MEXICO, Mo. — None of their hits were particularly noteworthy, but the Fulton Hornets were decisive in dictating their duel with Mexico pitchers Dalton Logerman and Steven Smith.
Four different Fulton players drove in runs with singles and the Hornets toppled the rival Bulldogs in a 5-1 North Central Missouri Conference win Friday night.
Fulton’s seven hits were all singles, but head coach John Brinkman emphasized his batters’ bold approach at the plate.
“We were far more aggressive early in counts and we weren’t letting the pitcher get ahead of us,†Brinkmann said. “All of our hits were either up the middle or the other way — we let the ball travel.â€
The Hornets — avenging a 5-3 home loss to Mexico on April 7 — won their second straight and are 5-2 in their last seven games. Fulton raised its season record to 10-7 and pulled itself back up to the .500 mark in the NCMC at 5-5.
“I think we probably played our best overall game of the season,†Brinkmann said. “I talk a lot about playing team baseball and the guys did a really good job of picking everybody up, and doing all of the team aspects.â€
The Hornets manufactured their first run in the top of the third inning. Junior third baseman Luke Gray drew a one-out walk, stole second, advanced to third on junior shortstop Devin Masek’s groundout and scored on junior first baseman Jared Peery’s single to left.
Fulton then made it 3-0 by putting up two more runs in the fourth. Junior catcher Isaiah Pani was hit by a pitch with one out and replaced by sophomore courtesy runner Solomon Huff, who moved to second when senior second baseman Jacob Hammerstone grounded out.
After junior center fielder Josh Quick walked, Huff came around to score on Gray’s single to center and Quick made it to third on the play. Masek then followed with a single to right to bring home Quick.
Mexico produced its lone run in its half of the fourth, but the Hornets got the run back in the fifth on Hammerstone’s RBI groundout. Fulton tacked on its final run in the seventh on an RBI single from Quick.
Pani, senior right fielder Trenton Clines and senior left fielder Zach Franklin also singled for the Hornets.
Junior starter Taylor Nelson worked four innings to earn the win for the Hornets. Nelson allowed the one earned run while scattering four hits, walked two and struck out none.
“Taylor didn’t have his best stuff, but he battled,†Brinkmann said. “He still threw to contact and that helped him out.â€
Junior Devon Keltner tossed three innings of scoreless relief in support of Nelson, giving up just one hit.
The Hornets host their 22nd-annual Fulton Tournament this week and open against Moberly at 4 p.m. Tuesday at the high school athletic complex. The contest will count as an NCMC game after the two teams were rained out April 26 in Moberly.
The Hornets defeated the Spartans 9-4 on April 14 in Fulton.
Fulton will immediately play at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday against either defending Class 3 state champion Fatima — ranked third in the state — or North Callaway in the semifinals (high school) or consolation bracket (Westminster College).