The undefeated Eads 12U softball team traveled to the two-day league tournament in Lamar and came away with the league championship on Wednesday with a 14-3 win over the Knockout from Lamar. This was the second in a row 12U league tournament championship for the Eads group that also won in 2021.
Eads used a strong first inning grabbing a 6-1 lead and then finished off the Knockout in a major decision by scoring 8 runs in the third inning. In the win they only had 3 hits, but their baserunning was dominant and the key to the successful championship bid.
In the first inning, Mila Macias was hit by the pitch with one out on the field. Reese Barnett then joined Macias on the base paths by pulling a walk. With Turcotte at the bat, Macias stole home. Turcotte would walk.
Next up was Lacie Kraft. During Kraft’s at-bat Barnett copied Macias and stole home as well. Kraft would be hit by the pitch joining Turcotte. Mia Crow then walked to load the bases.
Turcotte stole home on Aspen Nelson’s at-bat and a pitch later Kraft came home on a passed ball. Nelson also walked. With Elizabeth Kent at bat both Crow and Nelson also scored on passed balls.
Eads did not score in the second inning when their 9, 1 and 2 batters went down in order. The Knockout scored another run making the score going into the top of the third, 6-2.
But Eads broke the game open in the top of the third inning when Barnett stepped up and drove a triple to left-center field and then scored on the same play when the ball got loose at third base.
Turcotte then started things over with a walk and Kraft singled on a ground ball to left field moving Turcotte to second base. Crow then loaded the bases with a walk. Peyton Eder then hit into a fielder’s choice at third base getting Kraft advancing but scored Turcotte. Crow moved to second.
During Nelson’s at-bat, Crow was caught stealing third for two outs. Nelson would walk a pitch later. Kent then came up with two outs and two on and singled to third base loading the bases. Aubrey Mitchek was then hit by a pitch scoring Eder and keeping the bases juiced.
With Lily Hollis at bat Nelson scored on a passed ball, Kent then scored on a passed ball, and Hollis was finally hit by the pitch with a 3-2 count. Then with Wollert at the plate, Mitchek scored on a passed ball. Wollert walked.
With Macias at the plate, Hollis scored on a passed ball and on the next pitch Wollert also scored on a passed ball.
After that flurry of runs the score was 14-2 and the Knockout would have to score 3 runs to keep the game going. Eads set the first three Knockout batters down, however, to end the game.
Macias was the winning pitcher in the championship game going three full innings and giving up just one hit and 2 earned runs, walking 5 batters and striking out 3.
Just Barnett, Kraft and Kent would get hits in the contest, with Barnett nailing a triple.
Barnett, Turcotte and Nelson each scored two runs apiece. One run came from Macias, Kraft, Crow, Eder, Kent, Mitchek and Hollis.
Barnett and Nelson each stole two bases, while Turcotte, Wollert and Macias each had one steal.
Other age division champions out of the Lamar league tournaments included McClave as the 8U team and the 10U Tournament is still yet to be finished because of weather.
