OFC: Doniphan hands East Carter's first loss of spring, advances to championship

Doniphan's Paige Wilson recieves a throw at third while East Carter's Anna Crowley slides into the bag during the OFC Semifinals on Tuesday, April 19 at Three Rivers College in Poplar Bluff, Mo.

DAR/Robert Augsdorfer

POPLAR BLUFF – Doniphan was able to end East Carter's perfect season on Tuesday as the Donettes took a 8-1 win over the Redbirds in the semifinal round of the Ozark Foothills Conference Tournament at JD Rains Field.

"We really put the bat on the ball," Doniphan coach Laura Chilton said. "The bats really came alive for us."

Emilee Davis started in the circle for the Donettes and recorded six strikeouts in seven innings of work.

"Emilee was shutting them down," Chilton said. "Just one hit got her, but she said to me when she came in that she left that pitch over the plate a little too much."

As for East Carter, they were handed their first loss of the spring season and will be playing for third place.

"We play in a really tough conference," said East Carter coach Teresa Kearbey-LeGrand. "It just comes down to who can play the better game, and (Tuesday) it was Doniphan. They're a very good team that's well coached."

The Redbirds lone run came in the sixth when they were down 5-0 and Honna Brown hit a solo home run.

Doniphan struck first in the second with a couple of runs and added a run in the third and one in the fourth to go up 4-0. Gracen Kirby extended the Donette lead to five when she scored on an error in the top of the sixth.

After Brown's home run broke up the shutout, Doniphan put the game away with three runs in the seventh in order to advance to the OFC Championship.

Doniphan will be going up against Neelyville for the conference title.

"We just need to stay at it," Chilton said. "Hopefully we go in with the same hunger that we had today."

Rain postponed the championship and third place games Wednesday.

The third place game is now scheduled for 7 p.m. Thursday.

Doniphan and Neelyville will play for the title at 7 p.m. Friday.

Both games will be played at JD Rains Field on the Three Rivers College campus.