Local Briefs

May 04, 2008 12:39 am

— From staff reports
Crowder advances to region final
COLUMBIA, Mo. — Top-seeded Crowder College advanced to the championship game of the Region XVI softball tournament with a 6-1 victory over Jefferson College on Saturday.
The Roughriders, 50-7 overall, will play JeffCo again at noon today in the double elimination tournament. With a victory, Crowder would advance to the District K playoffs, a best-of-three series with the Iowa winner. A JeffCo win today would force a deciding game.
Alex Peters threw a three-hitter and Katie Rackliff and Hollee Statum both homered for the ’Riders on Saturday.
Peters didn’t allow a walk, struck out 11 and gave up only a seventh-inning solo homer to Tori Long.
Statum hit a solo homer in the third for Crowder and Rackliff added a two-run shot in the fourth. Alaina Burkhart and Cassie Martin had two hits each for the Neosho team.
JeffCo came back through the losers’ bracket with a 5-4 victory over North Central.
Cassville seeded 2nd in baseball district
WILLARD, Mo. — The Cassville High School baseball team is seeded second behind Republic in the Class 3 District 11 Tournament slated May 12-15.
Monett, which won District 11 last season at Bolivar, and Bolivar are seeded third and fourth, respectively.
The opening round will be held on May 12 with Aurora vs. Republic at noon, Willard vs. Bolivar at 2:30 p.m., Reeds Spring vs. Cassville at 5 and Branson vs. Monett at 7:30.
Semifinals are scheduled on May 13 at 1 p.m. and 4. The championship game is set for 6 p.m. on May 15.
ESU tops Jennies
in 14 innings 4-0
SHAWNEE, Kan. — Emporia State’s Samantha Sheeley held Central Missouri hitless for 13 innings, and the Lady Hornets scored four runs in the 14th for a 4-0 victory Saturday, giving ESU its fifth consecutive MIAA Softball Tournament championship.
Sheeley (24-6), the league’s pitcher of the year, retired 25 consecutive batters during one stretch and finished with 19 strikeouts while facing just five batters over the minimum. She lost her no-hit bid on Katie Bauer’s leadoff single to left field in the 14th.
Central Missouri pitcher Megan Leonard, a graduate of Purdy High School and transfer from Crowder, allowed eight hits and fanned 14 in 12 innings. Kelly Martin (3-2) pitched the last two innings.
Aubree Brattin’s infield hit began the Emporia State 14th, and an error and Jessie Wiard’s bunt single loaded the bases.
A forceout at the plate and popup produced two outs before sophomore Miranda Campbell doubled to score two runs. Senior April Huddleston followed with a single to score two more runs.
Emporia State (40-15) earned the MIAA’s automatic North Central Regional bid. The regional begins Wednesday at Emporia State.
Central Missouri (36-20) likely will receive an at-large bid to the regional.