Halle Beatty’s first homer powers Moniteau softball over Karns City in first win at Diehl Stadium
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Karns City's Abigail Dunlap (23) bats in a softball game against Moniteau at Karns City High School on Tuesday, May 6, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Karns City's Ronnie Radaker (18) celebrates a run with a teammate in a softball game against Moniteau at Karns City High School on Tuesday, May 6, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau's Lexi McGhee (16) pitches in a softball game against Karns City at Karns City High School on Tuesday, May 6, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Karns City's Haley Sherman (7) bats in a softball game against Moniteau at Karns City High School on Tuesday, May 6, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau's Graysen Rottman (8) throws to second base in a softball game against Karns City at Karns City High School on Tuesday, May 6, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau's Sydney Dematteis (11) tags Karns City's Aubrey Taylor (6) out at home plate in a softball game at Karns City High School on Tuesday, May 6, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau's Halle Beatty (13) prepares to bat after hitting a home run earlier in a softball game against Karns City at Karns City High School on Tuesday, May 6, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau celebrates Halle Beatty (13) hitting a home run in a softball game against Karns City at Karns City High School on Tuesday, May 6, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Karns City's Addison Bell (13) slides into third base in a softball game against Moniteau at Karns City High School on Tuesday, May 6, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau celebrates Halle Beatty (13) hitting a home run in a softball game against Karns City at Karns City High School on Tuesday, May 6, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau's Lexi McGhee (16) rounds third base in a softball game against Karns City at Karns City High School on Tuesday, May 6, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau celebrates Halle Beatty (13) hitting a home run in a softball game against Karns City at Karns City High School on Tuesday, May 6, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau's Lily Staab (7) bats in a softball game against Karns City at Karns City High School on Tuesday, May 6, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau cheers on its hitter in a softball game against Karns City at Karns City High School on Tuesday, May 6, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
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Moniteau's Graysen Rottman (8) catches a line drive in a softball game against Karns City at Karns City High School on Tuesday, May 6, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
KARNS CITY — The celebrations were just a little bit louder Tuesday night.
Both for the win and Halle Beatty’s home run.
Beatty went 2-for-4, scored four runs, walked, reached on an error and smacked her first homer of her career to lead Moniteau to an 11-6 win over rival Karns City at Diehl Stadium. It’s the first time the Warriors have won on that turf.
“Insane big,” Beatty said of the victory. “We all came in here and said, ‘We have to finally do it.’ And we finally did, and it was the best feeling.”
Warriors players jumped and shouted with a little extra enthusiasm after Lexi McGhee induced a groundout to end the game. It was a similar reaction as they handed Beatty the home run belt — which has been part of the team since the 2021 season — following her fifth-inning, opposite field dinger.
“I was really just looking for anything I could hit,” she said. “All I’m looking for is a base hit, and then I hit it and it went.”
It led an explosive night at the plate for both teams, although a combined 10 errors helped both sides score more than a few runs.
Lily Staab was 1-for-3 with a pair of walks out of the two-hole for Moniteau (7-8, 5-2 KSAC), but she scored three times and drove in Taylor Grace in the second on a ground-rule double.
Alex Stewart, third in the lineup, doubled in Beatty during a four-run first inning for the visitors and finished 1-for-4 while reaching base three times via error and scoring twice.
“The top of the order hit the ball really well, and the girls on the bottom came through when we needed them to,” Moniteau coach Bob Rottman said.
Moniteau jumped out to a 7-2 lead after two innings and briefly chased Karns City starter Addi Burrows from the game — she returned in the fourth inning and allowed just one run the rest of the way.
“We kind of got off on the wrong foot,” Gremlins coach Michael Grazioli said. “We started off the first two innings committing errors on … balls that should’ve been putouts.”
Ronni Radaker was 2-for-4 with a double, RBI and run scored for Karns City (8-7, 5-2) out of the two-hole. Addison Fox (1-for-4) bunted safely for a single, drove in a run and scored in the third inning.
