Republic’s bats came alive in a big way Thursday night, as the Lady Tigers bounced back from Tuesday’s tough loss at Waynesville with a dominant 12-2 victory over Lebanon at home. The offensive turnaround was thorough – Republic pounded out 15 hits after managing just six in their previous game.
Addie Brown and Mia Carnes led the offensive explosion, each going 4-for-4. Brown drove in three runs and scored three times, while Carnes scored three times and drove in one.
Lebanon wasted a big chance in the first inning. The first four batters reached base safely, but the Yellowjackets failed to score after a runner was caught stealing. Piper Dishman retired two batters with the bases loaded to get out of the jam.
Republic wasted no time taking control. In the bottom of the first inning, Carnes singled ahead of Brown’s RBI double. Piper Dishman followed with another RBI double, and Kara Goeke’s groundout scored Brown to make it 2-0. Maddie Taylor doubled to drive in pinch-runner Madi Chevalier to put Republic ahead 3-0.
The Lady Tigers extended their lead to 6-0 in the second. After Emma Ellison walked and Kaityn Stewart sacrificed her to second, Brown drove home Ellison with a hit. Two more runs scored on an RBI single by Dishman.
Republic broke it open with a four-run third inning. Maddie Taylor and Maddie Carter led off the inning with back-to-back singles. After a double play, an error, and a walk, Carnes blasted a three-run double to the right center field fence to make it 9-0. Brown doubled home Carnes to give Republic a 10-run lead.
Lebanon finally got on the board in the fifth with two runs, but Republic answered immediately in the bottom half. Grace Worthy singled and Stewart pinch-ran for her, scoring later on a bunt single by Carnes. Brown singled home another run to end the game early at 12-2.
“I think first of all, our team was just really eager to get in there and score runs because Tuesday obviously didn’t go the way we wanted to go, so I think we were all really fired up,” Brown said. “I know the pitching that we’ve been facing lately has been slower, so my mentality personally was to try to just drive the ball to right field.”
Carnes credited the team’s preparation for the turnaround. “I think we were just more locked in, more ready to play than we were in the previous games. I feel like our practice really helped us since we’ve been struggling a little bit, and my mentality was really just to go up there and do my best.”
Brown said a touch practice on Wednesday helped set the stage for Thursday’s outburst. “We did do a lot of running yesterday, but I think it was very necessary. We just kind of had to grow in our mental toughness,” she said. “Softball, it’s a game of failure, and when things don’t go your way, you just have to learn how to tough through it and keep your head up. The intensity has increased, but it’s exactly what we’ve been needing.”
Dishman started and worked the first two innings before giving way to Goeke. Dishman allowed one hit, walked three and struck out three, but didn’t allow a run. Goeke allowed two runs on two hits in three innings, striking out five.
The Lady Tigers improved their record to 6-3 with the victory. They compete in the Fall Festival Tournament this weekend at home.
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