MALDEN -- The top two seeds made big statements to kick off Round 1 of the MSHSAA Class 1 District 3 tournament Monday.
Second-seeded Bernie opened things up with a 14-0 victory in five innings over No. 7 Bloomfield and top-seeded Malden followed suit with a 16-0 rout of No. 8 Richland in three innings to advance to the semifinals.
Despite having just four hits, Bernie (22-4) rolled to its 15th run-rule victory of the season.
Nine Bernie batters were hit by pitches and Madi Corbin and Daisy Eaton took two off the shoulder to load the bases with one out in a big third inning. Cassidy Freed, who reached on a fielder's choice, as well as Corbin, scored on consecutive passed balls to push the Lady Mules' advantage to 5-0.
Kayli Tanner added an RBI double that bounced off the wall then came around to score on a couple Bloomfield errors. Cymber Arnold was hit with another pitch and Corbin walked to load the bases again before Freed smacked a three-run double and scored on two more errors for a 12-0 lead.
Freed was also good in the circle, striking out three in a complete-game win. She only allowed three hits and retired the side twice.
"We started a little slow, didn't have a hit until the third inning, but I think the girls finally started to figure it out," Bernie coach Brad Botsch said.
Malden (19-2) manufactured its runs a little quicker against Richland as 16 batters came to the plate in the Green Wave's 13-run second inning.
With a 3-0 lead in hand, Gracie Thomas gave the Green Wave a boost with her one-out RBI double to start the offensive onslaught. Lana Reed and Blake Tinsley followed with back-to-back walks before Mary Allison Hampton belted a two-run single for a 6-0 lead. Kaycie Pullen traded places with her on a nearly identical 2-RBI single.
Maci Walker and Anna Belcher each tacked on RBIs before Malden reached the top of the lineup again.
Leadoff hitter Lexi Campbell had an RBI groudout while Tinsley and Kaycie Polen drove in a pair of runs apiece before Richland got out of the inning.
Malden finished with 11 hits, more than enough to back starter Katie Goodman, who tossed a one-hitter. She finished with five strikeouts and didn't allow a runner to get past first.
"Total team effort tonight," Malden coach Angela Rodgers said. "Now we need to carry it over."