Central advances to semifinal round

The Central softball team showed it was not ready to relinquish its hold on the Class 4 District 1 title just yet, upsetting third-seeded Farmington 3-1 Wednesday at Jackson.

Central will face No. 2 Poplar Bluff at 5:30 p.m. today in the semifinal round at Jackson. Top-seeded Hillsboro meets No. 4 Sikeston in the other semifinal.

"The district right now is wide open," Central coach Amy Blattel said. "The team that shows up and commits the least amount of errors, I believe, is going to win."

The Tigers, a state quarterfinal team a year ago, came in as the No. 6 seed sporting a 7-17 record. Central turned its game up a notch Wednesday, though, scoring runs in the third and fourth innings to build a 2-0 lead it would not relinquish.

"Our kids are hitting the ball a lot better. I think our kids take some pride in what we've done in the past," Blattel said. "I think they expect to advance. I think that's a key."

Erica Schabbing and Kate Mothershead knocked in the first two runs for Central. Farmington's best chance to strike came in the bottom of the fourth.

Callie Hoffman loaded the bases with three straight walks with one out before giving way to Kelsy Holloway. Kristen Hayes hit a shallow pop fly, which was caught by a sliding Courtney Schuessler. After colliding with the second baseman, Schuessler managed to throw out the runner tagging from third.

"The key there was Courtney holding on to the ball and having the presence of mind to throw home," Blattel said.

Farmington cut the lead to 2-1 with a run in the fifth, but Central gained some breathing room with an RBI single from Schuessler in the seventh. Holloway picked up the win with 3 2/3 innings of three-hit ball.

"Both of our pitchers did a really good job. Kelsy had a little more pop on the ball today," Blattel said.

Jackson falls to Sikeston

In the nightcap, host Jackson was eliminated with an 8-6 loss to No. 4 Sikeston.

Jackson built a 6-0 lead before letting it slip away.

Chelsea McDowell drove in two runs, while Hannah Fowler, Trisha Kluesner and Amanda Pitts each added one RBI in a six-run second inning for Jackson.

Sikeston answered with five runs in the third to get back in the game. A run in the fourth tied the game, and Sikeston scored two unearned runs in the fifth to take an 8-6 lead.

"You score six runs and you think you have got a team down," Jackson coach Julie Rushing said. "Sikeston did a good job. I kept telling the girls you play seven innings."

Jackson ended its season 11-16.

"We had a slow start, and then they kind of jelled," Rushing said. "We played better at the end. We just didn't put it together when we needed it."