Doniphan falls in close district final to Cassville

The Doniphan Donettes put up a hard fight in the Class 3, District 6 Tournament. Still, it wouldn’t be enough to bring home the hardware.

After trailing 4-0 in the bottom of the second, the Donettes rallied ahead of the Cassville Lady Wildcats, but a late-game stretch would end their hopes of winning another district title. Cassville prevailed in the end and walked away with a 7-6 win over the Donettes in the game’s final moments on Monday.

Cassville got on the board in the bottom of the first inning after Kalee Lowe doubled to bring the first run. Aubrey Stoufer followed with a ground hit to bring in another, and she would make her way across home plate after a sacrifice hit from Lauren Sparkman.

Cassville connected once again with a single by Kyler Hayward, extending the Lady Wildcats lead to 4-0 in the bottom of the second inning. Though the Donettes fell behind, they tried to fight back. They managed to close the gap after they caught fire at the top of the fifth.

After scoring their first run on a wild pitch, the Donettes would begin to find their groove by capitalizing on the mistakes of Cassville. Doniphan tied the game at four in the top of the fifth thanks to a wild pitch, a single by Kenna Kirby, a walk by Kiernyn Bond, and a passed ball.

Both teams went back and forth at the plate, waiting for the other to slip up and take the game. The Donettes got back into the lead after Paige Wilson doubled and a single from Kirby, each scoring one run.

The game was tied at six in the bottom of the seventh when Cassiville’s Joei Blankenship singled, scoring one run. With the bases loaded and two outs for the Donettes, Cassville would capture the win in the bottom of the seventh with the game-winning single from freshman Tomi Blankenship.

Stoufer earned the win for Cassville on the mound. The right-handed pitcher surrendered seven hits and six runs (five earned) over seven innings, striking out 13 and walking five. Kylie Hawkins took the loss for the Donettes. They went five and two-thirds innings, surrendering five runs (one earned) on seven hits, striking out four and

walking two.

Micha Burton and Kirby each collected two hits for the Donettes. Kirby led with two runs batted in. The outfielder went 2-for-3 on the day.

Blankenship led Cassville with two hits in four at-bats. Kyler Hayward, Sparkman, Lowe, Blankenship, Stoufer, and Blankenship each drove in one run for Cassville.

Doniphan finishes the fall at 19-11, the program’s most wins since the Donettes went 19-5 back in 2018 when they fell to Perryville in the Class 3, District 1 Tournament final.

The Donettes will now look to the spring season where they, along with the Neelyville Lady Tigers, gained a lot of momentum for the season with each making it to their respective district finals.