Eureka Softball Team Is District Champ

The third time's the charm:  after Eureka and Parkway South High School softball teams facing off twice already this season, ending with Parkway South as victors both times, the Wildcats chalked up an important win Friday night.

Final score was Eureka 6 - Parkway South 4.

However, Parkway South was on their way to tying the game in the seventh inning while they had two outs and two runners on base, when an interference mishap from their runner into Eureka's shortstop caused a tizzy and a lengthy umpire caucus. Eureka fans couldn't understand what there was to talk about, because the interference clearly occurred. The umpires ruled the interference valid, putting the runner as the third out of the inning, which officially ended the game.

This year's Eureka High School girls' varsity softball team athletes are the first District softball champions for the Wildcats since 1999.

plays Webster Groves on Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. at Eureka's field, weather-permitting. Admission is $6.

Highlights of Friday's game include:

• 2nd inning: Eureka's Jenny Weiss hit a home run.
• Eureka's Jessica Poore doubled, getting a RBI when Kelsey Tepen scored.
• Parkway South's Kelly Baerveldt doubled, putting the score at Eureka 2- Parkway South 1.
• Parkway South's Megan Medcalf batted, enabling a tied score.
• Parkway South's go-ahead run headed to home plate, but Eureka's outfielder Alana Hester gunned a magnificent throw into catcher Syd Tockman, who guarded the plate and showed the umpire she had full control of the ball in her glove, rendering a critical out of the game.
• Eureka's Allie Craft doubled in the fourth inning, then Tepen stole second base, putting runners at third and second bases, with Craft heading into home when Poore singled, making the score 3-2.
• Eureka's pitcher Maddie Krumrey bunted, which allowed Eureka to put another run on the board, 4-2.
• Eureka's Hester hit a double, getting an RBI and making the score 5-2.
• Eureka's Jamie Fowle walked, loading the bases. Weiss also walked, putting the score at 6-2.
• Parkway South's Kelsey Harper singled at top of the fourth inning to start a rally. Shekinah Griffith walked, putting runners at first and second base. Kelli Walsh was thrown out at first base, but the runners advanced. Kaylyn Breitbach popped out, stranding both runners on base.
• Chants of "do something crazy" sprung up, but Eureka's batters during the fifth inning were a quick up and down. However Parkway South's Megan Medcalf doubled. Sheridon Sprague popped out. Eureka coach Mark Mosley kept telling his team:  "We just need an out." But Parkway South's Medcalf scored when the single hit by Alyssa Francis took an odd hop, putting the overall score 6-3. Eureka's pitcher Krumrey delivered a strike out and Parkway South's Tayler Monaco was thrown out at first base to end the inning.
• During the sixth inning, Krumrey and Hester both fouled out. Allie Webb was thrown out at first base.
• Parkway South was up and down fairly quickly for the bottom of the sixth inning, with a key stretch from Eureka's third baseman Sam Witte off the third baseline to achieve a critical out at a good time.
• To start the top of the seventh inning, Eureka's Craft was safe at first base due to an overthrow. Witte smacked a hard drive to Parkway South's shortstop Kaylyn Breitbach, resulting in two Eureka runners on base. But Tepen eventually was thrown out at first base for the last out, with both of those runners stranded.
• Parkway South's Jenna Breitbach put one up the middle during the bottom of the seventh inning, enabling her teammate to score, putting the score at 6-4.
• The game ended with confused intensity due to the interference situation.

Parkway South coach Terry Bazzell said playing Eureka was always "a dog fight," but that this year, his team has been able to pull ahead. "We knew Eureka's pitching is sharp, and that we had to be patient with her, making her throw. Eureka's defense was solid."

Bazzell said this year's softball team has been an outstanding group of girls, with good wishes going to five seniors.

Eureka coach Mark Mosley said his team would practice defensive relays and take a lot of swings to prepare for Wednesday's Sectional Game against Webster Groves. "After the second loss to Parkway South this season, we said: 'OK, we'll give them Suburban and Conference as long as we win District.' They've been a tremendous team to play against."