Local softball teams have eyes on Miller in postseason
By Kyle Troutman ktroutman@cassville-democrat.com
Two top teams in Class 1, District 5 squared off in Exeter on Friday, giving Barry County softball fans a possible peek into the postseason.
The Lady Tigers (8-3) hosted Purdy (18-6), and the Lady Eagles took home the win, 7-2.
Each team plated a run in the first inning, but a two-RBI double put Purdy up 3-1 after the top of the second. In the third inning, Purdy left three runners on, and Exeter left two. The Lady Eagles did not make the same mistake in the fourth.
With two outs and two on, a triple down the first base line to the fence pushed the score to 5-1, and another single scored the runner on for a 6-1 lead.
The Lady Tigers struggled with scoring again in the fourth, with runners on first and second advancing with two outs, but the next batter struck out looking.
Purdy’s defense also shined late in the game, forcing the Lady Tigers out of the dugout in the fifth with an inning-ending double play.
In the final frame, with two outs again, Purdy found an RBI double to bring the score to 7-1.
The Lady Tigers got runners on in the seventh, scoring one with a single up the middle. The bases were loaded when a pop fly ended the game.
Lori Videmschek, Purdy coach, said the win was primarily a credit to the Lady Eagles’ pitcher, Hadley Hughes.
“Hadley pitched a great game,” Videmschek said. “She was hitting her spots and mixing up pitches. A big key for us, too, was keeping our approach at the plate down in the zone and ready to hit. We hit the ball hard today and moved the runners when we needed.” Ashley Fly, Exeter coach, said experience was the difference-maker in the game.
“Our youth showed tonight,” she said. “Our infield is all freshmen and sophomores, and we are learning how to grow and play defense each night. Our youth showed big, but we got better as the game went on.”
With less than 10 games left on each team’s schedule, Exeter and Purdy are looking toward the postseason, and the win for the Lady Eagles may set them up for a top district seed.
“Seeding is in a couple of weeks, and we have an opportunity for the No. 1 seed,” Videsmchek said. “When you can beat someone in your district in the regular season, it helps. We want the No. 1 or No. 2 seed, so beating [Exeter] was huge.”
Conversely, Fly said the loss moves the Lady Tigers into the conversation for third.
“We’re probably tied for third, with Purdy No. 1 and Miller with us,” she said. “Miller is pretty good, but we are in that top three, at least. We have a tournament next weekend in Jasper and will play some good teams there.
“We’ll get refocused and talk to the players about the things they need to focus on, and we’ll definitely use that tournament and the rest of our schedule to build off of for districts.”
Videmschek said as Purdy’s busy season winds down, she hopes the play continues to wind up.
“We’re 18-6 now and have played a lot of softball,” she said. “We’re No. 2 in the SWCL, and we want to keep things going and peak at the right time when districts come.”
Exeter hosted Pierce City on Monday and heads to the Jasper Varsity Invitational Softball Tournament on Friday.
Purdy played at Galena on Tuesday and returns home to host Spokane on Monday.
