High school baseball: T-Birds turn back MMA in reaching District 8 semifinals

Face Hallsville on Monday night

MOKANE - North Callaway senior starter Justin Coffman scattered four hits over 5 1/3 innings and struck out 10 as the No. 3 seed Thunderbirds downed No. 6 Missouri Military Academy 6-3 in the Class 3, District 8 quarterfinals Friday night.

North Callaway (9-16) stopped a five-game losing streak in advancing to a semifinal matchup against No. 2 seed Hallsville - which received a bye - at 6:30 p.m. Monday. The Thunderbirds were blanked by Hallsville 11-0 at Auxvasse on March 21.

"It was nice to end a four-year drought of not winning in district," North Callaway head coach Zeth Lavy said. "We look forward to playing Hallsville."

The Thunderbirds broke a 2-all tie Friday night by breaking out for four runs in the fourth inning. MMA (2-11) scored its final run in the sixth.

Coffman (6-2) allowed the Colonels' three runs - two earned - and issued four walks. Sophomore Finnian Clark threw the last 1 2/3 innings to log a save, giving up one hit, striking out five and walking two.

Senior shortstop Dawson Wright went 1-for-4 with two runs batted in as North Callaway made the most of six hits, all singles. Sophomore catcher Christian Griffith was 2-for-3 with an RBI, while junior third baseman Gabe Cash finished 0-for-3 but scored three runs.