North Callaway softball took fourth in the Versailles/California Turf War after losing 9-5 in the third-place game Saturday in California, Missouri.
In their first two games, the Ladybirds lost 10-8 against California and won 10-3 against Montrose.
Starting the tournament off, North Callaway allowed seven runs in the first frame versus the Lady Pintos. That dug the Ladybirds into a hole for the rest of that game.
Starting pitcher Lauren Speight took the loss for North Callaway. Speight pitched one inning, allowing seven runs (three earned) on six hits and no walks while striking out one.
Getting the win for California was a player listed as No. 1 on North Callaway's box score. She pitched five innings, allowing eight runs (three earned) on 11 hits and four walks while striking out three.
The Ladybirds were led by Jalyn Leible at the plate; she went 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored.
Lady Pinto leadoff hitter Ella Percival was the team's best hitter, going 3-for-4 with two runs scored and one RBI.
In North Callaway's second game, the Ladybirds' six-run third inning was integral in them beating Montrose.
Four North Callaway batters registered a team-high two hits -- Leible, Kymorie Myers, Abigail Schmidt and Briann Prosser. Myers and Schmidt also recorded a team-high two RBI.
Another leadoff hitter made it tough for North Callaway as the Lady Jays' Aimee Cummings went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBI.
Earning the victory for the Lady Birds was Olivia Knoepflein, who pitched 4 ⅓ innings, allowing three runs (all earned) on three hits and two walks while striking out eight.
Montrose starter Avery Wraight was tagged with the loss, pitching all five innings, allowing 10 runs (eight earned) on 10 hits and three walks while striking out two.
After beating the Lady Jays, North Callaway moved onto the third-place game against St. Elizabeth. Since the game reached the one-hour, 30-minute time limit, it only lasted 5 ½ innings.
The Lady Hornets recorded nine runs on eight hits and two errors, while the Ladybirds notched five runs on seven hits and four errors.
Leible had another solid game at the plate for North Callaway, going 1-for-2 with a double (which looked like it was going out of the park) and scored twice.
Another North Callaway hitter that did well at the plate was Meyers, who went 1-for-2 with an RBI double (in the first) and reached on an error.
Faith Cash drove in the Ladybirds' only other run on an RBI double in the third inning.
Taking the loss in the circle was Speight, who pitched 3 ⅓ innings, allowing nine runs (one earned) on seven hits and one walk while striking out one.
"We hit the ball well all day," North Callaway coach Mariah McKee said. "But we're a young team and young teams make errors. And we have to find a way to stop making too many errors -- that really hurts us. All the rest of the games we played well. We're hoping to turn it around on Monday against a really good Fulton team."
Up next, North Callaway (6-9) will play fellow Callaway County school, Fulton (19-4) at 5 p.m. Monday in Fulton.