Annabelle Gerhardt-Hobbs hit a school-record three home runs in one game, and the Lady Tigers won two Saturday games against Jackson and Poplar Bluff. Republic scored a combined 37 runs in the two games, beating Jackson 11-4, then knocking off Poplar Bluff 26-14.
The entire lineup had a great day, but the highlight was Gerhardt-Hobbs’s three bombs in the win over Poplar Bluff. She was 4-for-4 with home runs in the first, third, and fifth innings. She also singled in the second inning and drove in six runs in the game.
Both teams had a hard time getting outs in the first half of the game. Republic led 4-2 after one inning, Poplar Bluff took a 10-8 lead after two, and Poplar Bluff led 14-10 after three innings. But Republic pitchers Kara Goeke and Piper Dishman shut down the Mules from the fourth inning on. The Lady Tigers scored 16 unanswered runs to win going away.
Everyone in the starting lineup had at least one base hit. EmmaLee Essary and Sammi Watson had four apiece. Gracie Woods, Addie Brown, and Lilli Richerson each had three. Essary and Brown each scored four runs. Addison Walker drove in four, and Richerson and Watson drove in three each.
Republic has scored at least 20 runs twice in the past four games. The Lady Tigers beat Carl Junction 20-7 Thursday.
The Missouri State High School Activities Association lists only 31 other players who have hit three or more home runs in a game.
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In the first game of the day, Essary was 4-for-4 with a homer, a double, and two singles against Jackson. (She had eight hits in two games Saturday.) Watson had three hits in the first game game, and Gerhardt-Hobbs had two hits with two RBIs. Goeke was the winning pitcher.
Republic is averaging 11 runs per game over its last 11 games.
Including a 5-3 win over Monett Friday, Republic is now 12-5 this season.