After her Montgomery County softball team lost 7-4 to Elsberry in the Class 2, District 2 finals on Oct. 22 at Kiwanis Fields, senior Aliviah Fischer was the first player to pick up the district runner-up plaque.

It wasn’t the plaque she had in mind.

Elsberry ended the Wildcats’ historic season and Fischer’s outstanding career with the come-from-behind win in the district championship game. The Indians came back from a 1-0, first-inning deficit to win their sixth straight district crown.

“We should have gotten first place, but there isn’t anything we can do about it now,” Fischer said.

Fischer was stranded at first base when Sam Turner struck out for the final out of the game in the bottom of the seventh. Fischer was intentionally walked after Reese Hill hit a two-run homer that cut Elsberry’s lead to 7-4.

The senior said she was hoping to get a hit when she was at bat before Elsberry coaches decided to put her on base.

“They’re up by three runs and no one was on,” Fischer said. “I wasn’t going to do it all myself. It was my last at-bat.”

Fischer finished with two hits and an RBI. She ended her senior season on a 25-game hitting streak.

“I’m pretty bummed because I won’t be playing with all of my best friends, but they can do it again,” Fischer said. “I know they can. I’m sad that I’m not playing with them again.”

MCHS, the top seed in the six-team district tournament, defeated Valley Park 3-1 in the semifinals the day before to advance to the district final. It’s the second time in three years the Wildcats played in the district title game.

With the win, Elsberry denied another loss to the Wildcats. Two weeks before, MCHS edged the Indians 3-2 at Kiwanis Fields. In that contest, Fischer made the final out by forcing out a runner on third base.

Elsberry, the No. 2 seed, knocked off Louisiana 7-5 in the semifinals to advance to the district finals. Coach Levi Jacyna said he was thrilled to see his team add another district plaque to its trophy case.

“It’s familiar territory, the one I’m grateful to be in and I appreciate being in,” he said. “We had some very good teams along the years and there were a lot of buy-ins. I’d say I’m very blessed in that regard.”

Fischer wrapped up a career that included three all-Eastern Missouri Conference awards and one all-state honor. In her four years, she helped the Wildcats win 65 games and hit .510 (174 for 341) with 14 home runs.

This year, Fischer hit a team-best .589 with two home runs and 44 RBIs. She helped her team win a school-record 22 games, surpassing the old mark of 18 that was set last year.

Fischer said she enjoyed her time with the MCHS softball program. When she was a freshman, she got to play with her older sister, Brooklynn, who was then a senior.

“It was nice,” Fischer said. “My freshman year, it was OK. I probably could have done better, but I can’t control that anymore. I had a great year in my sophomore year. I felt like that really raised my confidence for softball and got me to where I am now. My junior year was great. In my senior year, I wished we could have done some more.”

Fischer was the Wildcats’ only senior. She led a team that had six juniors, five sophomores and four freshmen. She was honored during a home game against Wellsville-Middletown on Oct. 1.

“We had a lot of leaders on our team even though I was the only senior,” Fischer said. “I didn’t really have to control too much. It was nice to have some people step up.”

Fischer will continue her softball career at Missouri Baptist University and will rejoin her older sister, who played her first season with the Spartans last spring. The senior said the Wildcats will be successful again in 2025.

“They still have a good team,” Fischer said. “I’m the only one who is leaving. Every single one of these girls work very hard and they should do great things next year.”