From staff reports

sports@joplinglobe.com

WEBB CITY, Mo. — Laney Kneib’s single drove in the winning run in the 13th inning as Webb City edged Republic 2-1 Wednesday afternoon in the completion of a suspended softball game.

The Cardinals (19-3) captured the Central Ozark Conference Large Division championship with a 7-0 record.

The game began on Sept. 9 and was tied 1-1 when it was halted by darkness after 11 innings. Republic (15-3, 2-3 COC) scored on Hailey Johnson’s two-out home run in the first inning, and the Cardinals tied it on Morgan Coleman’s leadoff homer in the fourth.

In the 13th, the Cardinals’ Nicole Hudson walked, took second on Kylie Jones’ sacrifice and scored on Kneib’s single to left-center field.

Hudson struck out 20 batters — including five in two innings on Wednesday — and walked four while allowing nine hits. Republic’s Jamie Holmes also gave up nine hits, fanned 17 and walked three.

The Cardinals entertain Nevada at 4:30 p.m. today.

Bird wins medalist honors

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Carl Junction’s Natalie Bird won medalist honors in the Missouri State Relays at the Bill & Payne Stewart Course.

Bird and Mount Vernon’s Jenna Brewer shot identical rounds of 77, 6-over par, during their rounds.

Bird won the championship in a playoff.

Kickapoo won the team championship with a 336 total, 32 strokes in front of runnerup Camdenton.

Rolla was third at 370, followed by Mount Vernon (376), Lebanon (379) and Carl Junction (384) in a field of 17 schools.

Riley Lauber shot a 94 for Carl Junction and Paige Drummond and Adysen Conley were at 106 and 107, respectively.