The season ended suddenly.
A two-run lead slipped away in the top of the seventh as third-seeded Webb City rallied for a 3-2 win over top-seeded McDonald County in the Class 4 District 6 tournament title game Friday in Neosho.
Despite the disappointment, the Lady Mustangs finished 24-7. The bonds built, memories made and lessons learned amid such success could leave a more lasting impact than one inning that didn't work out.
"Watching this group of girls come together by the end of the year and truly becoming one unit with one goal in mind," McDonald County coach Heath Alumbaugh said about the season's highlight. "You always start the year with new players and different mindsets. But to actually watch them come together is pretty special."
But in the postseason, there's no room for error.
"That's just part of it," Alumbaugh said. "You want to be playing your best softball at the end, and you've got to find a way to get it done. Like I told the girls, I don't think it spoils the season at all. Twenty-four wins is always a great year, no matter the outcome at the end. But it definitely leaves a bitter taste. We always want to make that next level and that next step. And I definitely felt we could and just weren't able to finish it out."
For a team that rose as high as fourth in the state rankings, there were plenty of standouts. Senior Madeline McCall, a Pittsburg State commitment, was a dominating presence in the circle. She went 16-3, with 249 strikeouts in 116 innings and an ERA of 0.84.
Sophomore Nevaeh Dodson gave the Lady Mustangs a one-two pitching punch. Dodson (8-4) had 92 strikeouts in 67 1/3 innings.
McDonald County scored 241 runs.
"I didn't feel like we hit like we're capable of early on in the season," Alumbaugh said. "But I watched us grow at the plate and get better and improve over time."
Dodson batted .480, with a team-high 49 hits. She had four home runs and 23 RBI. Junior Reagan Myrick (.454, four, 27), McCall (.397, four, 27), sophomore Carlee Cooper (.343, two, 22) and sophomore Jacie Frencken (.337, four, 31) fueled the offense.
Myrick crossed the plate 42 times, followed by Dodson (39), Cooper (34) and sophomore Katelynn Townsend (25).
Promising underclassmen provide optimism for the future, and developing that talent is a priority for the coaching staff.
"I think we have some that will be ready to step right in, take over and get the job done," Alumbaugh said of younger players on the roster.
But first, the Lady Mustangs will bid farewell to the seniors who led the way this year.
"You can't single any one of them out because they all contributed throughout the year," Alumbaugh said. "Not only on the field but off the field as well. That's probably the biggest thing. It's what they bring to the table as far as leadership and experience. They've been through stuff, especially on the practice field. They kind of set the tone for us every day on the practice field, and that is hard to replace."