Republic opened play in the Ozarks Fall Festival Tournament with two losses Friday before turning things around in the third game of the day. Republic lost to Rolla and Eureka, then knocked off Smithville to finish the day 1-2.
Friday morning, the two teams combined to score 17 runs in the first two innings. Rolla led 5-2 after one inning, and each team scored five times in the second. Eventually the Bulldogs stretched their lead to 12-7 before Republic began chipping away at the lead. Republic scored two in the fourth and two in the fifth before the game ended, but came up short.
Annabelle Gerhardt-Hobbs and Piper Dishman each homered for Republic in a losing cause.
Against Eureka Friday afternoon, a three-run sixth-inning helped the Wildcats win in the late innings. The game was tied at 5-5 when Eureka took the lead for good in the sixth. EmmaLee Essary had four base hits for the Lady Tigers, including two doubles.
In the nightcap, Essary and Dishman each had three base hits, and two of Essary’s hits were home runs. Addison Walker knocked in three runs for the Lady Tigers, who improved to 6-4 at the end of the day.