Tolton walks off Kearney, captures back-to-back state championships

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

Fr. Tolton Catholic has defended its throne.

Kenadie May delivered a walk-off RBI single in the seventh inning against Kearney (31-6), guiding the Trailblazers (32-5) to a 2-1 win in the Class 4 MSHSAA Softball Championship. Friday's victory sealed the team's second straight state title for the first time in program history.

Before May's late-inning heroics, this game was a pitcher's duel. Tolton's Bella Trim and Kearney's Kate Landewee, who are both committed to Lindenwood University, did not allow a single run for five frames. Trim tossed a two-hitter, limiting Kearney to only one run while striking out 12 batters over seven innings. Landawee scattered four hits and registered 11 strikeouts.

However, the suspense started building in the sixth inning. Kearney's Kennedi Casey crushed an RBI double to the right field wall to drive home the game's first run, but Tolton answered with an RBI single from Lexi Sexauer to tie the contest in the home half of the inning. Then, the Trailblazers took advantage of a 1-2-3 final frame from Trim to help set the table for May's walk-off winner.

May, Sexauer, Lexi Hoffman and Montana Strobel each registered one hit in the game.

The Trailblazers have claimed three state championships and six district titles in the last eight seasons, ending the 2025 season with a program-best 32 wins.