Republic softball wins District with another comeback

A 5–0 deficit in the district championship game turned out to be just as surmountable as all the other deficits the Lady Tigers have faced throughout the 2018 season. Republic came from behind to beat Webb City on a walk-off hit for the second time this year, winning 7–6 in the bottom of the seventh inning. It was the 11th come-from-behind victory this season for Republic, and it earned them a place in the state sectionals.
Webb City took advantage of a porous Republic defense in the first two innings, building a 5–0 lead. But Republic began its comeback shortly afterward.
In the bottom of the second inning, Riley Laub hit her first-ever high school home run, lining the ball over the center field fence with two runners on base. Her homer cut the lead to 5–3, and it gave Republic new life after its difficult start. Laub is the seventh player to hit a home run for Republic this season.
One inning later, Julia Higgins evened the score when she smashed a two-run homer. It was the 14th home run of the year for Higgins, setting a new school record. She broke the old record of 13, set by Hailey Johnson in 2018. The home run also gave Higgins 60 RBIs this season. That’s a school record, as well, and puts her second all-time on the Missouri all-time single-season list. The state record is 66 RBIs in a season.
After Republic had climbed out of the 5–0 hole, Webb City took the lead again in the top of the sixth inning. Keira Jackson slapped a triple to right field with one out. Darcy Darnell tried to lay down a bunt, but she popped it to first baseman A.J. Fenske for an out. But Fenske’s throw to Kaitlyn Ragsdale to try to double off Jackson sailed off the tip of Ragsdale’s glove and into left field. Jackson scored on the errors, and it was 6–5.
In the bottom of the sixth inning, senior Megan Thorne was the next Republic hero to take the spotlight. Thorne lifted a home run over the left field fence for a solo home run, tying the score 6–6.
“It felt pretty good. As soon as I hit it, I knew it either hit the top of the fence or it was over,” Thorne said. “I felt good about it.”
Avery Romans retired the side in the top of the seventh, setting up the game-winning rally. Riley Laub singled to lead off the inning and advanced to second base on a sacrifice by Emma White. Laub took third on a groundout by Kaitlyn Ragsdale, bringing Megan Weis to the plate.
Weis attacked the first pitch, driving the ball into the gap in left-center field. The base hit scored Laub, setting off a celebration.
“I just knew I had to get it down somewhere. I had to get on,” Weis said. “I had a plan I was going to swing at the first pitch, because that’s been the best pitch all day long.”
Avery Romans worked through several defensive mistakes to keep Republic in the game. After the first two batters of the game reached base for Webb City, Haidyn Berry hit a three-run homer. An error also factored in the scoring in the top of the second, when Webb City tacked on two more. For the game, Romans pitched seven innings and allowed just two earned runs.
“I knew I had to keep throwing strikes, getting ahead of hitters, making them hit the ball,” Romans said. “For the first couple innings, you have to see where the strike zone is—where you can hit it, on the plate [or] off the plate, so that’s what I did.”
Ragsdale, Weis, and Laub each had two hits for Republic, which advances to the state sectionals to face Lee’s Summit West or Raymore-Peculiar.