Olivia Adams had just made a run-saving catch in the top of the seventh inning, and it was up to her to walk it off.

Centralia defeated Mexico 9-8 on Tuesday after Adams hit a ball through the legs of first baseman Kierstan Epperson to allow Madi Johnson to score from second base. The Lady Panthers swiped eight bags, including Johnson stealing second in the final inning for her second stolen base. The Lady Bulldogs committed six errors that led to five unearned runs, equaling the amount Centralia allowed on its five errors, and also matched Centralia’s 11 hits.

Mackenzi Adkisson finished 2-for-4 with four RBI and allowed one unearned run in 2 1/3 innings for Centralia while Autumn Hawkins went 3-for-4, scoring two runs and stealing two bases. Mexico’s Jo Thurman hit a two-RBI home run for her second long ball in as many games, Epperson finished 2-for-4 with an RBI to make her 9-for-18 in her previous five games with an RBI in four straight, and three other Lady Bulldogs each picked up two hits.

Centralia head coach Elizabeth Bostick said everyone had a role to play in Tuesday’s win and every Lady Panther responded well even after a mistake was made in the field or after Mexico tied the game at 6 and then 8.

“All of my kids contributed,” Bostick said. “Every kid did something in this game. Whether it was just courtesy running, pinch running, pinch hitting or anything else, everybody had a role and they all fulfilled it to their needs.”

Centralia’s and Mexico’s roles seemed to be reversed from how the Lady Panthers’ season ended in districts last year. Bostick said Centralia was the one in an early hole and just couldn’t catch up with Mexico until losing 14-9.

It was a new year for the Lady Panthers as they jumped on Mexico pitcher Emma Cunningham to take a 6-1 lead after two innings. Adkisson and Ellie Page each had a two-RBI hit in the first inning after Harper Sontheimer and Adkisson added on with runs in the second inning.

Mexico head coach Curt Riley said falling behind early is not an ideal strategy as the Lady Bulldogs had to use a lot of effort to get back in the game with four runs in the fourth inning.

“We dug ourselves a hole early defensively, and we had to fight back,” Riley said. “When you have to fight back, you use up a lot of energy and that’s what we did. I thought we really did a good job of fighting back and getting ourselves in a position to win a ballgame.”

Mexico’s four runs in the fourth inning all crossed after Shi Exendine sacrifice bunted Lexie Willer to third base. The sacrifice fly was out of the question then for Thurman, but she ended up hitting the ball much further than that. Her home run landed over the center field fence and set up a two-out rally that saw the next four Lady Bulldogs reach base, scoring two runs and almost a third if not for Hawkins throwing out the runner at home.

“We’ve done a really good job night in and night out (hitting with two outs),” Riley said. “Our people at the top of the lineup are hitting the ball well. On the bottom end, we’ve kind of shuffled the lineup a little bit, and I think the kids are starting to get the hang of it.

“(Thurman’s) starting to heat up a little bit. She heats up, and we’ll get going.”

Adkisson picked up her fourth RBI on a groundout in the bottom half of the fourth inning, giving Centralia the lead again and reaching her third game of at least four RBI this season. Jozelynn Bostick reached on an error earlier in the inning and scored on another miscue as catcher Hannah Loyd tried to catch Bostick stealing third base, but the throw zipped into the outfield to let Bostick jog home.

Elizabeth Bostick acknowledged Centralia had multiple “snafus” in the outfield that were uncharacteristic of its team. The first play of the game saw a missed catch in right field and a fly ball hit by Kenley Jones was missed in center field with two outs in the sixth inning, tying the game at 8.

“Our kids fought to the end, and I hope that’s what they come away with is you just don’t roll over when things don’t go your way,” Bostick said. “It happens, and we played through it.”

Mexico had just finished showing off better infield defense in bottom of the sixth when the frame was closed on a double play, and Centralia showed how strong its outfield defense could be in the top of the seventh.

Abby Bellamy already had two hits and an RBI going into the final inning and had hit three home runs in the prior three games. She gave another ball a ride into deep left field before it was flagged down by Adams running back toward the fence. The rest of the Lady Panthers wouldn’t mob Adams, though, until her game-winning at-bat.

“That definitely saved a run,” Bostick said. “She was focused in the time she needed to and came through with a big catch out there.”

Bostick said Centralia’s all-around effort pertains to the several aspects of the game that were affected by one girl. Adkisson was a prime example of this Tuesday as she led the offense, played defense at first base and pitched for the fourth time this season.

“She’s that kid that will step up on the rubber,” Bostick said. “She doesn’t love to pitch, but she’s doing it for her team. I absolutely love that about her because she’s that kid that will step up and do whatever the team needs at that moment. She was huge as far as setting them off-balance and making them pop up and fly out a little bit. She did a great job at first base for us too, dug a couple out of the ground for us.”

Lady Panthers streak snapped with 6-5 extra-inning loss at Brookfield

Centralia has been playing its best softball recently but finally lost on Wednesday.

The Lady Panthers lost 6-5 in eight innings at Clarence Cannon Conference foe Brookfield after winning four straight games — two against state-ranked opponents. The Lady Dogs (6-3, 2-2 CCC) scored the winning run on an error to walk off Centralia after the Lady Panthers walked off Mexico the night before.

Madi Johnson finished 2-for-4 with two RBI, including the one that tied the game in the sixth inning. Autumn Hawkins and Kaelyn Walters each had two hits. Hawkins drove in a run, and Walters struck out 10 while allowing four earned runs on seven hits in 7⅔ innings.

Brookfield took a 3-0 lead on a pop fly that dropped and scored two runs. Walters reached on a pop fly in the fourth inning before Hawkins bunted her home to take the 4-3 lead. 

An error gave Brookfield the 5-4 lead in the fifth inning that lasted until Johnson’s single up the middle scored Ellie Page. 

In the eighth inning, Walters faced Maddie Wilbeck with a runner on second and two outs. Wilbeck hit a home run to tie the game at 4 in the fourth inning but bunted this time into an error that scored the winning run.

Centralia (7-7, 2-2 CCC) hosts Class 2 No. 10 Monroe City (2-1 CCC) on Monday.

Girls golf

Mexico’s Rowe, Centralia’s Pace finish in top at Westran Invitational

Mexico and Centralia had their best golfers show up Tuesday during the Westran Invitational.

Mexico’s Kennedi Rowe was one stroke short of the winner, Jefferson City’s Mia McGraw, as she finished with an 84 to be the runner-up. Centralia’s Bailey Pace shot a 93 to finish fourth individually and help the Lady Panthers take fourth as a team with a 438. 

Paris had a team score of 496 that was led by Allysa Webb’s 108 and followed by Halle Rossen’s 125.

Mexico didn’t have enough golfers to set a team score but had Ella Connell shoot a 134 and Reagan Craig finish with a 137.

Centralia’s next best individual score belonged to Tess Stephens as she shot a 107. Olivia Morris and Cami Moser each followed with a 119.

Hallsville won the team competition with a 417.

Lady Panthers shoot season-low in home meet victory

Centralia wanted to impress on its home turf.

The Lady Panthers hosted Hickman and New Bloomfield on Thursday, shooting a season-low score of 204 to take first ahead of New Bloomfield’s 214. Hickman had a 247.

Tess Stephens earned a medal after shooting a 41. Bailey Pace had the third-best score of 47, which was just behind New Bloomfield's Dixie Moss and her 46. Olivia Morris shot a 56, and Jace Brown had a 60 to round out the team score for Centralia.

Centralia hosts another meet Monday against Kirksville, La Plata and Macon.