North Callaway already feels better about the team this season.

The Ladybirds started its Eastern Missouri Conference schedule 2-0 after a 9-4 victory Tuesday at home against Wright City, defeating a team it lost to 11-9 in a game last season after allowing three late runs. North Callaway scored seven runs in the first inning, finishing with seven hits and six walks.

Jalyn Leible drove in two runs on a single in the fifth inning and threw out a runner at home from center field. Catcher Abigail Schmidt had an RBI double in the first inning and also picked off a runner at first base. Lauren Speight pitched a complete seven innings while allowing seven hits and three earned runs with four strikeouts and one walk.

Head coach Mariah McKee said she liked how her team was able to finish even after the “always scrappy” Wright City started creeping back into the game with runs in the third and fifth innings.

“We can’t have a lull in the middle, but I’m glad in the end we put a couple more on the board,” McKee said. “We finished real strong in that last inning.

“They had to be selective,” McKee said. “There were a few that they were going to get. She was throwing a lot — I don’t know if it was a rise ball — but they were starting to get real disciplined on it toward the end. I told them they need to get up in the box and square something up.”

North Callaway had an even stronger start in the first inning, taking advantage of some errant control by Wright City pitcher Sophia Wegrzyn and two errors by her defense. The first six Ladybirds reached base, and it was 6-0 all of a sudden to force an early mound visit.

Schmidt drove in her runs, and Faith Cash and Ella Slater reached base on balls mishandled by the defense. Brianna Prosser gave North Callaway another run from the ninth spot and turned the order over.

“I wouldn’t say we hit the ball real solid, but we put it in some spots where it made them work,” McKee said. “They had to really work to make some of those plays.”

Speight was inducing her ground balls Tuesday but ran into some trouble in the third inning when Lydia Clubb laced a two-RBI triple and Emma Staats brought home another on a groundout.

Staats recorded her second RBI in the fifth inning on a single and could have three on the day if Leible didn’t cut down a runner at home trying to score on the play.

North Callaway went to work in the bottom half of the inning with two batters gone. Ellie Bedsworth was hit on the foot, and the next two runners walked to set up a bases-loaded situation for Leible. She took a 3-2 pitch up the middle to give North Callaway some insurance and help clinch the victory this time around.

“She had a great AB,” McKee said. “She hit a hard hit foul to the right I thought was close. I knew she was seeing the ball finally so I just knew if she kept working it and kept working, she’d find the one she needed to square up.”

Ladybirds 21-0 barrage buries Wellsville

North Callaway didn’t waste much time after the Wright City win to display its offensive potential.

The Ladybirds defeated Wellsville-Middletown 21-0 in three innings, giving the program its most runs scored in a single game since a 22-3 victory in 2014 against Van-Far and its ninth straight win against the Eastern Missouri Conference Lady Tigers. They scored 18 of them in the first inning.

Jalyn Leible came through with a big insurance hit Tuesday against Wright City and was automatic at the plate after flying out in her first at-bat. She finished 3-for-4 with four RBI and a triple. Ellie Bedsworth, along with her shutout inning in the circle, went 2-for-4 with three RBI, and Kymorie Myers finished 2-for-3 with three RBI and a double for her biggest game so far as a freshman.

Lauren Speight allowed two hits and struck out three in her two innings of work.
North Callaway (3-2) puts its undefeated conference schedule (3-0) to the test Tuesday when it hosts Clopton and conference leader Elsberry on Thursday.

Volleyball

North Callaway has couple standouts in sweep at Fulton

North Callaway was swept Tuesday night in Fulton but had a couple of Ladybirds shine.

In what was its fourth straight win and 12th straight set victory, Fulton defeated North Callaway 25-10, 25-17 and 25-8 to bring the Ladybirds’ record to 1-3.

Leading North Callaway was Bailey Hill, who had six blocks, and Riley Blevins, who finished with 14 digs.

Junior varsity lost in two sets to Fulton, bringing its record to 1-2.

North Callaway hosted Calvary Lutheran on Thursday before playing in the Calvary Lutheran Tournament today.