Bowling Green baffles T-Birds in 4-1 EMO loss

BOWLING GREEN - The North Callaway Thunderbirds mustered just two hits in a 4-1 Eastern Missouri Conference loss to the Bowling Green Bobcats on Wednesday night.

North Callaway slipped to 2-3 overall and 1-2 in the EMO, while Bowling Green stayed unbeaten at 7-0 on the season and 2-0 in conference play.

The Thunderbirds tallied their only run in the top of the fifth inning when senior Brandon Hagedorn - playing shortstop at the time - darted home on a wild pitch with one out. Sophomore catcher Wyatt Branson was responsible for both North Callaway hits, going 2-for-4 with singles in the first and fifth.

Hagedorn went 0-for-1 but walked three times and stole a base.

"Early on, we had some opportunities to drive in runs and didn't have good at-bats," Thunderbirds head coach Kevin O'Neal said. "We have to get better with our approach in certain situations."

North Callaway - which committed three errors - wasted a solid outing from senior starter Michael Early, who took the loss. Early (0-1) gave up four runs, only one earned, while scattering three hits over five innings. He struck out three and walked two.

"Michael Early threw five strong innings," O'Neal said. "He did a good job of mixing up his pitches and keeping hitters off-balance."

The Thunderbirds are scheduled to host a makeup game against EMO foe Wellsville at 5 p.m. today. With the first round of the Montgomery County Tournament rained out Wednesday, North Callaway is also set to play tournament home games Friday against Louisiana (2 p.m.) and Mark Twain (6 p.m.).