Area softball teams began their seasons this weekend at various tournaments.

Mexico goes 0-5 at Back to School Classic in Sullivan

Mexico opened the season against tough competition in Sullivan.

The Lady Bulldogs went 0-5 in the Peoples Bank Back to School Classic, starting with an 11-6 loss to eventual tournament champion and reigning 21-game winner Washington after allowing all unearned runs on four errors. They then lost 3-2 to Class 4 state champion Father Tolton, 5-2 to Logan-Rogersville, 13-3 to Capital City and 9-3 to Class 2 fourth-place Linn. 

Washington scored 10 runs in the second inning to create a big enough cushion before Mexico’s five-run fifth inning. Harper Brown had four RBIs, a home run and double for Washington. Payton Shaw had a three-RBI double for Mexico.

Keerstan Ewing allowed one earned run on six hits in seven innings for Mexico against Father Tolton in a loss against all-state pitcher Bella Trim, who struck out 15 and allowed seven hits. Hannah Loyd had a two-RBI double for the Lady Bulldogs.

Mexico finished with four hits against Logan-Rogersville and allowed four runs in the fifth inning. The team allowed 11 runs in the first three innings against Capital City, and gave up six runs in the second inning and had four hits against Linn. Scottie Smith went 3-for-3 with two RBIs and a double against Capital City.

Community R-6 begins season 2-2 at Montgomery County

After a blowout win to open the season on Friday, Community R-6’s record evened out.

The Lady Trojans won their home opener 17-0 on Friday against Class 1 District 4 foe Wellsville-Middletown but went 1-2 in the Montgomery County Fall Classic tournament on Saturday, with 15-0 and 22-0 losses to Russellville and Louisiana and a 14-2 win over St. Clair.

Ana McLead led Community with four RBIs against Wellsville and Maci Poindexter followed with two RBIs. Jocelyn Curtis struck out five and allowed one hit in three innings.

Class 2 Russellville, who won 10 games a year ago, tallied 15 hits and allowed three hits. Class 2 Louisiana won 14 games last year and 43 games over the past three years and had 17 hits compared to Community’s one hit and five errors. 

Class 3 St. Clair allowed nine Lady Trojan hits as they pulled away with 11 runs in the third and fourth innings. Poindexter went 2-for-2 with a RBI triple, Kaytlynn Arens was 2-for-3 with one RBI, Lydia Hoyt had a RBI triple, and Curtis and Peyton Schafer each had two walks and one RBI. Curtis struck out six and allowed one earned run on three hits in five innings.

Brown no-hitter, King home runs propel Centralia into gold bracket, 7th place

Centralia had an eventful first day at the Greater Kansas City Softball Tournament in Independence.

The Lady Panthers won their first two games on Friday to earn a place in the gold bracket before eventually going 1-2 the rest of the way to finish seventh. 

All-state pitcher Jaylynn Brown tossed a no-hitter against Class 5 24-game winner Liberty while all-state infielder Cora King went 3-for-3 with a home run and two doubles in a 3-0 victory. Brown had 15 strikeouts, and Kassena Ridgel was 2-for-3 with two RBIs.

Brown struck out 11 batters in four innings of one-run ball against Class 4 state runner-up Belton, but Centralia trailed 3-2 going into the bottom of the ninth. King didn’t have a hit yet after the Lady Panthers loaded the bases with two walks and bunt single by all-state infield Madi Johnson but walloped a walk-off grand slam for the 6-3 win.

In a Class 3 state championship rematch the next day, Oak Grove beat Centralia 1-0 after all-stater Molly Munson outdueled Brown once again. Munson struck out seven and allowed three hits in six innings while Brown struck out 14 and allowed an unearned run on two hits in six innings. 

Centralia’s offense had three hits and 11 strikeouts in a 9-3 loss to Class 4 30-game winner Kearney before finishing the tournament with a 9-6 win over 23-game winner Odessa. The Lady Panthers scored seven runs in the second inning with five run-scoring hits. Ridgel went 2-for-2 with three RBI, and Brooklyn Hardin had two RBIs. 

Centralia plays at Battle at 6:45 p.m. today.