SULLIVAN, Mo. -- Following a nearly perfect start to the season Friday with three wins, the Poplar Bluff softball team lost twice Saturday to place fourth at the Sullivan Back to School Classic.
Shelby Sievers, who broke the team record for hits and RBIs in a career earlier in the tournament, hit a tying home run in the semifinal against Camdenton. The Lady Lakers, however, got a two-run, go-ahead homer from their No. 9 hitter in the order and beat the Mules 4-2.
A pair of errors by Poplar Bluff led to three runs in a four-run first inning as Eureka won 5-1 in the third-place game.
"A little disappointed we didn't play clean in the Eureka game," Mules coach Lisa Boyer said. "It's the first tournament, we've got some girls that are young playing, their eyes are pretty big right now.
"We'll get better."
Camdenton beat Notre Dame 11-5 in the championship game.
The Mules led the Lady Lakers 2-1 when Calli Gerber scored in the fourth. The senior led off with a walk and Emma Johnson drew a one-out walk before Camille McCain's sacrifice bunt moved them into scoring position. Abby Gregory, who was 7 for 15 in the five games, hit an RBI single for the lead.
Poplar Bluff, however, left runners in scoring position with a strikeout and Camdenton answered in the top of the fifth to pull ahead against Sievers. The Lady Lakers added a run in the sixth following a two-out error.
"I think Camdenton was the best pitching we faced," Boyer said. "That's what we have to do to get better. They played well and they were well coached."
Gerber, who was 5 for 10 in the tournament, had two of Poplar Bluff's four hits in the loss to Eureka, stealing home for the lone run.
Poplar Bluff opened its season Friday by sending 13 batters to the plate and bringing around 10 in the first inning of a 13-3 win over Waynesville. Adrienne Stucker hit a three-run homer in the frame and drove in another run while earning the win with four strikeouts.
Stucker finished the tournament 5 for 6 at the plate and earned two wins, striking out seven with no walks in a 3-2 win Friday over Branson.
Sievers and Kylee Rogers combined to throw a four-inning no-hitter against Eldon, a Class 3 playoff team last year. Sievers struck out six in three innings while Rogers fanned two and gave up a full-count walk for the lone base runner.
Sievers broke the career RBI record of 74 set by Breanna Moore in the 18-0 win over Eldon with a two-run double in the first inning. The senior then passed Moore's career hit record of 120 with her home run against Camdenton. Sievers drove in six runs for the tournament.
Jordyn Caldwell ended up with five RBIs and four hits while Brylee Misner was 4 for 9.
The Mules (3-2) travel Monday to North County and Thursday to Sikeston.
SOCCER
Wyatt Rowland scored Poplar Bluff's lone goal with an assist by Hank Traxel as the Mules opened the season Saturday with a 7-1 loss at CBC in St. Louis.
"Good first game for us, lets us know what things we need to continue to work on," Mules coach Rusty Crafton said.
The Mules travel Thursday to Union.