A long day of round robin play saw the championship decided in the final game of the afternoon between Republic (14-4) and Nixa (10-10).
Republic would open up the scoring in the bottom of the third, thanks to a two run, bases loaded double by senior shortstop Racheal Michaelis.
“It was a big hit for us…it scored three runs (one on a Nixa error) for us and we just kept the pressure on,” said Michaelis.
Three more runs would score in the inning due to some key Lady Tiger hits and Nixa mental mistakes to make the score 5-0.
“We had too many mental breakdowns in that third inning and that was the ballgame,” said Nixa coach Matt Walker. ”We needed to have someone step up and make the play.”
Republic coach Lee Dishman said, “We started the game off with a lot of intensity and hit the ball well from the beginning. We played defense really well and when our defense is on we are going to win a lot of ball games.”
Five runs would be all senior Stephanie Eckhoff would need as she kept the Lady Eagles off balance all afternoon.
“I threw better than what I did last time against Nixa. My change-up was on and I got them to go after the outside pitch” said Eckhoff.
Nixa would manage only six hits off of Eckhoff.
“I thought Stephanie just dominated them tonight, she kept them off stride and threw her change up for strikes” said Dishman.
The Lady Eagles did start to claw their way back into the contest in the top of the sixth as they plated two runs and were looking for more.
With two on and two out, Nixa’s Carley Allen hit a deep drive to centerfield but Republic’s Taylor Gold reached over the fence to rob her of a home run and end the Eagles’ scoring threat.
“That was a big turning point in the game,” said Walker, “we had some fans who were sitting out there by the wall and they said it was definitely going out. She (Gold) made a great play.”
“Taylor went to the wall like we teach and practice, found the ball and made a game changing play,” said Dishman, ”it would have made the score 8-5 and it may have been a different game.”
Other scores for the Nixa Invitational:
Nixa 12 Parkview 0
Republic 13 Dora 1
Republic 8 Parkview 6
Nixa 1 Dora 0
Dora 15 Parkview 0
Next up for Nixa is----At Cassville on September 24
Next up for Republic is----Jefferson City at home on September 25
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