Softball

After leading the Kelly to a successful 20-12 season, Blaire Riley’s impressive performance has been recognized with a first-team selection to the MSHSAA Class 2 All-State Softball team. Riley’s offensive prowess was unmatched, topping the team in batting average (.417), hits (48), doubles (12), triples (1), home runs (6), RBIs (35), and runs (42)...

The Poplar Bluff Lady Mules softball team put two players on the All-Conference First Team as Neelyville had four earn All-District First Team honors. The Doniphan Donettes had three players earn All-District Firsr-Team while Twin Rivers’ Alexis Parson made the team for the Lady Royals...

BENTON, Mo. — Cassie Gosche’s story is a powerful reminder of the fragility of life and the importance of community support. Gosche, a sophomore softball player at Kelly High School, lost four fingers on her right hand in a car accident on July 27. The accident occurred on Highway 77 in Benton, Missouri, when a van going in the opposite direction swerved into their lane and hit their truck. ...

The All-SEMO Conference Softball Team is a celebration of the best and brightest that the conference has to offer, and the 2023 edition features players who have shown us what it means to persevere in the face of challenge and have demonstrated the true meaning of sportsmanship, both in victory and defeat...

Chaffee softball's historic season ends with 2nd place finish Under the threat of weather, the Class 2 semifinal and championship game occurred on the same day. For the Chaffee softball team, Friday, Oct. 27, started with the thrill of victory but ended with the agony of defeat...

Fighting for the first state semifinal appearance in school history, Jackson softball fell shy of the win, losing 3-1 at home after a back-and-forth pitcher’s duel went the way of visiting Francis Howell. Sophomore pitcher Ashlyn Dawes threw the full game for Jackson once again, holding the Vikings without an earned run but not without having three runners come around...

Chaffee outfielder Reese Van Pelt said earlier in the month that seeing the baseball team make it to the state semifinals this past spring motivated the softball team to do the same. After defeating Iberia 8-7 in the Class 2 quarterfinal on Saturday in Chaffee, Missouri, the Red Devils return to the final four for the first time since 2017...

Notre Dame (20-12) scored some runs early, but the Bulldogs’ five-run seventh inning put the icing on the cake for their district championship win against Farmington (21-8) on Tuesday, winning 10-4. After downing 25-5 Hillsboro on Monday, Notre Dame took care of business in a big win against Farmington to secure its second consecutive district title and the fourth in the past five seasons...

For the first time since 1999, Jackson softball has won a district championship. Going on the road and into the Flyers’ domain, Jackson’s high-powered offense gave way to a 10-4 win against Lindbergh to win its first district title in nearly 25 years.

The Doniphan Donettes put up a hard fight in the Class 3, District 6 Tournament. Still, it wouldn’t be enough to bring home the hardware. After trailing 4-0 in the bottom of the second, the Donettes rallied ahead of the Cassville Lady Wildcats, but a late-game stretch would end their hopes of winning another district title. Cassville prevailed in the end and walked away with a 7-6 win over the Donettes in the game’s final moments on Monday...

BENTON — Neelyville head softball coach Dan Sexton has said at times this year was his reintroduction to coaching and after the dust settled on Monday and the Lady Tigers finished runner-up to the Chaffee Red Devils for the Class 2, District 1 Softball Championship, he was immediately thinking ahead of how they could improve ahead of the spring season...

BENTON, Mo. — Kelly opened the postseason with a bang, crushing Jefferson 11-1 in the opening round of the MSHSAA Class 2, District 1 Tournament on Thursday, October 12. Freshman phenom Averee Riley was a revelation at the bottom of the lineup, leading the way for the Lady Hawks (20-11) with a 3-for-3, three-RBI and two-run performance against the Blue Jays (6-13)...

The Neelyville Lady Tigers hit the road Friday and took down Kelly 6-1 to advance to the Class 2, District 1 Tournament championship.

NEELYVILLE — A dominant performance at the plate from the Dobbins sisters led the Neelyville Lady Tigers to the next round of the district tournament. The weather was nice and clear for some good softball action on Thursday as the Lady Tigers hosted rival Twin Rivers to kick off the Class 2 District 1 Tournament...

The Class 2, District 1 Softball Tournament comes to Neelyville on Thursday as the Lady Tigers host Twin Rivers in the first round at 4 p.m. While the baseball teams from the respective high schools were battling this week in the OFCC Tournament at Three Rivers, their softball counterparts will also battle on Thursday but to extend their season and see who advances to take on the winner of Kelly and Jefferson...

It’s not about how you start, it’s about the finish, and the Poplar Bluff Lady Mules softball team managed to finish off the season strong right before districts. The Lady Mules finished the regular season with three straight victories, their last being over a touch Kelly squad. Head softball coach Aaron Duncan said getting their last win over Kelly was the momentum they needed heading into the postseason...

Chaffee closed out the home slate of the regular season with a 17-2 win over Perryville on Monday, Oct. 9, in Chaffee, Mo. Reese Van Pelt had a day on the circle and at the plate. The junior went 2-for-3 with five RIBs and pitched the full four innings with only two earned runs. Bailey Robertson went 2-for-4 with four RBIs to help power the Red Devils...

Senior day is always a special one for everyone involved. On Saturday, the Notre Dame Bulldogs honored Avery Wagoner who has been with the program for four years. “I was a little nervous but mostly excited,” Wagoner said. “We got some great weather and I was ready to finish out my softball career here at Notre Dame.”...

After shattering the school record for stolen bases earlier this season, Jackson softball’s Kaiden Weisbrod officially claimed the Missouri state record for stolen bases in a single season at 73 on Tuesday in a 15-1 win at North County. Breaking the record of 72 by Kickapoo’s Taylor Akers last season, Weisbrod had initially broken Jackson’s record with 36 stolen bases on Sept. ...

Oak Ridge volleyball (11-10-1) pulled back north of the .500 mark after allowing just 16 total points across three sets against Eagle Ridge on Tuesday, winning sets at 25-1, 25-5 and 25-10. Reagan Howe’s 16 kills, paired with Kinsley Bogenpohl’s seven led the Bluejays front on offense. Alivia Schilling assisted on 17 points, with Bogenpohl adding 13 assists of her own...

BASEBALL Twin Rivers 11, Woodland 1 The Twin Rivers Royals took a win at home against the Woodland Cardinals 11-1. Drew Soloman was dominant on the mound, as the starting pitcher he collected 13 strikeouts and only gave up five hits and one run over six innings while walking one. ...

SIKESTON — In a flash of brilliance, Kelly dismantled Sikeston with a near-flawless performance, sealing an impressive 17-0 victory in a swift three-inning game on Thursday, September 28. The Lady Hawks (17-7) left no doubt about their hitting supremacy, outmatching the Lady Bulldogs (3-13) with an emphatic 17-1 hit advantage that highlighted their offensive prowess...

By D’COURTLAND CHRISTIAN Assistant Sports Editor It was an emotional day for the Poplar Bluff Lady Mules softball team and their families as they took a moment to celebrate the seniors. Maggie King, Kennedy Zgaynor, Heaven Werkmeister, Ashtyn Reese and manager Katy Cram were honored with a special ceremony during senior day as they prepared to play against the Cape Central Lady Tigers on Thursday...

Scott City (7-6-2) took care of business with a sweep of Charleston (1-11-1) on Tuesday night, dominating the Blue Jays with set wins at 25-16, 25-12 and 25-8. Ramsey Spinks’ 27 assists led the Rams in offensive production in the win. Alyssa Dirden finished on 15 kills, with Maggie Jones putting in another five...

Chaffee (16-3) came back from the brink of death against Neelyville (6-5) on Monday, falling into a one-run hole in the bottom of the seventh before walking it off in a 5-4 victory. Bailey Robertson’s two-out, two-run double in the final frame brought in Ayne’ Held and Reese Van Pelt to up the winning streak to eight for hosting Chaffee...

The Doniphan Donettes grabbed three victories Saturday in their home invitational as they also grabbed first place with wins over North County and Fox in pool play then Notre Dame in the final. Doniphan cruised against the North County Raiders as the Donettes had 15 runs on 13 hits and scored in all but one inning in the 15-2 drumming...

CHAFFEE, Mo. — Sikeston’s softball team fell short with a 9-3 loss at Chaffee on Thursday, September 21, but Cambree Scott’s exceptional season continued as the sophomore catcher notched three hits, including a double, adding to her impressive team-leading stats in batting average (542), on-base percentage (.607), hits (13), doubles (6), triples (one), stolen bases (2) and runs scored (9)...

Roundup BASEBALL Senath-Hornersville 2, Twin Rivers 0 The Twin Rivers Royals took a loss on the road against Senath-Hornersville 2-0. Joshua Lilly opened the game for Twin Rivers Varsity. They surrendered three hits and two runs over two innings, striking out one and walking two. Drew Soloman led Twin Rivers with one hit in three at bats...

The Jackson softball team reached 24 wins with a 2-0 victory over the Bulldogs of Notre Dame on Thursday at Notre Dame Regional High School. Stolen bases and a home run propelled the Indians to the win on the road along with defense and pitching preserving the shutout...

The Poplar Bluff Lady Mules pushed the visiting and state-ranked Jackson Lady Indians to the brink on Tuesday but despite the 9-8 loss that came down to the final inning, PB Head Coach Aaron Duncan was positive about the direction his team is headed...

Cape Central volleyball (7-6-1) drew back over .500 with a 3-1 victory hosting Woodland (8-7), winning sets at 23-25, 25-13, 25-19 and 25-17. Cape Central’s Nalaiya Furlow finished with a team-high 11 kills, with Madison Phelps following with nine. Avery Criblez’s 18 assists led offensive production while Edyn McAllister pitched in another 12...

The Kelly softball team continues to build to its impressive season with four wins in the past five games. The Lady Hawks (14-5) won 8-3 over Jefferson (3-5) on Monday, September 18. Macy Burger earned the win on the mound, throwing seven innings and allowing no earned runs on seven hits with eight strikeouts...

The Jackson Indians fell to Cor Jesu in three sets (25-16, 25-23, 25-21) on Monday, Sept. 18, in Jackson, Mo. Katy St. John led the Indians with 10 kills, followed by nine from Nadia Wasilewski and seven from Ella Domian. Holland Guilliams led the Indians with 10 digs and Ava Wessell had 10 assists. The Indians (8-3) return to host Sikeston on Tuesday...

The Poplar Bluff High School Lady Mules softball team is still on the quest to capture their first home win of the season. The Lady Mules will have to wait a little longer for that home victory after falling to Farmington High School 11-3 in Monday’s softball matchup...

The Notre Dame Bulldogs got their bats going early and often in an 11-0 win over the Sikeston Bulldogs on Monday. The Bulldogs jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the bottom of the first, capped off by Lauren Estes’ grand slam. “We came out and started swinging the bats,” Notre Dame coach Ray Reinagel said. “Anytime you can get on top, it’s always good.”...

Blink while Kaiden Weisbrod is on base and you might miss it. The senior is swiping bags at a rapid rate and on Friday against Naylor she stole her 36th base, setting the Jackson record for stolen bases in a season. “I’ve always dreamed of being one of the stars in softball,” Weisbrod said. “I finally beat a record and it feels good. I couldn’t have done this without God's support and my teammates' support.”...

The Neelyville High School Tigers baseball and softball team hosted a doubleheader in Thursday’s matchup as they took on the Twin Rivers Royals. While one team flourished with home-field advantage, the other would capture a tough loss. The Lady Tigers reigned supreme as they pulled away from the Lady Royals late in the fifth inning with a 13-5 victory. The Tigers, however, suffered a 13-0 shutout at home, while the Royals picked up their third consecutive win...

BENTON, Mo. — When adversity called their names, the Kelly seniors didn’t flinch — they boldly confronted it, ready to rise above any obstacle in their way. With a significant season turnaround, the Lady Hawks (9-4) marked their Senior Night in style, thrashing Cape Central 11-1 and celebrating a ninth straight victory...

The Jackson Indians softball team notched win number 18 with a 9-1 win over the Farmington Black Knights on Wednesday at the Jackson City Park. Jackson’s record now stands at 18-2 with those losses coming at the hands of fellow Class 5 schools Rock Bridge and Lee’s Summit West...

An offensive onslaught paced the Sikeston Bulldogs in a 9-0 win over the Cape Central Tigers on Tuesday at Cape Central High School. Sikeston opened the scoring with a three-run first inning behind a 2-run double from Bailey Brown and an RBI single from Alexa Lee...

Perryville softball (2-9) hosted Herculaneum (1-6) on Tuesday and took a routing win, defeating the Blackcats 20-4 on the backs of a powerful offensive performance. Kylee Stortz led the Pirates offensively, driving in six runs including a second-inning grand slam to unload the bases and eventually complete a 10-run frame to truly establish the team’s offensive onslaught...

BASEBALL Twin Rivers 7, Bernie 2 After falling behind 2-0, the Twin Rivers Royals battled and came away with a 7-2 win at home Tuesday over Bernie. Luke Hester had the win on the mound and went 3-for-3 with two doubles and three RBIs in the victory. Jake Hester also finished with multiple hits...

With three road wins under their belt, the Poplar Bluff High School Lady Mules softball squad aimed to grab their first home win against a fierce opponent. During Tuesday’s softball matchup, the Lady Mules faced off with the Norte Dame Lady Bulldogs, and due to a mid-inning collapse, the Lady Mules fell short 12-5...

Scott City (4-3-2) got back to its winning ways on Monday night as the volleyball team defeated Kennett (4-3-4) in four sets, winning 3-1 (16-25, 25-13, 25-11, 25-19) after dropping the first set then rebounding for three consecutive set wins at home...

BENTON, Mo. — When it comes to comebacks, the Kelly softball team has proven time and again that it has a knack for rewriting the storylines of games and Thursday’s 3-2 comeback win over Doniphan served as yet another extraordinary charter in the Lady Hawks’ (6-4) campaign of thrilling turnarounds and memorable victories...

SIKESTON — In the early stages of the season, the Sikeston softball team has experienced some bumps in the road, as defensive woes have plagued the team’s performance, hindering its ability to fully capitalize on its potential. That trend continued for the Lady Bulldogs (1-2) in an 11-1 loss to the Saxony Lutheran Crusaders (3-3) on Wednesday, September 6 at the Sports Complex...

Softball Chaffee 13, Saxony Lutheran 3 The Chaffee Red Devils defeated the Saxony Lutheran Crusaders 13-3 on Thursday at Chaffee High School. Chaffee was led on offense by Ayne’ Held with a 4-5 day while Jocelyn Hanlon added three RBIs with a base-clearing double. In the circle for the Red Devils, Carlyanne Cossou started and went 4.2 innings of work finishing with five strikeouts and three walks. Bailey Robertson came in for relief and put the Crusaders away...

BROSELEY — Heading to the top of the third, the Neelyville Lady Tigers trailed Twin Rivers 5-2, but coach Dan Sexton knew his team could chip away at the lead and that’s exactly what it did. Neelyville scored one in the third to start their run and tied the game in the fourth. The Lady Tigers took the lead in the fifth and never looked back in the 14-5 victory as they held Twin Rivers scoreless in all but one frame...

The beaming smiles and joy could be seen from anywhere as the Cape Central Tigers earned their first win of the season with a 17-7 victory over the Naylor Eagles. It has been tough sledding so far for the Tigers as they started the year 0-10. “It’s a growing year,” Tigers coach Jessica Compas said. “But, we’re seeing if we keep at it and keep our heads in it, good things happen.”...