After days of showing some power, the Bulldogs showed their speed.

Mexico defeated district foe Centralia 9-1 on Thursday at home, moving to a 500 record and to 2-1 against district opponents this year. The Bulldogs stole 10 bases, including five bags swiped by Andrew Runge, to complement seven strikeouts in six innings thrown by Sam Ryan.

Centralia (3-6) made the first move as four straight Panthers reached base in the second inning to take a 1-0 lead. Ethan Adams picked up the RBI single as part of his 2-for-3 day — Elliott McCoy also went 2-for-3. 

Ryan and Gage Walker for one inning made sure Centralia finished with three hits the rest of the day as Ryan allowed five hits, one walk, one hit by pitch and one run while Walker surrendered one hit and one walk.

Centralia starting pitcher Jack Romine finished with six walks as he allowed three hits and six runs (four earned) in three innings before Mason Presley allowed three runs (two earned) on four hits in three innings of relief.

The Panther pitchers also struggled keeping baserunners at bay as Tyler Thoenen stole the first base prior to him scoring in the second inning, when Mexico (7-7) took the lead for good 2-1. Just as Thoenen was walked, Runge took advantage of being walked in the third inning by stealing two bases and scoring the first run of a four-run third for the Bulldogs. Ty Sims, Landyn Kleinsorge, Tyson Carr and Drew DeMint each had an RBI to make it 6-1 Mexico after three innings.

Runge ended up stealing two more bases the next inning and finished 2-for-3 with three runs scored. DeMint had two steals and went 2-for-4 with two RBI, and Sims also stole two bases.

Mexico (3-3 NCMC) traveled to district foe and Class 4 No. 9 Hallsville (7-1) on Friday before hosting North Central Missouri Conference foe Hannibal (7-8, 4-1 NCMC) while Centralia plays at Sturgeon (2-7) at 5 p.m. Monday.

North Callaway loses undefeated EMO showdown with Elsberry 9-0

North Callaway’s start of the season has been impressive so far.

The Thunderbirds went into Thursday’s Eastern Missouri Conference game at home against Elsberry 4-0 in conference, winning by a margin of 50-5 in those games, but were shut down in a 9-0 loss to the Indians. North Callaway (5-4, 4-1 EMO) mustered two hits, struck out nine times and committed a season-high seven errors.

Despite the lopsided result, the game was scoreless through two innings as starting pitcher AJ Haubner struck out the first six Indians. Elsberry (11-4, 8-0 EMO) struck out 12 times as Haubner recorded seven punchouts in three innings, and Keaton Bell added five in four innings of relief.

Haubner and Bell combined to allow eight hits, though, and Haubner had two of his three walks lead off the third inning. Elsberry capitalized and took a 4-0 lead.

Kaden Kinsler shined at the plate and on the mound for the Indians as he finished 2-for-4 with a double and three RBI while striking out seven and allowing one hit.

Jordan Fishburn and AJ Siegel each had a single for the Thunderbirds, and Davis Woods reached base three times via two walks and a hit by pitch.

North Callaway hosted conference foe Clopton (3-7, 1-4 EMO) on Friday prior to playing at conference opponent Mark Twain (1-8, 1-4 EMO) at 5 p.m. Monday.

Game slips away from Van-Far in 7-4 loss to Mark Twain

Two Eastern Missouri Conference teams were hungry for their first win on Thursday.

After three scoreless innings, Van-Far lost 7-4 to Mark Twain on Thursday at home, allowing at least a run in each of the final four innings. The Indians finished with three hits and four errors while Reece Culwell struck out nine and allowed seven runs (one earned) on seven hits in seven complete innings.

The Van-Far offense was able to reach base via seven walks and a pair of hit by pitches but couldn’t scratch across a run until the six inning. By that point, Mark Twain (1-8, 1-4 EMO) led 6-0 as the Tigers came through with three RBI hits.

An Indian run scored on Mark Twain’s lone error while the bases were loaded in the sixth inning and then Jacob Radmacher drew a bases-loaded walk to make it 6-2. Van-Far (0-7, 0-4 EMO) didn’t have a run-scoring hit until the seventh inning, when Cody Smith plated two runs with a double.

Smith finished 1-for-2 with two RBI and a walk, and Nikos Connaway also had a double earlier in the seventh.

Van-Far plays at 5 p.m. Monday at conference foe Wright City (5-5, 2-1 EMO).