In the week leading up to the district tournament seeding meeting, Van-Far softball picked up timely victories.

Van-Far vs Marion County Photo Gallery

Four days after winning 7-6 in eight innings at home against Class 1 District 4 foe Community R-6, the Lady Indians beat district opponent Marion County 10-0 in six innings for the 20th straight time in Van-Far’s final home game. Ady Barnett pitched her first career no-hitter with eight strikeouts and two walks in six innings, and seven girls had at least one RBI to secure as many wins as the past two seasons combined.

Van-Far’s seven wins as of Monday are the most for the program in four years, its three Eastern Missouri Conference victories is also a four-year high and Monday’s win put the team’s record against district foes at 3-1. The Lady Indians (7-13) wrap up the regular season at conference and district foe Clopton at 5 p.m. Thursday, which is one day after the district seeding meeting, but head coach Cameron Huff said they have proven themselves within their district.

“We’re growing and coming into each game competing,” Huff said. “Things are starting to click.”

Things have had to click early in the careers for most of the Lady Indians. The team is full of underclassmen, including six on the pitching staff. At the forefront is Barnett, who has run with the primary pitcher role this season as a freshman.

Huff clarified that Barnett tested out of the eighth grade so she brings even more youth than the typical freshman. Barnett does have travel ball experience so Huff said she has handled the responsibility well and the other underclassmen pitchers have done the same.

“She handles things pretty well for being a freshman in big situations,” Huff said. “She has pitched most games. Her and (sophomore) Ashlynn Grammer pitch a lot of our big games. (Sophomore) Taelyn Ward pitched a 4-1 ballgame against Paris, who is state-ranked in Class 2.”

Barnett said she is “beyond happy” about Monday’s result and the state of the team. She was wearing the Lady Indians’ Pink Out jerseys while she was striking out Marion County (5-7).

“Normally, my adrenaline kicks in after the first two strikeouts or the first one,” Barnett said. “I’m just living off that to keep going and push myself.”

Barnett said “pitching is my thing” so she has found early success despite Van-Far's varsity inexperience this season. She said having good teammates in the dugout helps her, especially junior catcher Kenya Jones.

“As we came out in the summer, our goal was to win a lot of games this season,” Barnett said. “Winning is very big for us. I’m very proud of us and how we’ve come so far.”

Before a four-run sixth inning capped by a walk-off two-RBI single by Emily Smith, Van-Far made sure to score runs from third base to build a 6-0 lead after five innings. Two groundouts, a sacrifice fly and an error got the job done.

“All season, we have been focusing on putting our team ahead of ourselves,” Huff said. “Obviously, I want them to hit. But when we have runners in scoring positions, we got to do our job and move a runner or get an RBI.”

Seven of Van-Far’s 13 losses as of Monday have come against state-ranked opponents, including four in its conference. The team will be without one of its returning all-district players Mylee Keller for the rest of the season because of an ankle injury but still have Elliott Utterback and sophomore Carly Hunn stepping up in Keller’s place. Huff said Hunn made a crucial play in the Community win, and she finished 2-for-3 with two runs and a triple against Marion County.

“We couldn’t lay an egg and lose the game against Marion County,” Huff said. “They exceeded my expectations.”