Leopold softball seniors enjoy final bow in breezy win over Oak Ridge

LEOPOLD, Mo. -- In their final game on their home field, three Leopold softball seniors were able to walk off with smiles on their faces.

The Wildcats swung the bats, made Oak Ridge its own worst enemy and blew by the Bluejays for a 17-1 victory Thursday.

Leopold's seniors led the way, as Lexi Vandeven went 3-for-4 with three runs scored, one driven in and a pair of doubles to go with a win in the pitcher's circle, Brttany Garland was 2-for-3 with a pair of runs scored and Emily Seiler was 2-for-4 with two runs scored, two RBIs and a double.

"It's just emotional," Leopold coach Keenan Kinder said. "I've coached them all four years and I think all three of them started every game for me. ... It's bittersweet. It's a closing chapter, but I know there's good things ahead for them."

Leopold players celebrate after their win against Oak Ridge Thursday, April 28, 2016 in Leopold, Missouri.Glenn Landberg

The Wildcats (13-2) finished with 14 hits. Shelby Shreckenberg had as big a day as anyone, going 3-for-3 with four runs scored, a double and a three-run home run. Klara Beel added a pair of double and two RBIs.

"Be selective, be disciplined, swing at the strikes and don't chase garbage pitches," Kinder said. "We want to be aggressive at the plate, but we don't want to get ourselves in a jam."

Oak Ridge (6-11) didn't help its cause, as errors and mental mistakes in the field contributed to the end of its three-game winning streak. Of Leopold's 17 runs, only seven were earned.

"That's what our main problem has been," Oak Ridge coach Sara Flieg said. "... It's silly stuff -- not hitting the cutoff, errors in the field, not charging the ball. That's what gets us.

"We can be awesome, and then the next day we can be mediocre. Against a good team, those things add up."

Leopold jumped out on top in the bottom of the first inning, as Shreckenberg opened the stanza with an infield single and then ended the scoring with a three-run homer to left-center field. In between, the Wildcats used three doubles -- from Vandeven, Seiler and Beel -- and a pair of errors to punish Oak Ridge. By the time it was over, Leopold held an 8-0 advantage.

The Wildcats opened the gap in a troublesome, three-error third inning for the Bluejays. Four straight hits from the top of Leopold's order helped the hosts capitalize; the last of those -- an infield single by Patience Vandermierden -- was an infield single that ricocheted off the wrist of Oak Ridge pitcher Jessica Hahs, first knocking her to the ground and then knocking her out of the game.

Brittany Coomer moved to the circle to help her team out of the inning, but not before surrendering a run-scoring double to Beel and walking in a runner to push things to 14-0 after three innings.

Oak Ridge was able to get one back in the top of the fourth, getting a two-out walk from Jordan Layton to set the table for Brittany Showmaker, who doubled to left to bring Layton home.

Leopold ended the game in the bottom half of the inning, capitalizing on two errors, a Vandeven double and a hit batter before Seiler sealed the contest with a single up the middle that plated two runners and pushed the deficit past 15 runs.

Vandeven allowed one run on four hits in four innings of work to move to 12-2 on the season.

Hahs was tagged with the loss for the Bluejays, giving up 13 runs -- five earned -- on 11 hits with two strikeouts and a walk in 2 2/3 innings.

Leopold's Shelby Schreckenberg makes her way to third base in the third inning against Oak Ridge Thursday, April 28, 2016 in Leopold, Missouri.Glenn Landberg

Hahs' health will be a major concern for Oak Ridge as it gets set to open the Class 1 District 5 tournament on Monday, facing Meadow Heights at West County High School in Park Hills, Mo.

"I hope it's just a bruise for her," Flieg said "She's pretty much my one and only pitcher and a senior."

The Bluejays have already thrice beaten Meadow Heights this season, twice by large margins.

"We've got to be ready an on our toes, because we know they'll be out for blood because nobody wants to be beaten four times," Flieg said. "We've got to be set and we've got to be sound; get that first out and everything else goes from there."

Oak Ridge wraps up the regular season today hosting Scott City.

Thursday's game completed Leopold's regular-season campaign, and the Wildcats now prepare to face Scott County Central in Monday's first round of the Class 1 District 4 tournament, which will be played at Woodland High School. Leopold is 2-0 against the Bravettes this season.

As it preps for the postseason, Kinder's message to his team is straight forward.

"Keep it simple and do the things that have been working for us," the coach said. "On defense, make outs, and on offense, see the ball and hit the ball."

Oak Ridge 000 1 -- 1 4 7

Leopold 806 3 -- 17 14 0

WP -- Lexi Vandeven (12-2). LP -- Jessica Hahs. 2B -- Brittany Showmaker (OR), Vandeven (L) 2, Klara Beel (L) 2, Shelby Shreckenberg (L). HR -- Shreckenberg. Multiple hits -- Oak Ridge: Maci Schamburg 2-2; Leopold: Shreckenberg 3-3, Vandeven 3-4, Brittany Garland 2-3, Emily Seiler 2-4, Beel 2-3.