Naylor softball team earns walk-off win over Doniphan

NAYLOR — A late-inning defensive stand set the stage for a dramatic walk-off win Tuesday afternoon as the Naylor Lady Eagles defeated the Doniphan Donettes 8-7 in eight innings in a matchup of Ripley County rivals.

With the score tied at 7-7 in the top of the eighth inning, Doniphan had Catie Donaldson and Karlee Harder on second and third with nobody out.

Naylor pitcher Faith Sullivan got an infield popout to first followed by back-to-back groundouts to third to get out of the jam.

Naylor’s Whitney Mitchell led off the bottom of the eighth with a hard-hit single. With Aribi Pruett at the plate, Mitchell stole second, the throw went into center field, and Mitchell scored the walk-off run.

The game was evenly matched from the beginning, with both teams starting strong, each scoring runs in the first, third, and fifth innings. Doniphan led off the top of the first with three runs, scored by Jaylin Dutton, Sydni Speck, and Olivia Cortez.

Naylor matched the Donettes in the bottom of the first with three runs of their own, with Sullivan driving in two of those with a double. She finished 3 for 4 with two doubles and two runs scored.

Doniphan put three more runs on the board in the third inning, with Speck and Cortez scoring again, joined this time by Madison Eddington.

Eddington scored another run in the fifth inning for the Donettes’ last tally of the game.

Naylor tied the game each time Doniphan took the lead. Sullivan, Mitchell, and Kaylynn Johnson each crossed the plate in the third inning.

Mitchell also scored the tying run for Naylor in the fifth, this time on a throwing error after Pruett grounded out.

Sullivan pitched the majority of the game for Naylor, trading positions with Alyssa Urich in the third inning but returning to the mound in the sixth.

Doniphan pitcher Emilee Davis went the distance for the Donettes.

Doniphan scored seven runs on nine hits, while Naylor scored eight runs on nine hits.