Bob Foos
Tuesday’s home softball game was preceded by the team’s donation presentation to the Hope 4 You Breast Cancer Foundation. The donation was the result of a cookie-sale fundraiser conducted during a game in September.
Receiving the donation for the foundation were Pat Lipira, a 20-year breast cancer survivor, and Stephanie Taylor, a six-month survivor. Lipira, retired as the softball coach at Missouri Southern State University, was Webb City coach Kathy Harris’ college coach. Taylor is a Webb City High School teacher and mother of team member Addyson Taylor.
“You may have saved a life,” Lipira told the players. She explained that when the foundation receives a donation such as the one she received Tuesday, “We give it right back” to local hospitals to pay for women who can’t afford it to have mammograms.
“The more partners (like the Cardinals) we get, the more lives we save,” she said.
The highly ranked Willard Tigers took a 4-0 lead in the first inning and added 3 more runs in the second.
Webb City scored 3 in the second, 2 in the third and 1 in the sixth to trail 9-6 going into the bottom of the seventh. They scored 2 but fell 9-8.
Chasney Brown went 4-for-4 at the plate for the Cardinals, including a home run. Alivia Nieburg and Brecklynn Sargent also hit home runs. Noa Shewmake and Addyson Crane had two hits each.
The loss ended the Cardinals’ six-game winning streak. They are taking a 19-10-1 record to Republic on Thursday for their last game of the regular season.
The Class 5 District 6 tournament will be at Lee’s Summit beginning Wednesday. The bracket wasn’t released before this article was written.
