Willard softball knocks off Lebanon to open 2019 fall ball on high note

The Willard High School softball team, opened their 2019 season with a win over Lebanon, but a loss to Kickapoo.
On Thursday, Sept. 5, the Lady Tigers traveled to Springfield to take on Kicka- poo, and came home with a 5-3 loss.
“It was a great test for us early in the year,” said head coach AshLeigh Williams. “We did some things well, but also have identified the areas to work on.”
The Lady Tigers took a 1-0 lead in the first inning, but Kickapoo bounced back to tie the game at 1-1. Willard added two more runs in the
top of the second inning, to take a 3-1 lead. The Lady Chiefs put up three runs in the bottom of the fourth inning to take a 4-3 lead. Kickapoo added another run in the bottom of the fifth inning, to secure the 5-3 victory.
Mackenzie Davis went 1-3, with a home run, a run scored and an RBI; Kailie Crews was 1-4, with a run scored and two RBI’s, Sydni Fletcher went 1-3 and Baylee Gastineau finished the game 1-1, with a run scored.
Fletcher took the loss, going three and two thirds of an inning; allowing four runs, two earned, on seven hits, with three walks and five strike outs. Abby McMil-
lin, finished up the game, allowing one run on two hits. Willard opened up their 2019 season with an impres- sive 8-1 win over Lebanon at
Lebanon. The Lady Tigers scored
one run in the first inning; two runs in the both the third and seventh innings and three runs in the fourth inning. The Lady Jackets scored their lone run in the sixth inning.
Crews went 4-4, with two runs and two RBI’s; Ryley Ritchey was 3-4, with a run scored and two RBI’s, Gastineau went 2-3, with a run scored, Sara Morris was 1-3, with a run scored and an RBI and Davis finished the game 1-3 with a run scored.
Fletcher got the complete game win, going seven innings; allowing one run on five hits with one walk and six strike outs.
“We are very excited to start the season off on a high note,” said Williams “It’s been a few years since we were able to get a win in our first game. Lebanon is always a very solid softball team so we knew it would be a good first test for us. The girls came out ready to go and really delivered.”
The Lady Tigers were scheduled to host Nixa on Tuesday night and
Neosho this Thursday.