Cassidy, North Callaway down Montgomery County

Senior starter Danielle Cassidy threw a two-hitter and set a school record with 19 strikeouts in the Ladybirds' 6-1 EMO victory over the Lady Wildcats on Thursday night.

Cassidy issued just two walks in raising her season record to 5-1 with the complete-game win. Montgomery County sophomore starter Corryn Hill accounted for both hits off Cassidy, including a double and a solo home run in the top of the fifth inning. Hill also struck out 11 as the Lady Wildcats dropped to 7-2 on the season and 4-2 in conference play.

North Callaway - improving to 9-1 overall and staying unbeaten in the Eastern Missouri Conference at 6-0 - produced a single run in the bottom of the first, plated three more in the fourth and tallied two in the fifth.

Senior shortstop Elaine Brinker finished 3-for-4 and scored twice as the Ladybirds totalled nine hits. Senior catcher Kaysey Huddleston was also 2-for-2 with two runs scored, while junior designated player Taylor Wiseman went 1-for-3 with a two-run single in the fourth.

Junior first baseman Madison Ausfahl finished 1-for-3 with an RBI triple in the fourth.

"This was a great conference win," North Callaway head coach Brandi Thomsen said. "Our hitting came up and matched the excellent pitching by Danielle."

The Ladybirds host Columbia Hickman at 11 a.m. Saturday.