For most of Monday’s game at Eastern Missouri Conference foe Silex, the production of Van-Far’s offense was at the level it has been this season.

The Indians had three hits through six innings but mounted a late rally to score three runs on four hits in the seventh inning to still fall short 7-4. 

Reece Culwell and Gibson Condie each had RBI singles in the seventh to pick up one of their two hits and an RBI in the game. Nikos Connaway had an RBI, and Gage Gibson finished with three stolen bases and two runs scored.

Culwell allowed four runs (one earned) on three hits in three innings started on the mound, and Cody Smith allowed three unearned runs on three hits in three innings. Each Indian pitcher struck out five Owls (5-8, 4-4 EMO) but had to pitch around five total Van-Far errors.

Van-Far (0-12, 0-8 EMO) played at Missouri Military Academy (6-6) on Tuesday before playing at 5 p.m. Friday at conference foe Louisiana (2-11, 0-6 EMO).

Mexico productive innings limited in 7-2 loss to Father Tolton

Mexico could only get going one inning on Friday.

The Bulldogs hosted reigning state champion Father Tolton, losing 7-2 as they could only score in one inning and muster three hits against Connor Head. The Trailblazer pitcher struck out eight and walked one in seven innings.

The third inning was the lone inning Mexico (8-10) could score as the Bulldogs put together a two-out rally after two strikeouts to start the inning. Drew DeMint singled, Sam Ryan walked and then Andrew Runge plated both of them with a double.

The Bulldogs’ production in the third inning made it 4-2 Tolton (6-4) as Mexico allowed three runs on groundouts, one on a wild pitch and one on a balk. 

Jack Wilburn allowed six runs on seven hits in four innings as the starting pitcher and then Austin Maxwell allowed one run on one hit in three innings.

Mexico hosts the second-best team in Class 5 at 5 p.m. Monday as the Bulldogs take on Helias Catholic (12-4).

North Callaway ends explosive California tournament with defensive implosion

In its three games during Friday’s and Saturday’s Versailles/California Turf War tournament, North Callaway scored 29 runs.

The Thunderbird offense defeated Vienna 11-1 and California 15-9 to advance North Callaway to its first California tournament championship game, which it lost on a cold Saturday afternoon to Eldon 13-3 in five innings. The Thunderbirds committed a season-high eight errors to allow nine unearned runs.

North Callaway was on an emotional high, though, against California (9-7) as the Pintos were a team that defeated the Thunderbirds 4-3 earlier in the season but lost partly thanks to a seven-run fifth inning. Braydn O’Neal led the offense by going 3-for-5 with five RBI, two runs and a triple, Jordan Fishburn followed with three RBI, and Kyle Pennell, Sam Pezold and Matthew Weber each finished with two hits and an RBI. Keaton Bell earned the win in relief by pitching three innings with three earned runs on six hits.

The Thunderbirds weren’t able to match the next Class 4 school it faced as the offense went cold as it did the defense against Eldon (13-7). AJ Haubner was credited with allowing 10 runs but three of them were earned in his three innings of five hits and two walks. AJ Siegel and Weber each had an RBI for the offense.

North Callaway (6-1 EMO) returns to its Eastern Missouri Conference schedule at 5 p.m. Tuesday at Louisiana (2-11, 0-6 EMO). 

Thunderbirds look to correct early loss after 11-1 win vs Vienna

North Callaway earned a second chance at California this morning.

The Thunderbirds face one of the host schools in the Versailles/California Turf War tournament after defeating Vienna 11-1 in five innings in the first round on Friday. They lost 4-3 to the Pintos earlier this season.

Against Vienna, Sam Pezold pitched all five innings while striking out nine and allowing one unearned run on one hit and no walks. 

Four Thunderbirds finished with two hits, including Carter Moore, Matthew Weber, Jordan Fishburn and Braydn O’Neal. The sophomore catcher Moore hit his first career varsity home run in the third inning, which was a two-RBI one to make it 6-0 at the time. Weber led the team with three RBI, Fishburn scored three runs and had two doubles, and O’Neal had a two-RBI triple in the fifth inning.

North Callaway (8-4) faces California (8-6), who defeated Warsaw 12-2 on Friday, at 9 a.m. this morning in California before playing again at 3 p.m.

Centralia goes 1-2 in challenging Boonville tournament field

Against stiff competition on Saturday at the Boonville Wood Bat Tournament, Centralia left last weekend with a hard-fought victory.

The Panthers won a nailbiter against Pilot Grove 5-4 and were shutout in losses of 10-0 to Boonville and 5-0 to South Callaway. In the three games, Centralia (5-9) finished with a combined 10 hits. 

The hits happened at the right time against Pilot Grove (10-4), including Anthony Ford’s walk-off single. Ford finished with two hits along with Ethan Adams, who also had two stolen bases and an RBI. Micah Danielson led the Panthers with three stolen bases.

Tuckyr Pollock struck out five in five innings he started that also saw him allow three runs (one earned) on three hits and two walks. Matt Robinson allowed an unearned run in two innings of relief.

The Panthers had a 4-2 lead after the fourth innings thanks to a Danielson RBI single only for Pilot Grove to score a run in each of the fifth and sixth innings. Ford then seized a one-out RBI opportunity with the bases loaded in the seventh inning.

Against Boonville (6-5), Centralia had 4⅔ innings with eight runs (two earned) from Jack Romine but were limited to three hits in five innings from Shane Chamberlain. Ryan Lepper struck out five Panthers and allowed one hit in 5⅔ innings for South Callaway (9-5 and received votes in latest Class 3 poll), who scored five runs (four earned) on 10 hits allowed in six innings from Mason Presley.

Centralia (1-2 CCC) hosts Clarence Cannon Conference foe Monroe City (2-7, 1-3 CCC) at 5 p.m. Tuesday.

Missouri Military Academy holds off furious Fayette rally to win 12-10

Missouri Military Academy was happy they scored two insurance runs on Friday.

The Colonels took a 10-0 lead at home against Fayette, scoring one additional run each in the third and fourth innings. Those innings were the beginning of a rally by Fayette (7-6) that saw the Falcons pull within two runs after a six-run fifth inning.

MMA (6-6) scored off an error in the third inning, and Luke Wolf picked up his second RBI after a single in the fourth inning, following a five-RBI performance on Thursday in a 13-2 win at Calvary Lutheran.

Hunter Manderson finished 3-for-3 with a double and stolen base, Charles George finished with a team-high three RBI, and Bryce Slayton and William Delaplane added two RBI each from Nos. 8-9 spots in the lineup.

The Colonels’ 13 hits counteracted four errors and five pitchers used. Anthony Melick pitched three innings to start the game, allowing one unearned run on three walks and three hits while striking out four. Caleb Atkinson lasted three innings on the mound, allowing no runs on one hit while striking out two.

MMA hosts Vienna (10-4) at 5 p.m. Wednesday.