The Fulton Hornets' season-best offensive display effectively pumped the brakes on a three-game losing streak.
Fulton exploded for a season-high 16 hits and had a counter for every rally by the Hannibal Pirates in the Hornets' 15-8 North Central Missouri Conference win Thursday night.
"We talked about that after the game that we had an answer for every time they scored and got momentum back on our side," Fulton head coach Darren Masek said. "We anticipated a low-scoring game, (assistant) coach (Tim) Echelmeier and I, and it was anything but."
After leaving the bases loaded in the top of the first inning, the Hornets (8-9, 5-5 NCMC) used a three-run second to open the scoring.
Sophomore second baseman Luke Gray hammered an RBI double to left, while sophomore left fielder Josh Quick drove in two runs with a one-out single.
Junior first baseman Zach Franklin stretched Fulton's lead to 5-0 with a two-out, two-run single in the third. Junior third baseman Tristan Steffens then extended the advantage in the fourth with a two-out, RBI single.
"Tonight, more than any other night, we had big two-out hits," Masek said.
Hannibal cut the deficit in half with three runs in the bottom of the fourth, but Fulton used a four-run fifth to claim a 10-3 lead.
The Pirates continued to climb out of their hole by plating three runs in their half of the fifth, then picked up two more in the sixth to draw within two runs.
Franklin and sophomore designated hitter Jared Peery each singled in runs in the seventh, while Gray and Quick both hit RBI doubles as the Hornets posted five runs to quiet Hannibal's threat.
Senior starter Blake Thompson allowed six runs - five earned - on six hits over 4 1/3 innings to earn the win for Fulton. Thompson struck out five and walked one.
The Pirates finished with seven hits.
Franklin was 3-for-4 with three runs scored as six Hornets had multiple hits. Gray was 2-for-4 and scored three times, sophomore shortstop Devin Masek was 2-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored, while Steffens was 2-for-4 and scored once.
Junior Trenton Clines finished 2-for-5 with two runs scored and Quick went 2-for-5 and scored once.
Fulton continues NCMC play when it hosts the Moberly Spartans at 5 p.m. Tuesday. The Spartans edged the Hornets 2-1 on April 16 in Moberly.