T-Birds defeat Wildcats 8-2 in Class 3, District 8 quarterfinal

North Callaway senior pitcher Collin Brinker pitched six innings, struck out 10 and allowed one run on two hits in the third-seeded Thunderbirds' 8-2 win over the Montgomery County Wildcats in the Class 3, District 8 quarterfinals on Saturday at the Fulton High School athletic complex.

North Callaway (20-4) will play the No. 2 seeded Blair Oaks Falcons in the semifinals at 7 p.m. Monday.

Brinker retired the first 13 hitters he faced, striking out eight of those batters. A one-out walk to Wildcats sophomore third baseman Evan Millner in the fourth inning broke up a perfect game and a single by senior first baseman Ryan Knipfel in the fifth inning broke up the no-hit bid.

The T-Birds scored four runs in the bottom of the first to put the game away early. Senior shortstop Zach Lavy hit a one-out triple off the right field wall to score sophomore second baseman Chance Kee for the game's first run.

Lavy scored on a ground out by junior third baseman Justin Murphy and junior Ryan Thurmon, courtesy running for junior catcher Jake Kee, scored on a two-out single from senior center fielder Ty Webster. Webster scored on a passed ball before junior right fielder Vance Allen flied out to end the inning.

Lavy was 3-for-3 with a run scored, a triple and an RBI. Webster went 2-for-3 with two RBI and Brinker was 1-for-4 with a double and two RBI.

Blair Oaks beat No. 7 seeded Hermann 7-1 on Saturday. The Falcons held North Callaway to just three hits in a 5-2 win on March 26 in Auxvasse.