ROGERSVILLE — Throughout the season, Willard softball has donned butterflies on its batting helmets.
It’s a nod to the great Dolly Parton.
“Each year, we try to play for something fun,” senior Callie Ebert said with a smile.
Before every game, ‘9 to 5’ is blared in the Willard dugout. It’s just another way Willard stays loose. When the Tigers play loose, they win big.
“It’s all takin’ and no givin’.” Parton’s lyrics ring out in her famous song.
Willard took all of the glory on Monday, Oct. 19.
The Tigers defeated Logan-Rogersville 13-2 to claim the Class 4 District 6 Championship. It’s the school’s first district title in three years.
“Our defense showed out,” head coach AshLeigh
Williams said. “We’ve had this plan for 365 days since our loss in the championship, which was rough. This is what we played all year for, it was all about tonight.”
Left fielder Paxtyn Piper had a night to remember. Piper hit a lead-off home run to set the tone. She would also collect a double, finishing with three RBIs in the win.
Piper also made a big defensive play. It looked like a routine fly ball, but Piper lost it in the lights. The ball flipped out of her glove over her head before she grabbed it at the last second.
“I was like, ‘Oh, shoot. I got to get it,’” Piper said. “I was definitely surprised that I caught it. I just got to back up my pitchers.”
Entering the fourth inning, Willard clung to a 1-0 lead. The Tigers erupted for seven runs. In the fifth inning, Willard added five more runs to win the district title on the 10-run rule.
Ebert played a major role in Willard’s win. She was thrust into a tough situation in the circle. With the bases loaded for Logan-Rogersville, Ebert got a groundout and a strikeout to end the fifth inning.
DeLaney Dixon started for Willard, pitching 4.1 innings, striking out three batters and allowing four hits. Dixon and Ebert playing off of each other is a big reason for the team’s success.
“They carry each other,” Williams said. “If one isn’t doing well, the other comes in and steps up. It’s the beauty of having both of them.”
In the bottom half of the frame, Ebert delivered the game-winning three-run homer, giving Willard its biggest victory of the season.
“You have to take the hype from the defense and bring it to the offense,” Ebert said. “It was really exciting being able to do both and succeed in both.”
Parton once said, “If you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.”
For the past two years, Willard couldn't get over the district hump. Now, the Tigers are district champions looking to advance further in the state tournament.
“We all contributed to it, and last year we fell short, but this year, we made it,” Ebert said.
“This feels the best. We knew we could do it and come out here as a team playing together,” Piper said.
The Tigers will host Helias Catholic in the Class 4 State Quarterfinals on Saturday, Oct. 24.
Liam Keating covers high school sports and Missouri State athletics for The Springfield News-Leader. Send stats or information to him at Lkeating@usatodayco.com
This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Willard softball wins first district title in three years: 'We made it'
