A seventh-inning stinger.

That is a way one could describe the final inning Friday night during the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) Class 1, District 4 Softball Tournament championship game between Vienna’s Eagles and St. Elizabeth’s Lady Hornets at Richland High School.

Tied at 4-4 after six innings, Ava Kloeppel led the top of the seventh off reaching on an error before a Salene George sacrifice bunt moved her to second base.

Marissa Hollis then singled up the middle setting up runners at the corners for Kayla Hertzing with two outs.

Facing an 0-2 count, the Eagle third baseman doubled to right field allowing Kloeppel and Hollis to score giving Vienna a 6-4 lead.

Abrea Simmons then pitched around a two-out Lady Hornet single in the bottom of the seventh inning helping Vienna claim their second district title in three years.

“I’m so proud of these girls,” Vienna head softball coach Chandler Harker said. “We’ve been through so much adversity and so many injuries this season. We keep battling until the final out and it has shown throughout the season.”

Following a scoreless first inning, Vienna was able to strike first in the top of the second.

Terra Huffman delivered a one-out single before freshman Aubrey Schwartze need just one pitch to break the 0-0 tie.

Blasting a two-run home run to dead center field, Schwartze gave Vienna an early 2-0 lead.

St. Elizabeth’s Addie Oligschlaeger hit a solo home run in the bottom of the second inning to cut Vienna’s lead in half to 2-1 after two innings.

Still leading 2-1 after a scoreless third inning, Harker’s Eagles looked to add to their lead in the top of the fourth inning.

Huffman added to her second-inning single with a leadoff single in the top of the fourth.

Schwartze followed with a double advancing Huffman to third.

Jaelee Stricklan delivered a RBI ground out scoring Huffman helping Vienna get their two-run lead back at 3-1.

Kloeppel then scored when Aubrey Reeves laid down a RBI sacrifice punt bumping the Eagle lead to 4-1 moving to the bottom of the fourth inning.

Oligschlaeger singled and scored on a wild pitch for St. Elizabeth in the bottom of the fourth inning cutting Vienna’s lead to 4-2 after four frames.

Riley Rosentreter started the top of the fifth inning with a single before Hertzing walked to move her up to second base.

Unable to turn those into runs, Vienna’s lead stayed at 4-2 going to the bottom of the fifth inning.

Tori Kemna and Oligschlaeger scored for the Lady Hornets on a double and three Vienna errors allowing St. Elizabeth to tie the game at 4-4.

It stayed tied until Vienna’s aforementioned rally in the top of the seventh inning.

Scattering seven hits and three walks over seven innings, Simmons earned the complete-game victory allowing four runs (two earned) while striking out five Lady Hornets.

Vienna vs. Richland

Opening the MSHSAA Class 1, District 4 Softball Tournament last Wednesday, Harker’s Vienna Lady Eagles took on the host Richland Lady Bears looking for their third win in as many tries against their Pulaski County opponents.

Plating four runs in the bottom of the first and second innings, Vienna gave Simmons more than enough run support before going on to a 12-0 victory in five innings.

Madison Weeks walked and scored for Vienna in the bottom of the first inning while Rosentreter also reached on an error and scored.

Hollis and Hertzing also both singled and scored during Vienna’s four-run bottom of the first inning.

Adding to their 4-0 lead in the bottom of the second, Vienna saw Rosentreter get hit by a pitch before scoring her second run of the game.

Hertzing and Huffman also singled and scored in addition to Schwartze drawing a two-out walk before scoring on an error.

Now leading 8-0 after two innings, the Eagles looked to push their lead into double digits in the bottom of the third inning.

Weeks, Hollis and Hertzing all singled and scored pushing the Vienna lead to 11-0 after three innings.

Huffman and Simmons also recorded singles in the bottom of the third inning for the Eagles.

Ava Kloeppel scored Vienna’s final run against Richland after she doubled and was driven on a Hollis RBI sacrifice fly.

Needing just 47 pitches, Simmons threw a one-hit shutout allowing no walks while striking out six Lady Bears.

Playing Weaubleau for the second time in three years, Vienna defeated the Lady Tigers 4-2 back in 2020 on the road.

This time around, Vienna appears to be the favorite on paper to win this showdown.

Weaubleau comes into today’s showdown 13-11 while Vienna has an overall record of 22-6.

Sharing one common opponent, Vienna defeated Stoutland 12-0 while Weaubleau fell 14-6 to Stoutland.

A Vienna win would advance them to Saturday’s quarterfinals against the winner of Neelyville and Marion C. Early.