It is win-or-go home in the playoffs, and Centralia’s softball team was reminded of that on Oct. 15.

After playing as the state’s No. 2 team and earning a No. 1 seed in the Class 3 District 4 tournament in Macon, the Lady Panthers lost 3-1 to rival and No. 8 seed Hallsville (12-12) to end their season with a 23-5 record. Centralia tied the game in the third inning but left the bases loaded in the seventh inning after a two-out rally. 

Centralia was the top threat in the bracket after following a state championship game berth with its second straight 20-win season — and second in eight years. Head coach Liz Bostick said opponents were bound to give the Lady Panthers their best. 

Centralia vs Hallsville Districts Photo Gallery

"We played too tight," Bostick said. "That's the bottom line. We had something to lose, and they didn't. I told the girls, 'Everyone is going to come up against like they have nothing to lose so you have to play like you own the game.'"

Madilynn Carmichael pitched seven innings with six strikeouts, six hits, four walks and one run. She led Hallsville to its first district victory over Centralia for the first time since 2009 after four previous district losses to the Lady Panthers.

Prior to Wednesday, Centralia had scored one run or fewer five times. The team won one game 1-0 against Class 2 state-ranked Highland but lost 1-0 to Class 3 No. 1 Oak Grove, 9-1 to Class 4 state-ranked Kearney, and 3-1 and 15-1, respectively to Class 5 state-ranked teams Lee's Summit and Neosho. 

“We needed to do it earlier,” Bostick said about Centralia’s offense. “(Carmichael) has enough spin, and (the umpire) was giving her some on the outside. We’ve got to learn to stay with the ball and take it to the opposite direction.”

Jaylynn Brown pitched seven innings with eight strikeouts, eight hits, three runs and one walk. She tied the game at 1 with a two-out RBI double that scored Kassena Ridgel from first base in the third inning. Shanann Bradley gave Hallsville the lead again with a two-out triple that scored two runs in the sixth inning. 

“Jaylynn didn’t have as much spin as she had,” Bostick said. “She was just tight. When you’re tight, your ball just doesn’t spin as much.”

Bostick said Centralia’s district was “probably the most difficult district in Class 3,” and her team underperformed offensively on that particular night in Macon. 

However, Bostick said Centralia had a great season full of accomplishments and milestones. The Lady Panthers won their third straight Clarence Cannon Conference championship after they had already secured their third consecutive Centralia Invitational tournament title. Bostick won her 100th career game as the Centralia head coach, Brown struck out her 500th career batter before returning for her senior season next year, and Madi Johnson picked up her 150th career hit.

Centralia’s seniors closed their careers with an 88-33 record over the past four seasons. Johnson, Cora King and Ridgel each had a hit from their respective 1, 3 and 4 spots in the lineup in their final game as a Lady Panther. 

“This will always go down as one of the best teams (in program history),” Bostick said. “It’s a great group of kids. They’ve given us so much. They’re the role models that I’m going to talk about for years to come. They’re the kids that I’m always going to put on this pedestal of great leaders, great kids and great hearts and just a real love for softball. I just love that in them.”