The McDonald County Lady Mustangs scored two runs in the third and three in the fifth, which were more than enough for Paige Jones as the Lady Mustangs rebounded from its first Big 8 Conference loss in two years earlier in the week with a 5-1 win over East Newton on Sept. 22 at MCHS.
Kenzie Stephens and Cloee Helm started McDonald County's third-inning rally with back-to-back singles. Hanna Schmit then drove in the Lady Mustangs' first run with an infield hit before Kylie Helm drove in the second with a sacrifice fly.
Cloee Helm singled and scored on a double by Kylie Helm before a single by Aubrie Dunn and a triple by Kali McClain plated McDonald County's final two runs.
Jones allowed one run on five hits while striking out nine and walking one for the win. Cloee Helm, Kylie Helm, Dunn, McClain and Stephens all had two hits to lead the Lady Mustangs while Schmit had one.
McDonald County improved to 13-3 overall, including a 4-1 mark in the Big 8, with its win on Senior Night to honor the five seniors on the team.
"Aubrie (Dunn) moved here as a junior and really contributed and filled in a gap at first base," coach Skyler Rawlins said. "She leads by example, and at the plate she hits in the five or six hole and is a good line-drive hitter. She has been a very big pickup for us. Paige (Jones) carries us in the circle and gives us a chance to win every day. She has been our workhorse in the circle for two years.
"Hanna (Schmit) has done a really good job for us in the two spot. She does everything asked of her and defensively she does a great job at second base. She will be hard to replace. Skylar (Wright) has done a great job in the designated player spot. She is starting to hit more line drives and has really helped with our younger kids. She has been a great leader.
"We ask Kali (McClain) to do a lot of different things. Last year she moved to short from the outfield, and this year we asked her to move back to left. She has taken that spot and ran with it. She plays good defense and is starting to pick up her offense. As a group, they are great character girls."
McDonald County was at Webb City on Sept. 26 and at Monett on Sept. 27 before finishing up its regular season at Carthage Tournament on Sept. 30 and Oct. 1. District play begins Oct. 3 at Joplin High School.
Cassville
Cassville scored the game's only run in the bottom of the eighth inning to claim a 1-0 win over McDonald County on Sept. 20 at Cassville High School.
Trinity Ewing started the Lady Wildcats' rally with a leadoff single in the bottom of the eighth. She advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt before scoring the winning run on pinch-hitter's Reagan Brock's single.
Jones took the loss, allowing one run on seven hits while striking out nine. McDonald County, which stranded 11 runners, was held to seven hits by Cassville's Josie Lone, who also struck out nine batters.
Kylie Helm had two hits to lead the Lady Mustangs while Cloee Helm, Schmit, Kinser, Dunn and McClain had one each.
Lamar
McDonald County scored eight runs in the fourth inning to break open a 3-2 game on the way to a 13-5 win over the Lamar Tigers on Sept. 19 at Lamar High School.
Wright reached on an error to start the uprising. Stephens singled for the first of her two hits in the inning before Cloee Helm doubled in both runners. Schmit walked and Kylie Helm singled to load the bases. Kinser drove in a run with a groundout. Dunn then doubled in two more runs. Walks to Jones and Wright loaded the bases for Stephens, who drove in all three runners with a double.
McDonald County used the long ball to score its first three runs. Kylie Helm hit a two-run homer and Kinser followed with a solo shot to stake McDonald County to a 3-0 lead.
Lamar cut the margin to 3-2 in the bottom half of the inning on a two-run homer by Cotti Beem.
McDonald County's final runs came on a singles by Jones and Stephens and Cloee Helm's two-run double in the sixth.
Jones went the distance for the win, allowing five runs, three earned, on 10 hits while striking out 10.
The Lady Mustangs pounded out 14 hits, including three each by Cloee Helm, Kylie Helm and Stephens. Kinser and Dunn added two hits each while Jones had one.
Sports on 09/29/2016