Familiar Playoff Foe Comes to Town for Softball Quarterfinal

Editor’s Note:
Republic Tiger Sports will stream the game on MSHSAA.tv. You can sign up to watch the game here. Live audio will also be available at republictigersports.com/live.

Six years ago, Republic’s postseason run ended 140 miles from home against the same opponent it will face Monday. That night, Ray-Pec pitcher Camryn Stickel struck out 16 batters to end Republic’s season in an 11–2 loss at Ray-Pec. This time, the rematch will take place in Republic, with a trip to the state semifinals on the line.

(See the photo gallery from Republic’s last state sectional game in 2018 here. Here is the game recap.)

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Republic (22–14) hosts Raymore-Peculiar (22–4) in a Class 5 state quarterfinal at 1:00 p.m. Saturday, weather permitting. The Lady Tigers earned their spot by winning the District 5 title in Ozark, beating Branson, Nixa, and Ozark in succession. Their championship win was the most dramatic—Republic trailed 3–0 before rallying for a 5–4 walk-off victory when Kara Goeke singled home Paige Elsenraat in the bottom of the seventh.

Ray-Pec enters with 18 straight wins after surviving two close games in district play. The Panthers edged Lee’s Summit West 4–3 and Neosho 2–1 to capture their own district crown. Their only losses this season have come against Millard North (Nebraska), Broken Arrow (Oklahoma), Owasso (Oklahoma), and Kearney (Missouri).

The teams have met twice before. Ray-Pec won the 2018 sectional and also beat Republic 8–7 in the 2021 Fall Festival Tournament. This year, they share five common opponents—Republic went 3–3 in those matchups (including two games with Ozark), while Ray-Pec won all five.

This is the first home playoff game for Republic since an eight-inning sectional loss at home against Ozark in 2014. It’s the first state quarterfinal since the most dramatic win in Republic softball history, a 4–2 win over Southern Boone, thanks to a walk-off grand slam by Hailey Johnson. You can see that home run here.

Quarterfinal tickets are digital and can be purchased here.

Republic Tiger Sports will stream the game on MSHSAA.tv. You can sign up to watch the game here.
Live audio will also be available at republictigersports.com/live.