From staff reports
sports@joplinglobe.com
The Blue Springs High School softball team outlasted Webb City 5-2 in eight innings on Saturday to win the JSA Paige Neal/Christina Freeman Memorial Tournament.
Blue Springs and Webb City, scoreless through seven innings, won their respective Pool A and Pool B with 4-0 records in the tourney hosted by Joplin High School.
Blue Springs’ Kelsey Kessler, a freshman right-hander, struck out 13 in checking Webb City in the title contest at Missouri Southern.
Neosho beat Seneca 5-1 for third, Hillcrest nipped McDonald County 4-3 for fifth, Carl Junction defeated Park Hill South 5-1 for seventh and Joplin clipped Raymore-Peculiar 3-1 for ninth.
Joplin junior right-hander Mary Ann Greer limited Ray-Pec to five hits.
“We had some outstanding defense in this game,” Eagle coach Kirk Harryman said. “We made the routine plays, and Jessica Cashion also made a diving catch in right field.”
In Saturday’s pool games, Blue Springs handled Joplin 11-0, Carl Junction stopped Ray-Pec 2-0, Seneca beat Park Hill South 3-2 and Hillcrest nudged Diamond 8-7 in eight innings.
Friday’s results: Blue Springs 10, Park Hill South 1; Ray-Pec 4, Hillcrest 1; Blue Springs 7, Seneca 0; Neosho 12, Hillcrest 2; Seneca 6, Joplin 1; Neosho 9, Ray-Pec 1; McDonald County 7, Park Hill South 0; Webb City 10, Diamond 1; McDonald County 9, Joplin 2; Webb City 4, Carl Junction 0.
Blue Springs’ Kaylea Smith, on second base because of the International tiebreaker rule, snapped the deadlock against Webb City by scoring on a wild pitch and Ashtin Stephens’ two-out single.
Mackenzie Sykes’ single and a walk set up Amanda Self’s three-run double. Lauren Eisenreich doubled home Self.
Said Webb City coach Walter Resa: “We had a couple of opportunities early against Kessler. But she did a good job of moving the ball around.
“This was a great opening tournament for us,” Resa said. “It was a good test for us (in the final) against an outstanding team in Blue Springs.”
Webb City, Class 3 champion in 2007, has moved up to Class 4 to join Blue Springs.
Webb City senior Nicole Hudson struck out 14 in beating Carl Junction on Friday. Freshman right-hander Laney Kneib struck out 12 in the pool win against Diamond.
Joplin coach Kirk Harryman said that the Four Seasons Complex, because of rain, was used during the tourney.
Sports
August 30, 2008
Blue Springs captures tourney
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Outlaws open season Thursday on the road
Chris Oldner takes a cut during the Joplin Outlaws practice Tuesday afternoon. The Outlaws open their season on Thursday night at Rossville and play seven road games before their home opener on June 5.
The Joplin Outlaws and new coach Rob Vessell have set some lofty goals for the 2012 baseball season.
Continued ... - Heat take 2-0 lead into Boston in East finals
- McIlroy recovers from rugged start for 71
- Former equipment manager sues Rams
- Stanton’s homers fuel Marlins’ surge in May
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- Pittsburg State Sports
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- Vengels sixth in heptathlon; PSU picks up two seventh-place finishes
- Ethan Cordray signs with Pittsburg State
- Lions, Gorillas begin competition in outdoor track and field championship
- Three finalists named for PSU head baseball coach position
- Lions qualify 10, PSU 15 for Division II outdoor track meet
- Missouri Southern Sports
- High School Sports
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Area athletes turn shine at state meet
Webb City's Jarvis Jones takes sixth in the 200.
- Cleo Elbert steps down at Thomas Jefferson
- Frontenac wins first state baseball title
- Joplin's Jeremy Lynn takes fifth at state tennis
- Frontenac advances at state baseball
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