The Thunderbirds (8-14) dropped both of their games at the 22nd-annual Fulton Tournament on Tuesday, opening with a 12-7 loss to defending Class 3 state champion Fatima and then bowing to Moberly 6-4 at Westminster College.
Fatima jumped on North Callaway for five runs in the first and one in the second, but the Thunderbirds posted a run in the third and four more in the fourth to narrow the gap to 6-5. The Comets, though, took control by logging two runs apiece in the fourth and fifth, and one each in the sixth and seventh.
North Callaway scored its other two runs in the sixth.
Junior catcher Wyatt Branson was 1-for-4 with two runs batted in and two runs scored as the Thunderbirds collected seven hits. Junior shortstop J.T. Higgins finished 1-for-3 with two walks and two RBI, while sophomore right fielder Coy Danison went 2-for-4 with a run scored and senior third baseman Quintin Nichols was 1-for-2 with three walks and a run scored.
Sophomore starter Sam Althiser (2-3) was pinned with the loss, allowing 11 runs - six earned - on 11 hits. Althiser struck out one and issued a walk.
North Callaway produced three runs in the first and one in the third to establish a 4-1 lead over Moberly, but the Spartans stunned the Thunderbirds with a five-run rally in the fifth.
Danison, playing shortstop, finished 3-for-3 with a stolen base and two RBI as North Callaway ended up with six hits. Sophomore designated hitter Clark Zerr went 1-for-3 with an RBI and sophomore center fielder Chad Maupin was 1-for-4 with an RBI and scored a run. Branson - playing in right field - finished 1-for-4 with a double and a run scored.
Junior starter AJ Stubblefield (2-7) suffered the loss, giving up six runs - only three earned - on five hits in 4 1/3 innings. Stubblefield struck out two and walked one.
The Thunderbirds hosted Community R-6 in a rescheduled Eastern Missouri Conference matchup Wednesday night. Results were not available at press time.
North Callaway plays Hallsville for seventh place in the Fulton Tournament at 4 p.m. today at the high school athletic complex.