Softball

Van-Far finishes tight stretch, lose home opener 16-1

Van-Far softball didn’t have much time for rest this week.

Van-Far vs Louisiana Photo Gallery

In what was its third game in three days on Thursday, the Lady Indians lost their home opener 16-1 in four innings to Eastern Missouri Conference foe Louisiana. Van-Far allowed 15 hits, including eight of them in the first inning to quickly fall behind 8-1 after the initial frame.

Head coach Shaylen Bailey said she has still seen improvements from her team four games into the season even though the Lady Indians (0-4, 0-2 EMO) haven’t had much time for practice this week. The defense was smoother despite the four Van-Far errors on Thursday, and Reeve Woodall is becoming more accustomed to pitching. Louisiana (3-2, 1-2 EMO) proved to be a tough assignment with its six extra-base hits.

“This team can hit, and they can hit hard and hit gaps,” Bailey said. “It’s hard to fill those gaps when there’s only three outfielders out there. Tyona Campbell hitting two home runs doesn’t always happen every game so we have to adjust to that.”

Campbell blasted a three-RBI home run in the first inning to make it 7-0 at the time and added a two-run shot in the fourth inning. Reece Wommack had two extra-base hits that brought home two RBI, Mattie Chandler went 2-for-4 with two RBI and leadoff hitter Jalaya Reis went 3-for-3 with three runs.

On the other hand, Van-Far’s hitters encountered a rough patch after the first inning following Carmen Wilburn’s RBI groundout. Katelyn Sutton and Mylee Keller were the first two Lady Indians to step up to the plate and each reached via a single but were part of nine straight batters sat down by Chandler, who only struck out two hitters.

“They were just hitting off the end of the bat or the inside of the bat,” Bailey said. “They weren’t getting the barrel on the bat, which gets them to the outfield and gets them in the gaps. We didn’t fully adjust to the pitching right away.”

Woodall will continue to work on her pitching, Bailey said, as this week was a good test of stamina. Because of injuries, Woodall has had to be in the circle a lot more, including for all three games in the three-day stretch.

“She doubts herself sometimes because pitching isn’t her No. 1 spot,” Bailey said. “I have seen improvement in her the past couple games with the stamina she’s had. It is hard, especially for somebody who is not used to pitching that many games back-to-back. Her body was a little sore (Thursday). She told me, ‘I just got to get warm and got to get moving again and it’ll be fine.’ You get used to it, and you start stretching a little bit better.”

Van-Far plays at district foe Monroe City (4-2) at 6:30 p.m. Monday.

Mexico erupts for 14-0 victory at Hannibal

Mexico softball gradually added runs on Thursday in Hannibal until the offense exploded.

The Lady Bulldogs defeated Hannibal 14-0 in five innings to stay undefeated in the North Central Missouri Conference. Karlee Sefrit went 3-for-3 with three RBI and three runs, and Hannah Loyd finished 2-for-3 with five RBI and her third home run of the season.

Mexico (6-4, 3-0 NCMC) had the 2-0 lead after the first inning following a walk and a sacrifice fly and then added three more runs in the second inning without the benefit of a hit. Sefrit, Loyd and Landri Teel began the Lady Bulldogs’ string of RBI hits with singles in the fourth inning to make it 8-0.

Sefrit and Jo Thurman came through in the fifth inning prior to Loyd finding a spot in center field that allowed her to complete the trip for a three-RBI inside-the-park home run. 

Emma Cunningham allowed three hits and struck out three in five innings, and Kenley Jones had three walks and three runs.

Mexico hosts district foe Hallsville (4-0) at 10 a.m. Saturday.

Community R-6 unable to match Silex offense in 9-3 loss

Community R-6 softball has lost a game.

It took seven games into the season as the Lady Trojans lost 9-3 at district foe Silex, tallying four hits.

Silex (4-3) finished with eight hits and took the lead permanently after its four-run third inning. Community (6-1) just tied the game at 2 in the same inning after a RBI single by Paige Painter and a RBI groundout by Jocelyn Curtis. Three straight hits by the Lady Owls made it 5-2 and then 6-2 on a sacrifice fly.

Painter had Community’s lone hit the rest of the way as her RBI double happened in the fifth inning. She finished 3-for-3 with two RBI at the plate and pitched six innings with six earned runs on eight hits and four walks. Rylee Raffery had the Lady Trojans’ other hit.

Community faces Jamestown (3-1) at 10:40 a.m. Saturday in the first round of the New Franklin Softball Tournament.

Paris defeats conference, district foe Knox County 12-2

Paris softball hopes the momentum will be on its side in the future.

The Lady Coyotes made it two victories in a row on Thursday after defeating Lewis and Clark Conference and district foe Knox County 12-2. Paris (3-4, 1-0 L&C) finished with 14 hits, and Kennedy Ashenfelter had four of those hits along with four RBI and five shutout innings pitched in the circle.

Paris only allowed two unearned runs later in the game to Knox County (1-3, 0-1 L&C) after Ashenfelter was taken out. She allowed three hits and one walk and struck out five. Her single in the first inning brought home two runs not long after Alyssa Webb hit a RBI double for a three-run inning.

Webb picked up another RBI in the third inning on a single, and Knightlee Mitten had a two-RBI single later in the four-run frame.

Other Lady Coyotes to finish with two hits were Reese Sutton, who had two doubles and a RBI, Sophia Crusha, and Emma Ashenfelter.

Paris hosts district foe Bevier (3-2) at 5 p.m. Monday.

Boys soccer

Mexico takes control for 1st district win, defeats Boonville 3-0

The Mexico boys had control in their game on Thursday.

In their first game against a district opponent, the Bulldogs won 3-0 at Boonville (1-3).

Head coach Bill Gleeson said Mexico (2-2) had possession for a majority of the game and this led to multiple goals. Marcos Matuz scored off a free kick 10 minutes into the game, Gage Walker scored off an assist from Brendan McKeown 28 minutes into the game, and then Walker paid back the favor to set up a late goal from McKeown.

Mexico plays at noon Saturday in Chillicothe (2-2).

Missouri Military Academy falls 6-2 at talented Fulton

Missouri Military Academy soccer had much to handle on Thursday in Fulton.

The Colonels lost 6-2 after the Hornets had two players record hat tricks for their first loss of the season. Christian Mahoro and Lane Henley led the Fulton (4-0) offense that took a 3-1 halftime lead.

Nathan Dempsey and Avin Hernandez had the goals for the Colonels.

MMA (2-1) hosts Canton (0-2) at 5 p.m. Tuesday before playing at 5 p.m. Wednesday at Elsberry with Silex (1-2).

Girls tennis

Mexico 6 Kirksville 3 as Lady Bulldogs move to 5-5 and 2-1 in North Central Missouri Conference.

In singles, Katie Gooch won 10-4, Lani Blair won 10-4, Alice Eggen won 11-9 and Daida Herrera-Garcia won 10-2. In doubles, Gooch and Blair won 10-8, and Eggen and Herrera-Garcia won 10-1. 

Mexico plays in the Troy Varsity Girls Tennis Tournament on Saturday.

Volleyball

North Callaway wins district match ay Calvary Lutheran

North Callaway swept its way to a victory against a district opponent on Thursday.

The Ladybirds won in three sets (25-15, 26-24, 25-22) at Calvary Lutheran (2-4) in Jefferson City.

Natalie Shryock led with 12 kills, Riley Blevins finished with nine digs and three service aces, Jaden Smithee had 13 assists, and Lakyn Hartley followed Smithee with eight assists.

North Callaway (2-3) plays at 6:15 p.m. Monday at Centralia (2-3).

Centralia at Father Tolton

Centralia lose in five sets (13-25, 25-23, 12-25, 25-22, 10-15) at Father Tolton (4-1). The JV and C-teams both lost in two sets. The Lady Panthers (2-3) host North Callaway (1-3) at 6:15 p.m. Monday.

Fall baseball

Community R-6 gets on back from Clopton in fall, wins on 7-6 walkoff

Even though Community R-6 had a historic spring season that included a Final Four trip, there were negative moments that stuck out.

Early in the season, the Trojans lost 6-5 at Clopton but made sure they didn’t see defeat again in the fall when Cooper Rohan hit a RBI single for a 7-6 victory over the Hawks on Thursday at home.

Community (2-1) took advantage of three straight walks allowed by Clopton pitching in the seventh inning, including the third to Shane Woodson that forced home the tying run. Rohan put the ball in play toward third base in a situation that still had no outs for the victory.

The Trojans tallied nine walks in the game, including three by Brant Cope and two each from Drake Welch and Woodson. Mason Carroll went 3-for-4 with a double and a RBI, and Caden Thomas was 2-for-3.

Clopton (0-2) had taken a 6-5 lead earlier in the sixth inning. Cooper Rohan posted 4⅔ innings with six hits, six walks, four runs and four strikeouts and then Mason Rohan had five strikeouts, two hits, one earned run and one walk in 2⅓ innings in relief.

Community hosted Central Activities Conference rival Cairo (4-0) today before hosting another team it eliminated last year in Higbee (1-1) at 5 p.m. Monday.