MONROE CITY, Mo. – Highland needed one more out, and Mark Twain had the tying run just 60 feet from home. After an afternoon filled with lead changes and timely answers from both lineups, freshman Zeeva McReynolds fielded a ground ball back to the circle and threw to first, securing the Lady Cougars’ 14-13 victory and the Class 2 District 5 championship Monday at the Monroe City Softball Complex at Lions Park.
The top-seeded Lady Cougars improved to 24-8 and advanced to Saturday’s state quarterfinal at Marceline, the No. 1-ranked team in Class 2. While Highland was celebrating its championship, Marceline was working through its own district battle, eventually walking off against South Harrison 6-5 in the 11th inning Monday night.
Ali Lundberg delivered two of Highland’s biggest swings against Mark Twain, while McReynolds provided 4 2/3 innings of relief to help the Lady Cougars withstand a Lady Tiger lineup that collected 15 hits. Highland scored in each of the first five innings, repeatedly answering Mark Twain before holding off one final rally in the seventh.
Mark Twain struck first when Annabelle Roberts drew a leadoff walk and scored on Ella Moss’ double to left. The Lady Tigers added another run for a 2-0 advantage, but Highland responded in the bottom half. Lundberg drove a ball into right field that brought Emma Berry and Hannah Ritterbusch home, then came around to score on the play herself to put the Lady Cougars ahead 3-2.
That exchange set the tone for the next several innings. Moss drove in two more runs in the second to move Mark Twain back in front, but Highland answered with four runs in its half, including an RBI single from Ritterbusch, to take a 7-4 lead. The Lady Tigers came back with four runs in the third, reclaiming an 8-7 advantage before Highland scored twice in the bottom half to regain the lead for good.
McReynolds entered during Mark Twain’s third-inning rally with the bases loaded and one out. The freshman helped Highland get through the inning, then followed with a scoreless fourth, giving the Lady Cougars an opportunity to extend their lead.
“She’s just pretty even keel no matter what’s going on,” Highland head coach Paul Scifres said during the postgame interview on the Hometown Radio Sports Network. “She’s kind of been our bullpen girl, ready to go anytime.”
McReynolds earned the victory, allowing five runs, three earned, on eight hits while striking out two without issuing a walk. Corinne Brinkley started and struck out four over 2 1/3 innings before McReynolds took over.
Scifres praised both pitchers, crediting Brinkley for the season she has put together and McReynolds for answering the call in a difficult situation. He also pointed to the way the entire team continued to respond through the game’s momentum swings.
“Proud of all these girls for continuing to fight, continuing to battle, not giving in, not giving up,” Scifres said. “Our dugout was so loud and crazy. Super fun.”
Highland scored three runs in the fourth to build a 12-8 advantage, but Moss kept Mark Twain within reach. The senior shortstop launched a two-run home run in the fifth, cutting the deficit in half and putting pressure back on the Highland lineup.
The Lady Cougars answered again. Berry scored in the bottom of the fifth, and Lundberg followed with a solo home run over the left-field fence to make it 14-10. That swing produced Highland’s final run, and the Lady Cougars would need the entire cushion.
Mark Twain scored once in the sixth before Roberts struck out the side in the bottom half, leaving the bases loaded and keeping the Lady Tigers within three entering their final opportunity. Moss reached to begin the seventh and later scored on Lilah Tischer’s double down the left-field line, trimming Highland’s lead to 14-12.
Amaris Melvin followed with a groundout that scored Raegan Duckworth and moved the tying run to third with two outs. Jordan Wilkinson then hit a ball that initially appeared to produce the tying run during the ensuing play, but the umpires conferred and ruled it foul, returning the runner to third and Wilkinson to the batter’s box.
McReynolds remained composed through the delay and the rest of the at-bat. With the championship still one out away, she induced the ground ball back to the circle and completed the throw to first to finish the victory.
“I feel like I aged about five years in that five-minute stretch right there,” Scifres said afterward.
Assistant coach Ron Richardson said McReynolds’ composure was consistent with what the coaching staff sees from her every day. Her ability to keep throwing strikes proved especially valuable against a Mark Twain team that continued to put the ball in play.
“Well, you can’t defend a walk. We all know that,” Richardson said. “I’ll take our chances with a ball put in play.”
Lundberg finished with two hits and three runs scored as Highland collected 11 hits. Keera Rothweiler, Ritterbusch and Aspen Scifres each added two hits, while Malia Thomas drove in two runs. Alayna Logsdon doubled and scored twice, Calyn Mathes contributed a hit and an RBI, and Berry crossed the plate three times.
Moss led Mark Twain with a double, a home run and six RBIs in a three-hit performance. Tischer, Melvin, Alyvia Paxton and Erika Gilbert each added two hits as the Lady Tigers finished their season at 22-12.
For Highland, the championship also reflected the experience of a senior class that reached 100 career victories during Saturday’s semifinal round. Berry, Ritterbusch and Rothweiler were members of the Lady Cougars’ 2024 state championship team, and Paul Scifres credited their leadership with helping Highland navigate another demanding postseason game.
“I can’t say enough about our three seniors,” Scifres said. “Just the job that they do to lead this team, to lead by example.”
That experience will travel with Highland into Saturday’s quarterfinal against top-ranked Marceline, with a place in the state final-four on the line. After watching his team find a way through Monday’s championship, Scifres expressed confidence in what the Lady Cougars can accomplish when they play to their capabilities.
“We can come out and play a great game of softball,” Scifres said. “I’d love our chances against anybody.”
(This game recap is presented based upon the coverage of the Hometown Radio Sports Network. Any statistics given should be deemed as unofficial.)
Click here to listen to the broadcast of this game.
