

Coach Lee Dishman says the big night for Gold will give her a confidence boost she’s been needing.

“Taylor’s been struggling. We’ve been working with her on some different things, and tonight she got through those things. It got into her mind that she can hit the ball,” Dishman says. “The first home run was a legit home run. It would have been out of any park. The second home run, we got the benefit of where we’re playing, but we’ll take it.”

Gold’s long first-inning homer gave Republic a 4-0 lead. Her second one barely cleared the short fence, but may have been more important. It came in the 3rd inning after Nixa had grabbed a 5-4 lead, and it scored Holt and Lauren Strobel to make the score 7-5 Lady Tigers.

Nixa played longball, as well, fighting back against Rachel Rook. They took an 8-7 lead in the bottom of the 5th on a two-run homer by Sydney Samuel, Nixa’s third home run of the game.

Republic answered again one final time in the top of the 6th. Kami Holt hit a long home run to center field to tie the game leading off the inning. One out later, Hall homered to center field, too, giving the Lady Tigers a lead they wouldn’t relinquish.

Rachel Rook picked up the win, despite struggling. She allowed 14 base hits and eight earned runs.

Holt was 4-for-4 for Republic with three runs scored and two runs batted in. Hall was 3-for-4.

Republic improves to 9-3 overall and 2-1 in the Central Ozark Conference.