AUXVASSE, Mo. — The Thunderbirds broke a 5-all tie by tallying two runs in the bottom of the fifth inning to edge the Bulldogs in Friday night’s non-conference triumph.
Sturgeon jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the top of the first, but North Callaway (8-12) countered with a run in its half of the inning, one in the second and three more in the third to take a 5-3 advantage. The Bulldogs pulled even with two runs in the top of the fifth, before the Thunderbirds responded in the bottom of the inning to go in front to stay.
Sturgeon (8-7) added its last run in the sixth.
Junior starter AJ Stubblefield went 3-for-4 with a double and two runs batted in as North Callaway broke out for 13 hits. Junior shortstop J.T. Higgins finished 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI, while senior third baseman Quintin Nichols was 1-for-4 and scored three times.
Junior catcher Wyatt Branson also went 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, sophomore center fielder Chad Maupin finished 2-for-4 and scored twice, and sophomore left fielder Justin Popp was 2-for-4 with a run scored.
Stubblefield (2-6) allowed five runs — three earned — on seven hits in five innings to pick up the win. He struck out seven and issued a walk. Sophomore Sam Althiser threw two innings of relief to record his first save of the season, giving up an earned run on one hit, with one strikeout and one walk.
The Thunderbirds (9-5-3) won the junior varsity game 4-2.
North Callaway managed just four hits and committed seven errors in an 8-3 Eastern Missouri Conference loss Thursday night at Silex, ranked fifth in Class 1. The Thunderbirds slipped below the .500 mark at 4-5 in the EMO.
Higgins doubled home a run in the fifth, while sophomore shortstop Coy Danison singled and scored in the inning. Nichols and Maupin singled in the fourth and sixth, respectively, to account for North Callaway’s other two hits.
Maupin (3-2) started and suffered the loss, surrendering five runs — only two earned — on five hits in five innings. He struck out four and walked one.
The Thunderbirds prevailed in the JV matchup 6-2.
North Callaway faces defending Class 3 state champion Fatima — ranked third in the state — at 4 p.m. Tuesday in the first round of the 22nd-annual Fulton Tournament. The game will be played at Westminster College.
The Thunderbirds will then turn around and play at 6:30 against either the host Hornets or Moberly in the semifinals (high school) or consolation bracket (Westminster).