The Fulton Hornets, despite owning a 9-7 edge in hits, fell to defending Class 3 state champion Fatima 6-4 in the semifinals of the 22nd-annual Fulton Tournament on Tuesday night at the high school athletic complex.
The Hornets (11-8) - who defeated Moberly 14-9 in first-round play earlier Tuesday night - had their three-game winning streak come to an end. Fulton, which has won six of its last nine, will clash with rival Mexico for third place at 4 p.m. Friday.
Fulton and Mexico split its two North Central Missouri Conference games this season. The Hornets lost at home to the Bulldogs 5-3 on April 7, then prevailed at Mexico 5-1 last Friday night.
Fatima - which shut out Fulton 10-0 on April 25 in Westphalia - will square off against Rolla for the tournament title at 6:30 p.m. Friday.
Fatima put up a run in the top of the first to take a fast lead over Fulton on Tuesday night, then the Comets made it 4-0 with a three-run outburst in the fourth. The Hornets got a run back in their half of the fourth when junior first baseman Jared Peery scored after senior second baseman Jacob Hammerstone was hit by a two-out pitch with the bases loaded.
The Comets countered with two runs in the fifth to widen their advantage to 6-1. Fulton then responded with two runs in the sixth when junior pinch-hitter Isaiah Pani doubled home a run with two outs and then scored on Hammerstone's single to center.
The Hornets tallied their final run in the seventh on Peery's RBI single with two outs.
Peery went 3-for-4 and Hammerstone finished 1-for-2, while senior right fielder Trenton Clines was 1-for-4 with a double and a run scored. Pani went 1-for-1 and junior designated hitter Luke Gray finished 1-for-2 with a stolen base and scored a run.
Junior starter Devon Keltner took the loss, giving up four runs - three earned - on five hits in 3 2/3 innings. Keltner struck out three and walked two.