Highland’s district softball championship just as grand as Rothweiler’s slam that powered it

LEWISTOWN, Mo. — A home run trot? Not so much.

A home run sprint? That’s more like it.

Keera Rothweiler wanted to get to home plate as quickly as she could to celebrate with her teammates after her grand slam in the first inning of Highland’s 15-0 victory over Monroe City in the Class 2 District 5 championship game on Saturday at Highland.

“Usually when you hit a home run, you jog around the bases, but I sprinted around those bases,” Rothweiler said. “I was so happy to see my team after that. It was amazing.”

The grand slam was also Rothweiler’s first career home run. The timing was just as grand as the slam.

“It doesn’t get any better than that,” Rothweiler said.

Cougars coach Paul Scifres said it was only a matter of time before Rothweiler popped one.

“We see it every day in the cage. She’s got a lot of pop in that bat,” Scifres said. “We’ve actually been talking about it for a while, when she’s going to bust through and get her first one. A lot of times she puts a bunt down because she has so much speed, and she knows her job is to get on base. That’s usually what her game is, but she can swing it, too.”

Rothweiler’s blast to right field gave the Cougars an 8-0 lead, and as if eight runs weren’t enough, Addy Abell launched Audri Youngblood’s next pitch over the left field wall to add another first inning tally.

Unlike Rothweiler, Abell took her time circling the pillows.

“I was jogging to first,” Abell said. “I was like, ‘Oh, that’s out.’”

As quickly as Rothweiler got around the bases after her first home run, she did so even faster on her second. Leading off the bottom of the third and the Cougars still leading 9-0, Rothweiler hit a line drive down the left field line that Panthers left fielder Emily Spalding lunged for but couldn’t get any leather on. The ball rolled all the way to the wall, and by the time center fielder Kinley Fuemmeler chased it down and got it back into the infield, Rothweiler had raced home.

Abell popped out to shortstop Naaron Hays for the first out, then Bailee Crist tripled down the right field line and scored after second baseman Bradi Keller’s throw to third eluded Makenna Miller. Abby Lay continued the Cougars carousel around the bases by launching a 3-2 pitch to a similar spot where Abell’s landed beyond the left field wall.

Lay couldn’t help but let the emotions of realizing her team was on its way to a district title overwhelm her as she approached the mob surrounding home plate.

“She was crying, she was having the time of her life,” Abell said. “I was like, ‘Why are you crying? Look at the score!’”

They were happy tears, of course.

“I was just really excited. We all just wanted this so bad,” Lay said.

The next three batters reached base before sophomore left fielder Emma Berry singled to drive in Hannah Ritterbusch and Alison Lundberg and get the Cougars within a run of putting the mercy rule into effect. Rothweiler took care of that two batters later by roping a double to the right center field gap, scoring Bailee Cary and securing the Cougars’ first district championship since 2018.

“Hats off to these girls,” Scifres said. “They came out determined, ready to roll, focused, and I thought they put forth one of the best games I’ve seen them play.”

Monroe City coach Melissa Chinn tipped her cap to Highland.

“That’s why Highland is where they are,” Chinn said. “I hope they go all the way. I hope they can do it. They’re deserving. They’re a pretty dang good team.”

While the season came to a bitter end, Chinn said the Panthers (18-11) can hold their heads high.

“We can’t let this game define our season because we did have a really good season,” Chinn said. “I think we exceeded a lot of expectations.”

A site for Highland’s sectional game has not yet been determined. The Cougars (24-6) will face the winner of the Class 2 District 6 championship game on between Marceline and South Harrison. That district title game will take place Oct. 21, and the sectional game will be on Oct. 26.