Park Hills, Mo. (KFMO) – The West County Lady Bulldogs are the 2025 MAAA Conference Tournament Championship after beating the Central Lady Rebels 5-2 on Thursday.
Grace Barton brought a strong performance in the circle for the Lady Bulldogs pitching a complete game. She struck out 12 Central hitters handling any would-be rally.
West County got on the board early with four straight hits from Lacy LaMarr, Grace Lynch, Barton, and Maylee Merrill. Merrill’s double scored Lynch, then Sadie Patterson grounded out to score Barton.
The early cushion proved pivotal for Barton in the circle as she would only allow two hits over the next four innings.
Central got back to within a run in the fourth inning after Kaydence Cosby was hit by a pitch. She’d come around to score on a fielding error.
The Lady Bulldogs answered in the top of the fifth inning. Lynch led off with a double. Merrill lifted a ball to right field that was dropped scoring Lynch. The relay throw in was cut off and overthrown to third base allowing Merrill to score on the play as well and West County led 4-1.
Central wouldn’t go away scoring another run in the bottom of the fifth when Sydney Miles grounded out to score Mallory Blankenship.
Caidence Buikema collected an RBI single in the seventh that scored Merrill.
Grace Barton escaped a bases loaded jam in the bottom of the seventh to secure West County’s third conference tournament title in the last four seasons.
Merrill was 3-for-3 at the plate, Lynch and EmmaLynn Wilkins each had two hits in the win. Blankenship and Miles each had two hits for Central.
The loss goes to Mallory Blankenship who lasted three innings in the circle allowing two runs on six hits.
