For six innings Branson and Webb City went toe to toe, pitch for pitch. But, a high school softball game lasts seven innings. Webb City scored seven seventh inning runs to turn a 4-3 game into an 11-3 misleading rout.
Branson’s Cat Ford and Webb City’s Addie Darby controlled things early from the circle. The Lady Cards got to Ford for two runs in the top of the third but Branson answered when Ashlea Large drove in Gracie Jaeger with a triple and came in on a sacrifice fly from Tori O’Dell in the bottom of the frame.
Two innings later Webb City would again plate a couple of runs and again Branson had an answer in the bottom of the inning. However this time it was just Jaeger scoring, as Large was left stranded at third.
We would stay that way until the seventh. In that frame the first seven batters would reach base for Webb City. In all they would send 12 ladies to the plate. Branson would get one on in the bottom of the seventh but could do no more.
Both pitchers went the distance. Darby striking out eight and Ford fanning six.