No lead was safe for Mexico on Thursday at home.

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The Bulldogs led Centralia 10-2 after three innings and stayed ahead until the seventh inning but ended up losing 18-16 after eight innings played over three and half hours. Five Mexico pitchers combined for 15 walks -- out of the game's 21 -- and three hit by pitches.

Head coach Daniel McCarty said he doesn't remember playing a game as long as Thursday's since an 8-7 home loss to Kirksville in 13 innings two years ago. However, he said he's never experienced a game that was as "back-and-forth" as this one. Ultimately, pitchers have to throw strikes.

"The pitching staff didn't quite do the job tonight," McCarty said. "It's hard to win a game like that. We have 20 hits on the night, but our defense and our pitching didn't back us up."

McCarty said Mexico (11-8) should "pound the zone" better with an eight-run lead. He said there were not enough adjustments against a Centralia lineup that scored 13 two-out runs -- out of 20 in the game -- after working the count in various at-bats to extend innings.

Centralia (8-6) scored five runs runs in the fourth and seventh innings and outscored Mexico 8-2 in the final three innings. Luke Waltemate tied the game at 14 with a two-RBI single in the seventh inning to erase a 14-10 Mexico lead before Chase Kempker drew a bases-loaded walk for the Panthers' first lead.

"We're spiking it in the dirt or we're missing high and wide," McCarty said. "Some of those balls aren't even around the zone. In crucial situations as a pitcher, if you're not around the zone, you're not going to get those close calls."

McCarty said Mexico's offense never gave up and had enough of an answer for Centralia until the final inning. Centralia fought back down 10-7 in the fourth inning but then Chance McCarty and Brayden Arnold -- who tied the game at 15 in the seventh inning with a two-out single -- each had RBI hits for a 12-7 lead after four. Centralia was then only down 12-10 in the sixth inning before Jaydon Eldridge hit a two-RBI single for a 14-10 Mexico lead after the sixth.

Arnold finished 4-for-4 with three runs and three RBIs, and Austin Maxwell went 3-for-5 with two RBI. No. 4 hitter Drew DeMint went 3-for-5 with two RBIs and two triples, and the No. 3 hitter Eldridge finished 3-for-5 with seven RBIs and two triples.

McCarty said he doesn't remember the last time a Mexico hitter had as many as seven RBIs in a game. He said Eldridge and DeMint are providing a strong core to Mexico's lineup right now.

"Eldridge is seeing the ball very well the last seven games along with Drew DeMint," McCarty said. "Our 3 and 4 is really hot right now."

McCarty said Mexico's pitchers will be more "dialed in" at 1 p.m. today at home against Lafayette (St. Joseph) (4-11). He said some younger pitchers might have to be ready to step up along with the bullpen arms for the game today and two tomorrow in Jefferson City against Capital City (4-13) and Belton (5-8) at 10 a.m. and noon, respectively. 

"Our guys know how to reset, if something doesn't go their way or goes wrong or we don't like the outcome," McCarty said. "Use this game as a learning experience and to be better (today)."