This year was a significant season for North Callaway baseball.
The Thunderbirds won their most games since 2012 with an 18-10 record that carried them to their first district championship since …
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This year was a significant season for North Callaway baseball.
The Thunderbirds won their most games since 2012 with an 18-10 record that carried them to their first district championship since 1999 and second ever state quarterfinals game. Seven total players earned postseason awards at the conference and district level, with six each honored in the Eastern Missouri Conference and Class 3 District 8.
Keaton Bell and Kyle Pennell each earned all-conference and all-district first team honors while Carter Moore and Sam Pezold — who is the only previous all-conference member — made the EMO first team and all-district second team. Tucker Sheets made the all-conference first team and Coltyn O’Neal made the all-district first team and all-conference second team. Caleb Sheets was named as an all-district second team player.
Bell was recognized in the conference specifically as a pitcher, easily filling the role as the team’s No. 1 arm. He posted a 2.35 ERA, allowed 41 hits and 10 walks, and led the team with an 8-2 record, five complete games and 51 strikeouts in a team-high 50⅔ innings. As the leadoff hitter, Bell hit .284 with a .390 on-base percentage, a second-best 33 runs scored and a team-high 21 stolen bases in 22 attempts.
Pennell made the all-EMO team as an outfielder, making no errors and recording 53 putouts and seven assists in 60 total chances. At the plate, he owned team-highs with a .420 batting average, a .567 slugging percentage, a 1.083 OPS, 34 hits and 10 extra-base hits and also had a .515 on-base percentage, 29 runs and 18 stolen bases in 21 attempts.
Moore is an all-conference catcher after only committing three errors in 125 total chances to finish with a .976 fielding percentage. At the plate, he had a slash line of .282/.400/.422, 23 RBI, seven doubles and 16 walks. In 37⅓ innings as a pitcher, Moore allowed 33 hits and 16 walks and struck out 36 to result in a 4.31 ERA.
Pezold is an all-conference infielder after committing six errors in 70 total chances and owning a slash line of .338/.436/.467. He finished with 26 hits, 26 runs, 17 RBI and eight extra-base hits. In 33⅔ innings as a pitcher, Pezold posted a 2.50 ERA with 23 hits, 21 strikeouts, 11 walks and three complete games.
The all-conference infielder Tucker Sheets had a massive game in a crucial 9-1 victory over EMO rival Montgomery County, driving in eight runs. Sheets led the team with 28 RBI and eight doubles while owning a slash line of .291/.404/.430.
O’Neal emerged as a threat near the top of the order with his team-high 34 runs and 18 walks while complementing those with 17 stolen bases on 17 attempts and a .532 on-base percentage. He also had a .394 batting average and .492 slugging percentage, 28 hits and 16 RBI. In the field, the infielder O’Neal made four errors in 54 total chances for a .926 fielding percentage.
Caleb Sheets patrolled center field with a spotless record, finishing with no errors, 28 putouts and four assists in 32 total chances. At the plate, he had 11 RBI, nine walks and four doubles.
