Nixa softball hosted and competed in the Ozarks Fall Festival Tournament on Sept. 8-9, and finished the weekend a perfect 5-0.

The Eagles began the festival with three games on Sept. 8, ousting all of its visitors on the home field. 

In game one, Nixa defeated Verdigris (OK) 8-6, behind 15 hits from the offensive, three of which came from the big bat of Sara Sweaney. Sweaney finished the game three-for-four with a home run and four RBIs. The Eagles also got multi-hit performances from Jordan Phillips (4), Paige Garetson (3), and Rylee Harper (3). Phillips (2), Harper (1), and Bailey Shockley (1) drove in the remaining Eagle runs. Garetson was the starting pitcher for Nixa and tossed a complete-game effort with seven strikeouts to earn the win.

View the box score/stats here.

Nixa faced the Eureka Wildcats in its second game and overcame an early four-run deficit to defeat the Wildcats 8-5. After two innings, Nixa trailed 5-1 but scored a run in every remaining inning, including two three-run innings in the fourth and fifth to propel the Eagles to victory. The Eagles tallied RBIs from Sweaney (3), Jalyn Mabe (2), Phillips (1), and Harper (1). Starting pitcher Bri Chilton earned the win, throwing five innings with two strikeouts. Chilton also went one-for-two at the plate with two walks.

View the box score/stats here.

Concluding the first day of the festival, the Eagles clashed with the Kearney Bulldogs out of the Kansas City area. Nixa jumped out to an early 6-0 run lead after three innings and never looked back, defeating the Bulldogs 10-3. Swaney, again, led the charge offensively. She finished the game two-for-four, smashing her second HR of the day on a 2-run shot in the opening inning. Sweaney tallied her third RBI in the game in the sixth on a double to left. Grace West also homered in the game on a solo shot, and the Eagles received its final RBIs from Garetson, Harper, Phillips, and Mabe. Garetson threw six innings in the victory, allowing five hits and three earned runs.

View the box score/stats here.

Nixa kicked off day two in dominating fashion. The Eagles hosted Oklahoma's Locust Grove and erupted for seven runs in the first inning, propelling Nixa to a 12-1 victory. Nixa tallied 12 hits in the game, led by the two-hit outings from Harper and Jensen McCoy. RBIs in the game came from Harper (2), Phillips (2), Garetson (1), McCoy (1), Chilton (1), Shelby Hicks (1), Abby Weitzel (1), Taylor Melton (1), Jayleen Hunter (1), and Abby Sloan (1). Chilton picked up the win in the circle, tossing two innings and struck out every batter that she faced. Hicks relieved Chilton in the third and allowed one run with six strikeouts.


View the box score/stats here.

Rounding out the fall festival, Nixa faced the 2022 Class 5 state quarterfinalist Lee's Summit West Titans, and a 3-run HR by Sweaney in the first inning and a solo shot in the third, giving Nixa a 4-0 lead helped lead the Eagles to a 9-3 victory. Philips also had a 3-run HR the following inning for Nixa's final runs. Harper drove on the Eagles other run on an RBI double to right. Garetson earned the win for the Eagles, throwing five innings with four strikeouts and two earned runs. She also tallied two hits in the game. 

View the box score/stats here.

Nixa's five wins in the festival advance the Eagles to 7-3 on the year and carry a six-game winning streak into its conference matchup with cross-town rival Ozark on Sept. 12.