Willard softball improves to 27-6 on the season

The Class 4, fifth ranked Lady Tigers softball team traveled to Rolla on Friday, Oct. 10 and Saturday, Oct. 11 to take part in the Rolla FCNB Invitational.
On Saturday, Willard lost to Ozark 4-3. Ozark jumped up 3-0 after the first inning. The Lady Tigers scored a run in the fourth inning and two runs in the fifth inning to tie the game at 3-3. Ozark walked it off in the bottom of the seventh inning. Paxtyn Piper was 1-4 with a double in the loss.
In their other game on Saturday, Willard defeated host Rolla 9-3. After a scoreless first two innings, Rolla put two runs on the board in the third inning to go up 2-0. The Lady Tigers answered back with six runs in the bottom of the fourth inning and three more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to win the game by six runs.
Piper went 3-3 with a home run, two runs scored and three RBIs, Alivia Arauz was 1-2 with a double and two RBIs, Emily Barr was 1-3 with two RBIs and Callie Ebert finished the game 1-2 with two runs scored and two RBIs.
In Friday’s games, Willard defeated Carthage 4-1, scoring single runs in the second and fifth innings and two runs in the third inning. Arauz was 2-2 with a home run, run scored and an RBI and Kynlee Inman went 1-3 with a triple and a run scored.
In the other game, the Lady Tigers knocked off Sullivan 6-0. Willard scored two runs in the top of the second inning and scored their final four runs in the top of the fifth inning.
Delaney Dixon went 2-3 with three RBIs, Barr was 1-3 with a double a run scored and two RBIs and Ebert got the win, going five innings, allowing no runs on three hits with five strike outs.
On Thursday, Oct. 6, Willard hosted Republic and won the game 11-6. The Lady Tigers scored all 11 of their runs in the bottom of the fourth inning.
Piper and Barr both went 1-4 with a double, a run scored and two RBIs, Ebert was 2-3 with a run scored and three RBIs and Arauz finished the game 2-4 with a double, a run scored and an RBI.
Willard traveled to Joplin on Tuesday, Oct, 7 and came home with a 4-0 win Barr and Ebert both went 2-3 in the win.
The Lady Tigers opened the week by hosting Carl Junction and came away with a very close 8-7 victory. After Carl Junction scored two runs in the top of the second inning, Willard answered with three runs in the bottom of the inning. Carl Junction retook the lead with three runs in the top of the fourth and two runs in the top of the fifth to take a 7-3 lead. After scoring one run in the bottom of the fifth inning to cut the lead to 7-4, the Lady Tigers would walk it off with four runs in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Piper went 2-5 with a home run, two runs scored and six RBIs and Ebert would finish 1-3 with a home run. Two runs scored and an RBI.
Willard is 27-6 on the season and were scheduled to host Carthage on Monday and Branson last night before heading to Marshfield tonight for a first round Class 5, District 6 Tournament game against Parkview.
Willard is the top seed in the district tournament, followed by Marshfield, Bolivar, Camdenton, West Plains, Hillcrest, Lebanon and Parkview. All first round games are tonight with the semifinals being played tomorrow night and the championship game scheduled for Monday, oct. 20.

Football
The Willard High School football team traveled to Class 5, sixth ranked Webb City on Friday night but lost the game 55-0. Jonathan Huskisson Jr. led Willard with 38 yards rushing on two carries and Greyson Walden added 26 yards on six carries.
Willard is now 1-6 on the season and will play at home against Joplin this Friday night. Carthage leads the Class 5, District 6 standings with 44.83 points, followed by: Republic (44), Webb City (41.81), Neosho (41), Branson (37.79), Parkview (23.1) and Willard (18.45).

Soccer
In boys’ soccer, Willard traveled to Parkview on Thursday night and won 3-0 but lost at Glendale on Tuesday night, 5-0. The Tigers are 14-5 on the season and were scheduled to play at Webb City last night before hosting Neosho tomorrow night.

Volleyball
The Lady Tigers volleyball team traveled to Lebanon on Saturday, Oct. 11 to compete in the Lebanon Pink fest Tournament and tied West Plains but beat Knob Noster.
On Thursday, Willard defeated Joplin at Joplin in three sets, on Tuesday, the Lady Tigers hosted and defeated Neosho in three sets and on Monday, Willard traveled to and beat Fair Grove in four sets.
The Lady Tigers are 19-7-3 on the season and were scheduled to host Republic last night and Carthage tomorrow night.