Kylie Tomlinson scored on a passed ball in the third inning to put Neosho ahead for good, and freshman Harper Wheeler struck out 13 Republic batters in a 5-3 Neosho win Tuesday in Neosho.
Republic left the tying runs on second and third in the seventh. Kate Stulce walked with one out and Maddie Carter doubled to right, but Mia Carnes and Kendra Goeke both struck out to end the game.
Neosho scored first on a sacrifice fly by Sadee Leach in the first inning. Republic tied it in the second when Maddie Taylor walked, took second and third on passed balls and scored on Kennedy Smithson’s ground out.
Emma Ellison tripled to right field with two outs in the third to score Carnes and Goeke, who had both walked, and Republic led 3-1.
Neosho answered with three runs in the bottom of the inning. Sawyer VanDorn singled and scored on a triple by Kynden Smith, and Smith scored on a ground out by Journey Arnall to tie it at 3. Tomlinson, who reached base on a bunt, scored the go-ahead run on a passed ball.
Arnall doubled in Tomlinson in the fifth for Neosho’s last run.
Jayma Pitchford pitched six innings for Republic and allowed five hits and three walks with two strikeouts. Ellison started a double play from shortstop in the fourth, and Pitchford struck out VanDorn with a runner on second to end the sixth.
Wheeler walked seven and allowed three hits. Carnes singled, Ellison tripled and Carter doubled for Republic’s hits.
The Lady Tigers are 8-19-1. They host Joplin Wednesday at 5 p.m.
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