In a loaded field, Centralia softball managed to be among the eight best on Saturday.

The Lady Panthers finished seventh in the William Chrisman tournament in Kansas City after going 3-2 to open their season. They defeated Class 5 Park Hill 6-1 in six innings and St. Michael the Archangel 18-3 in three innings in pool play on Friday and then lost 3-2 to Chillicothe, 15-4 to reigning state third-place Oak Grove, and defeated Class 5 Liberty 10-3. Cora King finished the weekend 9-14 with 10 RBI, and Madi Johnson went 7-13 with nine RBI and eight runs scored.

Jaylynn Brown had the game-winning two-RBI single in the third inning against Park Hill — along with striking 13 and allowing two hits in six innings pitched — and Johnson cleared the bases for a three-RBI double in the fourth inning. Centralia then tallied 15 hits, including four extra-base hits against St. Michael the Archangel, as King led the way with four RBI, Johnson and Bailey Schuering each had three RBI and Tilly Fox finished with two RBI. 

Chillicothe, who finished 17-13 last year and was a state runner-up each the previous two seasons, scored the winning run in the fifth inning via an outfield error. King hit a RBI triple the next inning but was eventually thrown out trying to score to end the inning. Each team only five hits in six innings, and Raleigh Dutton pitched six innings for Centralia with five hits and one earned run.

Oak Grove had the bats going early, with five runs in the first inning and scoring enough to end the game in four innings. Johnson and King each had two RBI for Centralia. 

The Lady Panthers put the game against Liberty away in the fourth inning with a four-run frame, highlighted by RBI hits from Johnson and King. King and Schuering each had two RBI. 

Centralia hosts Class 5 Battle (1-3) at 6:45 p.m. today.