Softball
North Callaway mishandles ball to lose state-ranked matchup 13-2 at Hallsville
North Callaway softball has taken a step forward so far this season by earning a spot in the Class 2 …
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Softball
North Callaway mishandles ball to lose state-ranked matchup 13-2 at Hallsville
North Callaway softball has taken a step forward so far this season by earning a spot in the Class 2 state rankings and wants to continue moving forward.
North Callaway at Hallsville Photo Gallery
This includes competing with high-caliber competition like Class 3 No. 2 Hallsville on Monday, but the Class 2 No. 9 Ladybirds struggled fielding the ball in a 13-2 loss on the road, finishing with five errors and nine unearned runs. Hallsville took a 10-0 lead after the first inning, thanks partially to three North Callaway errors.
Head coach Mariah McKee said Lauren Speight and Liv Knoepflein both did a good job in the circle, but the Ladybirds (10-6) know defense that they displayed Monday is nowhere near good enough to defeat the usually potent offense of Hallsville (11-1). In fact, even though the Lady Indians still had a nice showing of 10 hits through five innings, the game would’ve lasted more than five innings if not for the defensive miscues.
“We didn’t help our pitcher out where we needed to get outs and we didn’t,” McKee said. “If you take that inning, even if we cut that in half, it’s a different ballgame. They’re hitters. That’s what this team is known for, but we have to take care of the ball when it comes to us.”
While there were still some passed balls and a couple errors, McKee said she liked how North Callaway looked after the first inning. The hole was just difficult to climb out of after RBI hits by Meredith Blakemore and Brianne Wildenhain and then a three-RBI home run by Marissa Austene.
Knoepflein allowed one earned run on five hits and three walks in 3⅔ innings, and Speight retired one batter but five of the eight runs charged to her were unearned.
“We took care of the ball a little better than that,” McKee said. “Olivia did a great job of coming in and shutting them down a little bit. They still hit, but it was a little more contained.”
Eventually, the Ladybirds put some runs on the scoreboard in the fourth and fifth innings as Faith Cash singled to bring home a run in the fourth and then Megan Schmidt hit a sacrifice fly in the fifth to follow a Corynne Miller triple. Miller went 2-for-3, Cash and Ella Slater each had a hit, and Kymorie Myers drew two walks.
Abby Leer struck out six and allowed four hits, three walks and two runs in five innings for Hallsville. Leer struck out the side in the second inning, but McKee said North Callaway made something happen offensively after adjusting better to her.
“They were finally being patient at the plate and not swinging at the riseball,” McKee said.
McKee said North Callaway has faced a few state-ranked teams and more of that quality this season, including when it faced Class 1 No. 9 Community R-6 in the Cairo tournament consolation game. The Ladybirds fell short 9-7 in eight innings in that game so while the past handful of games haven’t been the best, McKee said she likes where the team can go from here. They just need to minimize mistakes, like the ones made against Hallsville.
“I just wanted them to put up a good fight and not roll over,” McKee said. “They didn’t roll over. They were finally starting to have some better at-bats toward the third and fourth inning. As long as we’re playing our game and we’re doing our best, we’re going to hang.They’ve done it, and I know they can do it.”
North Callaway (4-0 EMO) plays at 5 p.m. today at Class 3 California (6-6) before playing on the road at 5 p.m. against Eastern Missouri Conference rival Montgomery County (9-3, 3-2 EMO), who received votes in the first Class 2 state poll.
Mexico offense awakens in 8-5 win at Marshall
Mexico softball has played through a rough patch as of late.
The Lady Bulldogs proved their offensive capabilities by scoring nine runs through four innings in the second game of a doubleheader Saturday at Webster Grove before the game was called early due to Webster Grove injuries. Mexico proved itself again on Monday at North Central Missouri Conference foe Marshall with an 8-5 victory, scoring six runs in the final three innings.
The game was tied at 2 going into the fifth inning until Brooke Teel and Jo Thurman used some bunts to reach base and set up a three-run inning. Thurman came through again in the sixth inning as part of her two-hit and four-RBI day, and Payton Sells’ hit added a run in the seventh inning.
Brooke Teel scored three runs and stole three bases, Maddy Feger scored three runs and stole two bases, and Landri Teel was 2-for-3 with a RBI.
Mexico (8-9, 4-1 NCMC) plays at conference rival Moberly (3-6, 2-2 NCMC) at 5 p.m. tonight.
Community R-6 comes back with authority in 12-5 win at New Franklin
Community R-6 needed three runs to at least tie in the seventh inning Monday in New Franklin.
The Lady Trojans did that and more with an 11-run inning that turned into a 12-5 Central Activities Conference victory, keeping their conference record undefeated. Three of Community’s four doubles happened in the seventh inning.
After the dust settled, 17 Lady Trojans hit in the seventh inning and tallied six of their 10 hits in the frame. Amy McCurdy finished 3-for-5 with two RBI and had a RBI single that tied the game at 4. Peyton Schafer hit a RBI double, Taylor Johnson hit a two-RBI double, Jocelyn Curtis had a two-RBI double and then McCurdy came through again with a RBI single.
Curtis finished with four RBI, and Taylor Johnson and Chloe Johnson each had two RBI. Paige Painter pitched five innings with four strikeouts, four hits, one earned run and one walk to follow Curtis’ two innings with one unearned run.
Community (14-3) plays at Westran (5-5) at 5 p.m. Wednesday.
Walters, Centralia wins 2-1 pitcher’s duel at Monroe City
The pitching lines were close to identical on Monday night for Centralia’s Kaelyn Walters and Monroe City’s Lucy Pratt.
Centralia outdueled its Clarence Cannon Conference foe 2-1 to move to 4-0 in the conference. Walters pitched seven innings with 12 strikeouts, five hits, three walks and one run.
Pratt didn't fare too much worse as she pitched seven innings with 12 strikeouts and five hits but allowed an unearned run along with an earned run and five walks. Cora King hit a RBI single, as part of her 2-for-3 day, to follow a Monroe City error in the sixth inning to tie the game at 1. After a walk, Olivia Adams sacrifice-bunted to scratch another run across.
Centralia (10-4) plays at Class 3 No. 1 and reigning state champion Fatima (10-2) at 5 p.m. tonight.
Paris loses 19-0 in three innings vs Marceline
The game was out of hand early for Paris softball on Monday.
The Lady Coyotes lost 19-0 in three innings at home to Lewis and Clark Conference foe and two-time reigning Class 2 state champion Marceline. Six Paris errors led to 17 unearned runs as Marceline (10-4, 3-0 L&C) closed out the game with a 12-run third inning.
The Lady Coyotes (5-7, 1-2 L&C) were outhit 11-4 as Sophia Crusha had two of those hits. Emma Ashenfelter and Reese Sutton each had a hit.
Kennedy Ashenfelter and Sutton pitched in the circle for Paris, combining for four walks. Ashenfelter allowed six unearned runs in two innings and Sutton allowed 11 unearned runs in one inning.
Paris plays at conference and district foe Scotland County (1-9, 0-4 L&C) at 5 p.m. tonight.
Girls tennis
Mexico girls tennis defeats conference rival Fulton, finishes second in NCMC
Mexico girls tennis defeated a rival to finish second in conference on Monday night.
The Lady Bulldogs won 7-2 at North Central Missouri Conference rival Fulton to finish with a 4-1 conference record, taking second place behind Marshall. The Lady Owls are 4-0 in the NCMC and have one more conference dual but have defeated Mexico this season.
In singles against Fulton (2-5, 1-2 NCMC), Katie Gooch won 10-1, Jyllian Whitworth won 10-8, Alice Eggen won 10-7 and Daida Herrera-Garcia won 10-3. The Lady Bulldogs won all three doubles matches, with a 10-3 victory belonging to Gooch and Whitworth, 10-4 win to Eggen and Lucy Gleeson, and 10-1 win to Lani Blair and Claire Hudson.
Mexico junior varsity won six out of eight matches, including 10-1 by Herrera-Garcia and Alexis Smythe, 10-0 by Yolita Rodriguez-Rios and Lea Hernandez, 10-4 by Phoebe Whipple and Marali Hernandez-Sanchez, 6-3 by Melanie Hernandez-Jarquin and Kayden Higbee, 6-1 by Bailey Christianson and Abby Bowen, and 6-1 by Franzisa Hotek and Lotte VanGrinsven.
Mexico (8-8) hosts Columbia Independent (2-0) at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday on Senior Night.
“We have nine seniors this year, and I know the girls would love to have our community come out and support,” Costley said.
Boys soccer
Missouri Military Academy wins within district in 4-1 victory at Fatima
Missouri Military Academy soccer is riding high after winning a tournament over the weekend.
The Colonels added to those positive feelings with a victory in their first matchup with a district opponent this season, winning 4-1 at Fatima.
Jose Orozco scored two goals, and the Colonels (8-1) also had a goal each from Alexander McBride and Carlos Ontiveros.
MMA plays a rematch from the weekend at 5 p.m. Thursday at Kirksville (3-4). The Colonels defeated the Tigers 2-1 in their final game of the Moberly Invitational on Saturday to clinch a championship in the blue division, making it their second straight Moberly division title.
Volleyball
Girls golf
Centralia girls golf edged by Kirksville at home
The competition was tight on Monday in Centralia.
Lady Panthers golf took second in its home quad meet as they shot a 198 to finish behind Kirksville’s 197. Tess Stephens tied for second place with Kirksville’s Caitlin Pinkerton, and Kirksville’s Addy Davis won with a 38.
Cami Moser had the next best score for Centralia with a 47, Bailey Pace shot a 51 and Jace Brown had a 54.
Paris golfers tie for 5th at home meet
A pair of Paris girls had enough to crack the top five on Monday.
In their home golf meet at Mark Twain Country Club, Riley McKinney and Miranda Billings each shot a 61 to tie for fifth place. Westran’s Vallie Schermerhorn won with a 53.
Fall baseball
Community R-6 unable to stop bleeding in 19-7 fall baseball loss to Eugene
Community R-6 just couldn’t prevent Eugene from scoring.
After coming within 10-7 after five innings on Monday at home, the Trojans lost 19-7 following a nine-run seventh inning by the Eagles. Eugene (11-0) outhit Community 16-6 to move the Trojans’ fall baseball record to 3-3.
Community called upon Mason Rohan, Ean Johnson and Cooper Rohan on the mound as they combined to allow six unearned runs and walked eight.
At the plate, the Trojans drew eight walks out of Eugene’s three pitchers. Caden Thomas, Cooper Rohan and Shane Woodson each had a RBI, Brant Cope had two walks, and Mason Carroll went 2-for-3.
Community plays at Madison (0-6) at 7 p.m. Thursday.
