The Lady Tigers softball team won two games on its opening day at the Morrisville Tournament Friday, whipping Walnut Grove 8-0, then toppling Willard 5-4.
In the season opener, freshman Piper Dishman showed she’s ready to face varsity hitters. She struck out 13 batters in a five-inning, one-hit shutout to earn the win. Dishman struck out eight of the first nine batters she faced. The only hit was a fly ball single to lead off the fourth inning, but that base runner was picked off, and Dishman struck out the final five batters of the game.
Annabelle Gerhardt-Hobbs had three of Republic’s seven base hits, and the Lady Tigers scored in all five innings. In the first inning, Jenna Belcher walked and stole second, then scored on a bunt by Addison Walker.
Republic scored a single unearned run in the second to take a 2-0 lead. In the third, Walker drove in another run on a groundout to make it 3-0. The Lady Tigers scored three more in the fourth with help from shaky Walnut Grove defense. EmmaLee Essary had a sacrifice fly for an RBI in that inning. Two more runs came across in the fifth inning .
Walker finished with two hits and two RBIs.
In the second game of the day, Republic scored two runs late to beat Willard 5-4. Jenna Belcher had a key triple to spark the win, and Essary drove her home. Belcher finished with two runs scored and two runs batted in. Addie Brown also had two hits in the win.
Dishman got the win in the circle, pitching four innings and allowing four runs. She struck out five and walked three.
Republic will play in the semifinals at 5 pm Saturday.