EMPORIA, Kan. — No. 2 Haven overcame an early deficit Monday and defeated No. 7 Baxter Springs 8-4 in the Class 3A state softball quarterfinals at Trusler Sports Complex.
The Wildcats improved to 28-2 and advanced to Wednesday’s state semifinals, where they will face No. 3 Silver Lake at 1 p.m. at Arrocha Ballpark in Lawrence. Silver Lake improved to 26-4 with a 10-0 win over No. 6 Colby in its quarterfinal Monday evening in Salina.
Baxter Springs (17-10) took a 2-0 lead in the third inning, but Haven answered with two runs in the bottom half. The Wildcats then took control in the fourth, highlighted by Paige O’Neal’s three-run double that scored Mayzie Warden, Avery Brawner and Morgan O’Neal for a 5-2 lead.
Haven added another run in the fifth on Brawner’s RBI double, then pushed the lead to 8-2 in the sixth when Sierra Yoder drove in Brooke Loop and Caeli Hunninghake with a two-run single.
Brawner earned the win in the circle, striking out 14 and allowing eight hits and one walk in a complete game. She also went 2 for 4 with an RBI. O’Neal drove in three runs, while Yoder finished with two RBIs. Hunninghake went 2 for 3 with a walk, and Aubree Nikkel also had two hits for the Wildcats.
Baxter Springs was led by Myka Adams, who went 2 for 3 with a double and an RBI. Sadie Miller added two hits and scored twice.