The Republic softball team jumped on top of Carthage from the very beginning and never looked back in an 8-1 road win Thursday. The Lady Tigers scored three runs in the first inning and two more in the second to build an early 5-0 lead, then cruised behind a strong pitching performance by Avery Romans.
In the top of the first inning, Republic didn’t need to do very much to get on the scoreboard. Kaitlyn Ragsdale was hit by a pitch, Megan Weis reached on an error while trying to sacrifice, AJ Fenske was hit by a pitch, and Katie Anderson walked, making the score 1-0. Weis scored on a passed ball, and Fenske scored on a sacrifice fly by Riley Laub.
In the second inning, Republic scored two more runs after two were out. Ragsdale singled and stole second and third, then scored on a single by Weis. Weis stole second and came around on a hit by Fenske.
The Lady Tigers tacked on another run in the fifth when Fenske slugged her fourth homer of the year to lead off the inning. That made the score 6-0. In the top of the seventh, singles by Romans and Laub set up an RBI groundout by Emma White and an RBI single by Jaiden Gibbs.
Carthage scored its only run in the bottom of the seventh inning on a single and a fielder’s choice groundout later in the inning.
Romans had one of her best pitching performances of the season, going the distance and striking out six. She scattered nine hits over seven innings and didn’t walk a batter.
Ragsdale was 3-for-3 and scored twice. Fenske was 2-for-3 with a walk, a homer, and two runs batted in.
Republic improves to 9-4 overall. They’re 4-0 in the Central Ozark Conference.
Two scheduled games for Saturday were canceled earlier in the season. Republic’s next game is Tuesday at home against Willard.
