Joplin High School has one of the nicest athletic facilities in southwest Missouri. But the Lady Tigers softball team probably never wants to see it again.
For the second time in a row, the top-seeded Lady Tigers lost their district championship game at Joplin, this year to #2 seed McDonald County, 1-0.
The lone run of the game came in the top of the 3rd inning, when Kenzie Stephens walked to lead off the inning, then came around to score on a two-out double by Kylie Helm.
Republic couldn’t get much offense going against McDonald County pitcher Paige Jones. The Lady Tigers collected only four hits — never more than one in in an inning. Jones retired the last eight batters of the game to close out the victory and seal the district championship.
Rachel Rook struck out 11, despite suffering the loss. In her final game as a Lady Tiger, she ran her career total to 1,021 strikeouts. That places her in 7th place all-time in Missouri softball history.
Kami Holt also played her last game as a Lady Tiger. She ends her career with 27 home runs, tied for 6th all-time in state history.
The loss also marked the final games for seniors Sydney Phillips, Alyssa Roth, and Taylor Hulland, who played key roles in this year’s success. The Lady Tigers end their season with a 20-7 record.