AUXVASSE - The North Callaway Ladybirds preyed on five Southern Boone errors Tuesday night in handing the Lady Eagles their first loss of the season, 3-1 in a Mid-Missouri Conference matchup.
Four different players had two hits apiece for North Callaway (5-7, 2-1 MMC), which took a 2-0 lead in the fourth and added a critical run in the fifth. The loss dropped Southern Boone to 10-1 overall and 1-1 in conference play.
Sophomore starter Jaida Gray surrendered just one earned run while scattering five hits to post the complete-game win for the Ladybirds. Gray (5-4) struck out four and issued three walks.
"I'm very happy for the girls; they came out ready to play," North Callaway head coach Lauren Elkin said. "We didn't have one bad inning and the team played up to its capabilities.
"We were excellent in all three areas - hitting, pitching and fielding. We're happy to be in the conference race."
Sophomore third baseman Kelsey Coil opened the Ladybirds' fourth with a double and moved to third on sophomore first baseman Maddie Sorell's single. Coil put North Callaway on top 1-0 when she came home on freshman left fielder Kaysey Huddleston's sacrifice fly, with Sorrell advancing to third.
Sorell then scored on sophomore center fielder Elaine Brinker's groundout.
After Southern Boone tallied its lone run in the top of the fifth, the Ladybirds answered with their final run in the bottom of the inning. Senior shortstop Sarah LaPlante singled with one out, went to second on an error, advanced to third on a sacrifice and raced home when the Lady Eagles' shortstop mishandled Coil's grounder.
Coil went 2-for-3 with a pair of doubles as North Callaway finished with nine hits. Sorell and LaPlante were also 2-for-3, while sophomore designated player Baylie Borman was 2-for-3 with a double.
The Ladybirds dropped the junior varsity game 17-0.
North Callaway hosts Centralia for Senior Night at 5 p.m. Thursday.
Kirksville........................................2
Fulton volleyball.............................1