photo by: Jamie Baker

Eudora's softball team poses for a photo after winning a regional title Thursday night at LHS on May 20, 2021. The Cardinals claimed a pair of double-digit victories on their way to notching a state berth. Photo courtesy of Jamie Baker.

After a lengthy weather delay, Eudora’s softball team punched its ticket to the Class 4A state tourney with two double-digit victories on Thursday.

The third-seeded Cardinals (18-4) defeated Tonganoxie 13-3 in the first game and then routed Fort Scott 11-1 in the regional championship at Lawrence High School.

Against Tonganoxie (5-16), Eudora was led by perfect hitting performances from junior Harper Schreiner and senior Jayla Pierce. They each went 4-for-4 — Schreiner had two doubles and two RBIs, and Pierce drove in four RBIs to go along with a double and a triple.

Freshman Kenzie Yoder had two doubles and went 2-for-3 at the dish. Freshman Rylee Griffin, sophomore Elli Han and junior Taylor Hadl each had a hit, as well. Eudora finished the game with 13 hits as a team.

Junior pitcher Kira Baker was solid in the circle, giving up two earned runs on four hits over six innings. She struck out nine batters and walked five. The Cardinals scored in four of the game’s innings, including a four-run effort in the first to start things off and another four-run outburst in the sixth to close it out.

Eudora maintained its momentum in the regional championship against Fort Scott (9-13). The Cardinals raced out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning and never looked back, adding three runs in the fourth and five more in the sixth.

Baker, Han and Yoder each recorded a double, and Pierce paced the Cardinals with a 3-for-3 clip at the plate, driving in one run and earning one walk. Han, who went 2-for-4 with two runs scored, was the only other player to finish with multiple hits in the regional final. Sophomore Addison Woods, Baker and Griffin each drove in two RBIs. Eudora had 11 hits as a team.

In the circle, Baker tossed six innings of one-run ball, giving up one hit and striking out 10 batters.

Not only was Baker spectacular, but her defense provided plenty of support. Yoder made two great plays at third base, and Schreiner stopped a rocket grounder on a ball hit up the middle. Woods made a diving snag in right field to end the fourth inning.

Senior Kourtney Balluch scored a run during that five-run sixth inning that helped the Cardinals put the game away.

The Class 4A state softball tournament will take place at the Bill Burke Complex in Salina on May 27 and May 28.

Regional semifinal: Eudora 13, Tonganoxie 3

THS 0 0 1 1 1 0 X — 3 4 1

EHS 4 3 0 2 0 4 X — 13 13 1

Regional championship: Eudora 11, Fort Scott 1

FS 0 0 0 0 1 0 X — 1 1 1

EHS 0 2 1 3 0 5 X — 11 11 1