High school baseball: South Callaway 4, Jefferson City 1

JEFFERSON CITY - Senior starter Peyton Leeper allowed only one hit over four scoreless innings and struck out seven as the state-ranked Bulldogs finished the regular season with a win over the Class 5 Jays on Thursday night.

Leeper remained unbeaten at 8-0 while South Callaway raised its season record to 21-8. The Bulldogs share the No. 6 ranking with Lafayette County in Class 3 by the Missouri High School Baseball Coaches Association.

The Bulldogs grabbed a quick lead Thursday night by tallying a run in the top of the first inning. Leeper reached on an error to lead off the game, stole second and came around to score on senior left fielder Tyklen Salmons' one-out single to left.

South Callaway stretched its lead to 3-0 with two runs in the fourth. Senior designated hitter Austin Loucks drew a walk to open the inning and was replaced by junior courtesy runner Adam Albaugh.

Albaugh went to third when junior right fielder Caleb Hall followed with a single to right. Both runners then scored on junior second baseman Devin Borghardt's double to left.

The Bulldogs manufactured their final run in the fifth. Salmons doubled to left to start the inning and moved to third on junior first baseman Jared Mistler's single to left.

Then with two outs, Salmons bolted home while pulling off a double-steal with Mistler to make it 4-0.

Jefferson City - which is receiving votes in the Class 5 state poll - scored its lone run in the bottom of the sixth. The Jays finished with just two hits.

Salmons went 4-for-4 as South Callaway collected eight hits. Borghardt was 1-for-2, while Hall, Mistler and senior third baseman Dustin Loucks each finished 1-for-3.

The Bulldogs are the host and No. 1 seed for the Class 3, District 8 Tournament. South Callaway - which received a bye - plays No. 4 seed Father Tolton in the semifinals at 5 p.m. Monday.

Tolton advanced with an 11-1, five-inning romp over No. 5 seed New Bloomfield in the quarterfinals Friday night.