Prep Baseball: Fulton 4, Moberly 2

Fulton senior starter Devon Keltner delivers a pitch Tuesday, April 25, 2017 during an NCMC matchup against Moberly at the high school athletic complex. Keltner earned his first win of the season as the Hornets rallied past the Spartans 4-2.
Fulton senior starter Devon Keltner delivers a pitch Tuesday, April 25, 2017 during an NCMC matchup against Moberly at the high school athletic complex. Keltner earned his first win of the season as the Hornets rallied past the Spartans 4-2.

The Fulton Hornets rallied for three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to topple the Moberly Spartans in Tuesday night's NCMC victory at the high school athletic complex.

The win was the fifth in a row for Fulton, which improved to 10-5 overall and 6-5 in the North Central Missouri Conference. The Hornets also defeated the Spartans 15-5 on April 13 in Moberly.

Fulton took a 1-0 lead Tuesday night on senior first baseman Jared Peery's RBI groundout in the first, but the Spartans countered with single runs in the second and third to go in front.

Senior second baseman Luke Gray lined a single to center to start the Hornets' sixth and raced to third on Peery's single to right. Gray then scored on a Moberly error to tie the game at 2-all, with Peery going to second on the play.

Junior courtesy runner Tucker Caswell replaced Peery and advanced to third when senior catcher Isaiah Pani was safe on an error. Junior designated hitter Solomon Huff then loaded the bases when he reached on a bunt single.

With one out, Caswell was forced at home on senior third baseman Devan Hudson's hard grounder to short. However, another error by the Spartans on the play allowed junior courtesy runner Nate Quick - in for Pani - and Huff to score to put Fulton on top 4-2.

"These guys never give up and they always think they're going to win," Hornets head coach John Brinkmann said. "I never lose confidence in them - it's always there.

"That's a nice feeling."

Gray and senior center fielder Alec Fleetwood were both 1-for-2, and Peery and Huff were each 1-for-3 as Fulton managed only four hits.

Senior starter Devon Keltner allowed only two runs - one earned - on just four hits over six innings to earn his first win of the season for the Hornets. Keltner (1-1) issued four walks and struck out one.

Pani worked the seventh to pick up his second save, giving up a hit while striking out two.

Fulton hosts Father Tolton in a non-conference game at 5 p.m. today.