From staff reports
sports@joplinglobe.com
JOPLIN, Mo. —
Joplin grabbed an early five-run lead en route to a 13-9 victory over Carroll County on Sunday night in the opening game of the Missouri Little League Softball Junior Division state tournament at the Blinzler Softball Complex.
Joplin, however, dropped its second game 23-17 to Columbia on Monday afternoon and faced undefeated Hillsboro in its final pool-play game on Monday night. Hillsboro won its first two games 17-7 over Columbia and 16-6 over Carroll County.
Hailey Mason hit two singles for Joplin in its first contest, and Alivia Plassman contributed a double during a seven-run fifth inning that gave Joplin a 13-4 lead.
Tierra Winn, Hunter Summers and Courtney Familnar all had two hits for Carroll County.
On Monday Columbia led Joplin 3-1 after four innings before the teams combined for 36 runs in the final three frames. Joplin plated nine runs in the bottom of the sixth to take a 16-15 lead before Columbia answered with eight runs in the seventh.
Mason belted a double and triple to pace Joplin’s 11-hit attack. Leah Rader and Clara Gillum both had two hits, including a triple by Rader.
Kit Sublett hit a single and double for Columbia.
Senior Division
Joplin dropped its first two games in the Senior Division state, bowing 13-4 to LaCoMo East on Sunday night and 24-19 to Columbia on Monday morning.
Leadoff batter Chelsea Winter had three hits for LaCoMo East, and Chelsea Hollran hit a home run during a five-run first inning.
Joplin’s offense included a single and triple by leadoff batter Casee Wheeler, two singles by Rachel Anderson and a double by Sunday English.
Columbia led Joplin 12-11 after six innings, then scored another dozen runs in the seventh. Joplin rallied with eight runs in the bottom of the inning before its comeback fell short.
Casey Schulze went 5-for-6 for Joplin with four singles and a double. English had three singles, and Anderson, Allison Knewtson and Hailey Coleman all had two singles.
For Columbia, Kelly Menk had four singles and a triple, and Averie Cornell, Ashton Day and Katie Phillips each had three hits.
In other games, Perryville defeated Columbia 19-8, and LaCoMo East trimmed Perryville 7-2.
