New Bloomfield was putting hits in every possible place against North Callaway on Monday night.

North Callaway vs New Bloomfield Districts Photo Gallery

The No. 3 seed Ladybirds allowed 11 hits to No. 2 New Bloomfield but ultimately couldn’t extend the game past five innings due to four errors and eight unearned runs, leading to a 15-5 loss in the Class 2 District 3 tournament semifinals at South Callaway in Mokane. The Lady Wildcats (19-10) scored in every inning to pay North Callaway back for an 8-4 loss early in the season.

Kymorie Myers gave North Callaway the first lead of the game after a two-RBI single in the first inning, but New Bloomfield took advantage of an early mistake. Instead of a potential double play, two runs scored until the inning was eventually extended to a bases-clearing double by Emma Powell to make it 6-2 after one inning. Head coach Mariah McKee said New Bloomfield striking out four times had a big effect on the game as it forced North Callaway’s defense to be sharp.

“They put the ball in play and hit the ball hard,” McKee said. “There were some plays that went their way, and when that happens, momentum rolls their way. Then we have to dig out of a hole and then we have to fight back.”

Plays that went in New Bloomfield’s included Powell’s double in the first inning, McKee said, which prevented freshman Megan Schmidt from escaping with minimal damage. The ball just stayed within fair territory to give the Lady Wildcats a big blow early.

New Bloomfield made a habit of hitting the ball where the Ladybirds weren’t as there was a parade of singles that found holes between diving fielders and hits that dropped just out of reach of the infield. Peityn Thomas, who had the run-rule clinching RBI, led the Lady Wildcats with four RBI along with Ashlyn Peters, Powell followed with the aforementioned three RBI, and Myah Briggs finished 4-for-4.

“They had a lot of hits that were either-or, but they hit the ball hard tonight,” McKee said. “There were also just little bloopers and stuff like that. That’s the way it goes sometimes.”

McKee said she did her best to change the look in the circle when she brought in Lauren Speight to pitch in relief after Schmidt allowed nine hits and six earned runs in two innings but accounted for all four of North Callaway’s strikeouts. She said they each did well, regardless of the result.

Looking forward to next season, McKee said there is much to be excited about as Speight and Schmidt logged the first- and second-most innings for the Ladybirds this season and will be returning next year. Schmidt went into Monday with a ERA under 4.00 as did Liv Knoepflein, who will also be back next season.

At the forefront of the girls McKee will be happy to have back are sophomore Nos. 3 and 4 hitters Myers and Ella Slater. Myers’ two RBI in the first inning put her season total at 46 RBI, which increases her school single-season record total, and Slater’s sacrifice fly in the game put at a second-best 35 RBI.

“When your 3 and 4 hole hitters are having 30-40 RBI a season, you’re doing alright, and they’re only sophomores,” McKee said. “We get to have them for another two years so our future is good and we’re going to keep building.”

McKee said it is sad her seniors Miller and Brianna Prosser played their final games on Monday, but they at least had one more moment on the field together. After New Bloomfield took a 6-2 lead, Prosser reached via a single in the second inning and then scored after Miller bunted the ball, made it to third base and was able to take home plate because of an error, resulting in one of the weirdest Little-League home runs.

“It depends on the timing of the throw, so when (Miller) was already rounding and that’s whenever it went past, so she gets that base,” McKee said. “You get an extra base on an overthrow. It’s just like if it went into the dugout.”

Miller jogged home after the wild play and slapped hands with her good friend Prosser before heading back to the dugout to lead the team as they have done.

“They put a lot of blood, sweat and tears in these three to four years, and that’s all you can ask for,” McKee said. “We try to prepare for the next group of seniors for next year. We know we can’t fill the shoes, but we’re going to do the best we can and keep building around it.”

The North Callaway roster this season was good enough for a 16-15 record at the end of the season, clinching the program’s first winning record in five years. McKee pointed out that the Ladybirds’ schedule has been much tougher this season, setting them up in tournaments against bigger schools and 20-win teams like Timberland, Marshfield and Father Tolton. 

North Callaway defeated Timberland and lost by only two and five runs to the other two schools. The Ladybirds also defeated Eastern Missouri Conference powerhouse Elsberry 6-1 this season and were 5-0 against district opponents until the loss to New Bloomfield.

“It has been a hot minute (for a winning season),” McKee said. “That was one of our goals to have a winning season. We do team goals and individual goals at the beginning of the year every year. I got a lot of youngins, and they stepped up to the plate. It;s just going to help them even more next year.”