Just a couple runs from a much different result, the host Vienna High School softball squad finished third in the razor-thin, four-team, 20th annual Vienna Fall Invitational Saturday, Sept. 12 at Vienna City Park.

School of the Osage was the tournament champion with a 3-0 record while Hartville was second at 2-1, Vienna third at 1-2 and Waynesville fourth at 0-3. However, some close games could have easily went the other way.

Vienna shut out Waynesville 6-0 in the Lady Eagle opener then dropped an 8-7 heartbreaker to Hartville before, in the final game of the night, tied the game 3-3 to force extra innings. However, Osage pulled away in the top of the eighth inning for a 7-3 victory. Also, Waynesville slugged a grand slam home run to tie its game against Hartville, only to see Hartville come back to win in the final inning.

Earlier in the week Vienna lost at Russellville 12-2 Tuesday, Sept. 8 and won in the eighth inning at Dixon in a wild, 11-10 decision Thursday, Sept. 10.

That left Vienna with a 5-4 overall mark.

“We played a great tournament,” said Vienna head coach Jess Colliver. “I’m proud of the girls for collecting 25 hits over three games. Even though we are a young team, I continue to push these ladies to step up in big ways and they always do. This team has a lot of fight in them and I think they proved that over the weekend.”

This week the Lady Eagles are slated to play at Jamestown Tuesday, host Newburg Thursday at 5 p.m. at City Park then compete in the Owensville Dutchgirls Tournament Saturday.

Sept. 12 - Vienna Invitational

Vienna 6, Waynesville 0: Junior pitcher Delaney Schwartze shut out Waynesville on a one-hitter. She walked just one and fanned six in the gem. The Lady Eagles got a run in the top of the second, three in the third and two in the fourth. Senior Ella Hollis slugged a home run and single while scoring twice for the Lady Eagles while sophomore Sophia Neubert was 3-for-3 with an RBI; sophomore Liberty Rowden a hit, run and RBI; sophomore Larissa Rollins and Schwartze a hit and RBI each; sophomore Alexis Curtis a hit and run; freshman Grace Barnhart a hit, and junior Kenna Roberds and senior Kaylee Bresnahan each scored a run.

Hartville 8, Vienna 7: Hartville took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first. In the third Vienna plated five runs while Hartville answered with three to tie it up 5-5. Vienna took the lead with a run in the fourth and made it 7-5 in the top of the seventh. However, Hartville rallied for three in the bottom of the fifth to walk it off. Curtis had a double, single, two RBI and run while Hollis had two hits, two runs and an RBI; Bresnahan two hits, a run and RBI; Rollins a hit and two RBI; freshman Harper Cohlmia a hit and RBI; Roberds and freshman Marissa Fannon a hit each, and Rowden and sophomore Lilly Williams each scored a run. Rowden went the distance in the pitching circle, allowing five earned runs on two hits and six walks while striking out six.

Osage 7, Vienna 3: It was a pitching battle between Schwartze and Osage senior Annaniya Blackmon, as the game was knotted up 1-1 after five innings.

The Osage Indians broke through with two runs in the top of the seventh to make it 3-1. However, the Lady Eagles rallied in the bottom half of the frame. Hollis slammed a hard single. Later in the inning, Blackmon was smacked on the shoulder by a line drive comebacker hit by Roberds, allowing Hollis to score and sending the tying run to third base.  Blackmon went down and needed assistance before remaining in the game. Cohlmia then popped a high fly ball to center field, which was dropped, allowing the tying run to score and sending the winning run to second base. However, a grounder ended the frame, tying the game 3-3 and forcing extra innings.

In high school softball a ghost runner is put at second base to start extra innings. In the top of the eighth Osage loaded the bases with a pair of ground balls. Freshman Kinley Kennedy followed with a two-run single to give Osage the lead for good. Another single by junior Ellie Zachar and an RBI grounder made it 7-3, and Vienna could not rally in the bottom of the inning.

Hollis had two hits and two runs while Roberds had two hits and an RBI and Schwartze a hit, run and RBI. Schwartze tossed all seven innings, allowing four earned runs on six hits, no walks and fanning six.

Sept. 10 - Vienna 11, Dixon 10 (8 innings): The host Dixon Lady Bulldogs tied the game with three runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to force extra frames. However, in the top of the eighth Vienna scored what proved to be the winning run on a passed ball. Vienna shut Dixon out in the bottom of the inning to survive the thriller.

After each team got a run in the first, Dixon added two in the bottom of the second, one in each of the third and fifth, two in the sixth and three in the seventh. The Lady Eagles got two runs in the third, one in the fifth, five in the sixth and one in the seventh. Vienna outhit Dixon 15-8.

Curtis had a triple, double, two singles, four RBI and two runs scored while Rowden had a triple, two singles, three runs and RBI; Hollis a double, two singles, two RBI and three runs; Roberds a double, single and two RBI; Schwartze a double, RBI and single; Lilly Williams a hit and run; Barnhart a hit, and Neubert a run.

Sept. 8 - Russellville 12, Vienna 2: After Vienna got a run in the top of the first, Russellville would score in every inning, getting four in the first, three in the second, one in the third and two in each of the fourth and fifth. The game was stopped after five innings. Vienna added a run in the fifth. Schwartze had two hits and an RBI; Hollis a double, single and a run, and Rowden a hit and RBI. Schwartze pitched, allowing just two earned runs on eight hits and seven walks while striking out five.