Joseph City exorcised a year's worth of anguish in a little more than two hours Monday night.

After losing a heartbreaker in last season's state championship game, the Wildcats made sure there was never a doubt this time around, smashing their way to a 26-4 victory over Bagdad in the 1A state title game.

Joseph City (24-4-1) went nuclear with the bats, exploding for 19 hits and six home runs. The 26 runs broke the all-time state record for a championship game, regardless of classification.

It was the ninth softball championship in school history and first since 2010.

Lasy year on the same field, Joseph City took an 8-3 lead into the fifth inning before Williams came back to win 11-9.

"Last year was such a hard loss," said pitcher Kayle James.

"But at the beginning of this season, I knew we were going to be back and I thought we were gonna win it. After our first playoff game, I was like 'ok guys we can't celebrate too much, we're not done, we're going all the way.'"

James went 3-5 at the plate with a home run and a double, good for three RBI's. James also scored the game's first run by stealing home on a passed ball. April Neill hit one of her two home runs in the first inning for a 2-0 lead. 

But Joseph City was just warming up.

The Wildcats scored six runs in the second inning. Maddy Powers drove in two runs on a double right before James launched a two-run homer. A Bagdad error and Gabby Jesmer RBI made it 8-0. Powers finished with three hits and drove in four runs.

The third inning saw Joseph City nearly bat around the order twice while scoring 10 runs. Amber Neill, one of four sisters on the Joseph city roster, drove in three runs in the third. April Neill hit her second home run in the third inning, while two Bagdad errors and a passed ball contributed to the damage.

"Our bats came talking tonight," Joseph City coach Dan Hutchens said. "These girls have worked so hard over the last year. We felt like we really gave it away last year, and I'm just so proud of them. They were really cranking the ball."

Sophomore Audry Neill bested two of her sisters with a grand slam home run in the fifth inning, making the score 25-2. Jesmer added a solo home run for Joseph City's 26th run, good for the state championship game record.

"It was really unbelievable it just seemed like everyone was hitting home runs," James added.

Briah Williams, Sarah Blanton and Tayzha Begay drove in runs for Bagdad (22-4-1).