Poplar Bluff softball places 4th at Sullivan tournament

SULLIVAN, Mo. — Poplar Bluff ran out of time in the third-place game Saturday afternoon against the host at the Back to School Softball Classic.

The Mules rallied from a two-run deficit without driving in a run, but Sullivan earned a 3-2 walk-off win in five innings.

Poplar Bluff advanced to the championship bracket with three wins Friday before losing 6-1 to Capital City in the semifinal Saturday morning.

“The Capital City pitcher was really good. She gave us a little bit of trouble,” Mules coach Joel McDuffey said. “That kind of carried over into the Sullivan game.”

Sullivan, the runner-up last year in Class 3 with five returning starters, lost to the eventual tournament champion Logan-Rogersville in the semifinal 8-4 and led the Mules 2-0 after three innings.

Sullivan pitcher Hannah Johanning had yet to allow a hit and had faced one over the minimum after allowing a two-out walk in the third.

Audrey Lack led off the fourth with a walk, stole second on the next pitch, headed for third as Ella Zgaynor drew a walk and scored. Adrianne Casey reached on an error to put runners on second and third with nobody out.

But the Eagles got a ground out to the third baseman and pitcher Jaedin Blankenship struck out the next two hitters to keep the lead.

The Mules pulled even in the fifth after Lauren Webb reached on an error by the shortstop to start the inning. Caleigh Chilton’s single to the right field, Poplar Bluff’s only hit of the game, moved Webb to third.

With two outs, pinch-runner Kennedy Zgaynor scored on a dropped third strike to tie the game.

After a one-out single and a groundout, Alexis Funkhouser hit a line drive to center field scoring the winning run.

The Mules did not trail during their three games of pool play but fell behind in the bottom of the first inning of the semifinal.

Following a one-out single, Camryn Sharp hit a home run to center field for a 2-0 lead. Sharp also singled in a run and scored in the three-run fifth on Kennedy Schanuth’s double. Schanuth had three hits and the insurance was enough for Lydia Coulson who struck out 11.

Poplar Bluff’s lone run came in the fourth with the Mules down 3-0. Zgaynor took an 0-2 pitch over the left-field wall for her first career varsity home run.

Thresher had two of Poplar Bluff’s five hits but the Mules stranded five runners, two in scoring position.

In the final, the Cavaliers lost 7-5 to Logan-Rogersville.

The Mules host North County at 4:30 p.m. Wednesday before hosting Sikeston a day later.

CROSS COUNTRY

At the Jackson Invitational, Poplar Bluff’s Jaden Deaton won the senior race while the Mules placed second as a team in the freshmen boys division Saturday.

The first meet of the season is shorter than a normal 5,000-meter event and runners compete against their classmates.

“It was really nice to have the kids back on the starting line again,” Mules coach Beth Lewis-Muse said. “It’s been a long wait.

Deaton ran the 2.35-mile course through Jackson City Park in 12 minutes, 25 seconds to win by 41 seconds of Jackson’s Evan Stephens.

Alexis Richardson placed ninth in the girls senior race at 18:24 while Salah McCormack placed 13th in 18:48 in the junior race. Ava Smith was 15th in the senior race at 19:36 while freshman Cori Duncan placed 15th, running the 1.9-mile course in 23:14.

Cayden Larkins led the freshmen Mules in 15th place at 13:28 while Parker Hicks followed nine seconds later for 19th. Cameron Sisk finished 25th at 13:54 while Nick Spain (14:25) was 33rd and Noah Shirrell (15:02) was 40th

Brent Worley (15:34) placed 26th in the senior race, Tristian Gillihan (15:50) finished 19th in the junior race as Aden Wirtz (19:16) was 40th. Zach Martin (19:36) was 43rd in the senior race while Nathan Mays (16:44) finished 35th among sophomores.

Kenya Jones (23:14) was 27th in the senior race, Madison Moore ran a 23:39 while junior Julia Smothers (23:52) was 28th, Summer Worley placed 33rd and Tymber Colvin ran 21:01.

“We have the foundation down but we are needing to relearn how to race,” Lewis-Muse said. “We have a lot of work to do and at least one race down we know what director we need to take.”