Kami Holt was 3-for-4 with a home run and a triple. Emily Hall also homered for the Lady Tigers. Sydney Phillips had two hits for the Lady Tigers as well, driving in two runs.
The offensive outburst helped Republic overcome a shaky start by pitcher Rachel Rook. She struck out five and only allowed four hits, but she walked seven batters and hit two others.
Rook pitched out of bases-loaded jams in the 5th and 6th innings, with the help of sterling defense, to preserve Republic’s big lead. The biggest play happened in the bottom of the 5th, when Neosho loaded the bases with nobody out. Kylie Bach hit a line drive to left field and Morgan Cantrell charged in, dropped to her knees, and tried to make the catch. When the ball bounced out of her glove, Cantrell picked it up and fired it home to force out the runner at home plate. Then catcher Emily Hall, realizing the runner on second base had never advanced to third, threw the ball to third baseman Lauren Strobel to complete a 7-2-5 double play.
The Lady Tigers got another double play in the 7th inning when Cantrell caught a line drive and doubled a runner off second base.
The victory was the 23rd of the year for Republic, breaking a school record for wins in a season. The Lady Tigers are 23-5 as they head into the district championship game. That game will be played Wednesday night at 6 p.m. Republic Tiger Sports will broadcast the game from Carthage.
The Lady Tigers will play either Webb City or Carthage.
