A breakout at the plate triggered the first win of the season for the Fulton Hornets baseball team.
Sophomore catcher Austin Taylor and senior third baseman Evan Gray combined for seven hits and six runs batted in as Fulton amassed 15 hits in a 13-8 victory over the North Callaway Thunderbirds on Monday night at the high school athletic complex.
"It's always nice to get that first win a lot earlier in the season," Hornets head coach John Brinkmann said. "This is a nice jumping-off point for us - the boys can take a huge sigh of relief."
North Callaway got off to a fast start, scoring a run in the top of the first inning and tacking on three more in the third to go up 4-0. Fulton (1-3), though, erupted for eight runs in its half of the third to take the lead.
The Thunderbirds (0-3) came back with two runs in the fourth to close within 8-6, but the Hornets pulled away with three runs in the fifth and two in the sixth. North Callaway added two runs in the seventh.
Taylor finished 4-for-5 with a double and three RBI, while Gray was 3-for-5 with a double, three RBI and a run scored. Senior Joe Hinchie - who started on the mound for Fulton - went 2-for-2 with an RBI and scored twice, and junior shortstop Landon Dzurick finished 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored.
Junior center fielder Jake Moore was also 2-for-4 with an RBI and scored two runs.
"We made better adjustments (at the plate) early on," Brinkmann said. "After the first inning, we saw what the pitcher had and we were able to adapt to that."
Junior Gage Vandeloecht - the last of three pitchers for the Hornets - worked two innings to log his first victory of the season. Vandeloecht (1-1) gave up an earned run on three hits and struck out one.
"We threw a lot of strikes tonight," Brinkmann said. "We preach first-pitch strikes and all three were able to do that."
Senior center fielder Jordan Delashmutt went 4-for-5 with two doubles, an RBI and three runs scored as North Callaway also collected 15 hits. Senior shortstop Dawson Wright finished 3-for-4 with an RBI and scored twice, while junior catcher Gabe Cash was 2-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored.
Senior starter Josh McCowan took the loss for the Thunderbirds, allowing eight runs - four earned - on five hits in three innings. McCowan (0-1) walked two and struck out one.
"Just like in our other games, we played OK for a while but then the mistakes started piling up," first-year North Callaway head coach Zeth Lavy said. "We did a great job at the plate and I saw some really good signs there."
Fulton was coming off identical 11-1 losses to host Southern Boone and Palmyra in a doubleheader Saturday in Ashland.
The Hornets managed only three hits and produced their lone run in the top of the third against Southern Boone. Jake Moore went 1-for-2 with an RBI double, while senior left fielder AJ Reid finished 1-for-2 and scored Fulton's run.
Vandeloecht started for the Hornets and suffered the loss, surrendering six earned runs on 10 hits while striking out out one over two innings.
Fulton was limited to just two hits and committed seven errors against Palmyra. The Hornets broke on top with a run in the top of the first, but the Panthers erupted for eight runs in their half of the inning to take control.
Palmyra then scored two runs in the third and one in the fifth to end the game on the 10-run rule.
Hinchie - playing third base - finished 1-for-1 for Fulton and Taylor was 1-for-2. Jake Moore went 0-for-1 but scored Fulton's run on a wild pitch in the first.
Dzurick started for the Hornets and lasted just one-third of an inning in being pinned with the loss. Dzurick (0-1) allowed eight runs - only two earned - on two hits, issued four walks and struck out one.
The Hornets opened their season last Friday night with an 8-5 loss at Boonville. Fulton put up a run in the top of the first, but the Pirates answered with a four-run outburst in the bottom of the second and tacked on a run in the third to build a 5-1 advantage.
The Hornets narrowed the gap with two runs in the sixth, but Boonville came right back with three runs in its half of the inning to extend its lead to 8-3. Fulton added its final two runs in the seventh.
Hinchie was 3-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored to help spark the Hornets' 10-hit attack. Reid finished 2-for-3 with a double, an RBI and scored a run, while junior second baseman Camden Moore finished 2-for-4 with two RBI.
Gray started for Fulton and was tagged with the loss, giving up five runs - four earned - on nine hits in 3 2/3 innings. Gray (0-1) struck out four and issued a walk.
The Hornets host their North Central Missouri Conference opener against Marshall at 5 p.m. Thursday.
North Callaway combined for a sparse two hits in starting its season Saturday with a pair of losses at South Callaway. The Thunderbirds bowed to the host Bulldogs 10-0 in five innings, then were hammered by Kirksville 20-0 in three innings.
North Callaway's lone hit against South Callaway came on sophomore designated hitter Finnian Clark's leadoff double in the fourth.
Delashmutt started for the Thunderbirds and made it through just one-third of an inning in taking the loss. Delashmutt (0-1) gave up four earned runs on two hits, walked four and struck out one.
McCowan - playing third base - accounted for North Callaway's only hit against Kirksville, a two-out single in the third.
Wright started for the Thunderbirds and lasted only one-plus inning in suffering the loss. Wright (0-1) allowed eight runs - five earned - on seven hits, struck out two and walked one.
North Callaway plays its home opener against Hallsville at 5 p.m. Thursday.