Republic softball walked a tightrope in Joplin and held on with a throw and a tag. Paige Elsenraat’s strike from center field and Maddie Carter’s tag at the plate slammed the door on a seventh-inning Joplin rally, sealing a 4–3 Republic win Tuesday night.
The Lady Eagles led 3–1 after four innings, taking advantage of a sacrifice fly and an infield error. But Republic clawed back. Emma Ellison’s soft fly ball to left in the sixth was dropped, and two runs scored to tie the game. In the seventh, with two aboard, Mia Carnes drilled a double to right that plated the go-ahead run.
Kara Goeke earned the win in relief, shutting down Joplin’s offense over the final four innings. She scattered two hits, struck out two, and walked none.
The game’s final act belonged to the defense. With the tying run rounding third on Ella Watts’s single, Elsenraat threw a strike to Carter, who applied the tag as the runner slid, ending the game.
Ellison finished with two hits, including a double, and Carnes scored twice and drove in the winner.
Republic improved its record to 11-12. The Lady Tigers play Kickapoo October 2.
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