Just when it looked like Republic’s record-breaking softball season would come to a heartbreaking end, Kami Holt blasted a moonshot home run over the left-field scoreboard to deliver a 5-4 victory and a district championship. Holt’s home run scored Caty Eby, who had reached on an infield hit to lead off the inning. It came only minutes after Webb City rallied for three runs in the top of the seventh to grab a 4-3 lead over the Lady Tigers.
Before the seventh inning, sophomore picture Rachel Rook had dominated the game. She struck out 15 batters and allowed only three hits before the Cardinals’ go-ahead rally.
“Rachel got a little nervous in the top of the 7th there. She’s a sophomore. It’s going to happen. She cruised all night,” says coach Lee Dishman. But despite losing the lead, Dishman says the Lady Tigers never stopped doubting they could win.
“They came off the field and we just said ‘Hey, we gotta believe. This is what we worked for all year long. We gotta believe we can do it.’ Our dugout stayed up. Our kids stayed up, and my God, Kami just hit it,” Dishman says.
“We knew we could come back. We knew we were the better team,” says Holt. “I went up there just looking for a pitch I could hit really good so Caty could at least score, so it could be tied. And then that happened.”
What happened was one of the longest home runs of the season in a season full of long home runs for Holt. It was her second longball of the game, and her 11th of the year. The only question when the ball came off the bat was whether it would stay fair. It did, sailing over the scoreboard into the darkness and sending the Lady Tigers pouring onto the field to celebrate.
According to Dishman, assistant coach Allen Stolte had called Holt’s shot before it happened as he talked to Eby on first base.
“Eby got an infield base hit. Coach Stolte just told her, ‘When Kami hits this walk-off home run, just make sure you touch every base as you’re rounding it,'” Dishman says.
Republic had appeared to be in control through six innings. Holt’s solo homer in the first inning gave the Lady Tigers the lead. They added single tallies in the second and third innings before Webb City got on the board in the 6th.
Besides Holt’s two home runs, Abby Norris also had two hits for the Lady Tigers. Caty Eby had a hit and scored two runs.
“We have a game tomorrow, but I don’t care right now,” says Dishman. “I’m just letting them enjoy it. We’ll worry about Ozark tomorrow night.”
Republic will host the sectional playoff game Thursday night against Ozark. The first pitch is scheduled for 6 p.m. Gates will open at 5.