Waltemate walk-off homer sends Centralia to semifinals

It was a tough start for Luke Waltemate and Centralia on Thursday but a great ending.

Waltemate allowed nine runs (four earned) on eight hits and two walks in two innings as New Bloomfield took a 9-1 lead going into the third inning of the Class 3 District 7 tournament first-round game at South Callaway in Mokane. Centralia (17-12) won 10-9 in a comeback that was capped by a game-tying two-RBI single by Waltemate in the fifth inning and a walk-off home run by Waltemate with two outs in the seventh inning.

Waltemate finished 4-for-5 with three RBIs and three runs, Anthony Ford had three RBIs, Chase Kempker went 2-for-4 with two RBIs, Cole Higginson finished 2-for-4 with one RBI, Henry Bohlmeyer had one RBI and Hank Lee went 2-for-3 with two runs. 

Centralia scored five runs in the fifth inning and scored four of those runs with two outs. Ford and Kempker each drove in runs with two outs to put Centralia behind New Bloomfield (10-13) 9-7. 

Ford pitched five innings of relief with three hits, walks and two strikeouts. 

Centralia faces No. 1 seed and state No. 7 North Callaway (18-5) at 4 p.m. Monday in the district semifinals. The Panthers lost 6-2 to North Callaway at home earlier this month.

Missouri Military Academy season ends with loss to South Callaway

The first inning wouldn't end for Missouri Military Academy.

The Colonels allowed 27 runs in the first inning to South Callaway in a 33-0 loss in the Class 3 District 7 tournament at South Callaway in Mokane.

MMA was held without a hit while South Callaway (15-12) finished with 17 hits.

The Colonels finished with eight errors that gave way to 12 unearned runs.

MMA finishes the season 0-11.