Joplin ends Neosho’s season at C5D6 tourney

In Lee's Summit, Missouri, Joplin Eagles secured a 6-4 victory over Neosho Wildcats in their Class 5 District 6 quarterfinal. The fifth-seeded Joplin team, standing at 19-14, took an early lead with Mariah Hagans' single in the top of the third inning, which later drove in Jessica Diaz. Taylor Love then drew a bases-loaded walk, scoring Bella Munn.

Raegan Diaz added another run to make it 3-0. Jessica Madl capped off the inning with a run scored due to a passed ball. Joplin extended their lead to 5-0 in the fourth inning, after Jessica Diaz scored on a wild pitch. Neosho responded with Amelia Stephens' two-run homer, narrowing the gap to 5-2. In the top of the fifth inning, Jessica Diaz scored again on a Neosho error, extending Joplin's lead to 6-2.

Sadee Leach, Neosho's career home run leader, hit a two-run blast to center, bringing home Kylie Tomlinson and making it 6-4. However, Joplin held on for the win. Three Eagles achieved multiple hits, with Hagans hitting 2 for 4 and recording a run and an RBI, Madl hitting 2 for 3 with a run, and Raegan Diaz going 2 for 4 with a run and an RBI.

Ella Watts pitched for Joplin, giving up four runs on eight hits while striking out four and walking two. Neosho's Harper Wheeler allowed six runs, five earned, on eight hits, striking out 11 and walking nine over seven innings. With this win, Joplin advances to the C5D6 semifinal against top-seeded Raymore-Peculiar at 4 p.m. on Thursday.

Webb City and Lee's Summit West, along with Carthage and Lee's Summit, were set to play earlier that day, with their results yet to be announced at press time.