​Eagles’ bats can’t get going in season-ending loss to Bruins

by Michael Smith


The 2024 season was one to remember for the Grain Valley softball team.

The Eagles won 24 consecutive games to start the season before suffering their first loss. They were ranked No. 8 in the MaxPreps.com National High School Softball rankings, were No. 9 on the National Fastpitch Coaches Association poll, and were No. 1 in Class 5 in the Missouri High School Softball Coaches Association poll.

Grain Valley did have a challenging matchup in the championship game of the Class 5 District 6 Tournament in Columbia Rock Bridge, and while it consistently put the ball in play throughout the contest, it couldn’t get the timely hit needed.

The Eagles magical season came to an end in a 4-1 loss Monday at home.

The Bruins jumped on Grain Valley early when junior first baseman Kennedy Watson blasted a two-run home run over the center field fence off ace pitcher Makenna Moore with two outs in the first inning to put her team ahead 2-0.

“She made a couple of mistakes to two of their top hitters,” Grain Valley head coach Flip Courter said of Moore. “They had five hits and four of them were for extra-base hits. I thought she threw well. She was shaky early and settled in. She gave us a chance to get back in it.

Moore then delivered another center cut fastball to Bruins leadoff hitter Bella Stephens to hit a sharp line drive over the left-field fence for a solo shot to increase the margin to three runs. Following the homer, Rock Bridge loaded the bases and still had no one out.

“I couldn’t do anything about those, I had to put them behind me,” Moore said. “I just tried to move to the next batter and have a short memory.”

She did just that.

Moore got out of the tough spot after inducing a pop out and two strikeouts to help keep the Eagles (33-3) in the game.

Grain Valley finally got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third inning. After freshman Abe Scott reached on a single to center, sophomore centerfielder Madison Rust blasted a double off the center field wall for an RBI to make it 3-1.

One batter later, junior Sydnee Wagner hit a lazy fly ball to center field with one out. Stephens made the catch and doubled off Rust at second base who took off for third after the ball was struck.

In the top of the seventh, the Bruins added an insurance run when pinch runner Aida Fedenia scored from first base on an opposite field double to left from Ava Bush.

Moore, who was the Grain Valley pitcher who Courter used in the most important games, finished with four runs surrendered on five hits, she walked six and struck out 14.

“I feel like I used my changeup effectively,” Moore said. “I could have used it more but I didn’t.”

While Rock Bridge pitcher Addie Morris wasn’t dominant, Grain Valley struggled to get hard contact against her. Morris pitched a complete game and allowed just one run on six hits, walked three and struck out four.

“We hit too many lazy fly balls,” Courter said. “(Morris) did a good job keeping us off balance. She had a really good changeup. We had a couple of good opportunities that we couldn’t capitalize on them. We didn’t strike out a bunch. We knew we were going to put the ball in play.”

Following the game, Courter and his senior shared an emotional moment in locker room as he shared the field with them one last time.

“I am done crying now,” Courter said. “It was pretty tough. This group did stuff this year that has never been done before. It doesn’t make it easier telling them that, ‘We know it stinks that the season ended tonight, but don’t sour what this season was.’”

​Added Moore: “I couldn’t have asked for a better team to be my last (high school team). We had great chemistry; it just didn’t turn out how we wanted it to.”
 

Seniors Makenna Moore, left, and Sal Haley share a hug with a supporter following a season-ending 4-1 loss to Rock Bridge in the Class 5 District 6 championship game. Photo credit: Michael Smith