Ladybirds bow to Centralia 8-1 in Class 2, District 8 title game

MONTGOMERY CITY, Mo. - The No. 3 seed North Callaway Ladybirds managed only three hits in falling to No. 1 Centralia 8-1 in Saturday's Class 2, District 8 championship.

North Callaway - ending its season with a 17-9 record - scored its only run in the top of the fifth inning. Junior left fielder Carley VanBoening led off with a double and scored on junior shortstop Kallie Jo Lehenbauer's double.

Junior right fielder Hanna Knipp singled in the sixth to account for the Ladybirds' other hit. North Callaway batters struck out 14 times.

Centralia (25-1) broke through for three runs in the first, added four more in the third and scored its final run in the fourth.

Sophomore starter Kenzie Ausfahl (9-3) threw five innings in taking the loss for the Ladybirds. Ausfahl allowed four earned runs on seven hits, struck out three and walked three.

Senior Taylor Wilson pitched the third in relief of Ausfahl, giving up four runs - only one earned - on two hits and issuing two walks.