WARDSVILLE - The Fulton Lady Hornets played even with the top-ranked team in the state for four innings Wednesday night.
But it was the fifth inning that proved to be costly.
The Blair Oaks Lady Falcons scored four runs in the top of the fifth, getting a three-run home run from Kenzie Libbert, to beat Fulton 6-1 in the Class 3 state quarterfinals at the Falcon Athletic Complex.
The Lady Hornets finish the season with a 22-9 record, coming up one win shy of reaching their first Final Four since 2001.
"I'm very proud of the girls and the way they played this year," Fulton coach Tim Echelmeier said. "They have nothing to hang their heads about. I'll be very surprised if Blair Oaks doesn't win the state title.
"We put together a nice win streak at the end of the season. We have quality girls, we're a quality team and a lot of them are coming back."
During the regular season, Fulton defeated Blair Oaks 5-3.
"The first time we played them, we had two two-out hits," Echelmeier said. "That was the difference in the game."
Another difference is Blair Oaks all-state pitcher Andi Siebeneck wasn't in the circle for the first two innings of that contest, but she pitched five shutout innings of relief.
Siebeneck tossed a three-hitter Wednesday, striking out 10.
"We knew coming into this game this was going to have to be a mistake-free game, you knew you weren't going to get that kind of offensive output facing a quality pitcher like Andi is," Echelemeier said. "It was totally different. She's head and shoulders better than anybody we saw in districts, and we knew that coming in."
Siebeneck also got things started offensively with a solo home run to left field in the top of the first inning for Blair Oaks.
It was the only blemish in the scorebook for the first three innings for Fulton starting pitcher Marah Walley, who struck out four and induced five flyouts to keep it a one-run game.
Center fielder Samantha Hedgpath caught a low liner in the first inning, while left fielder Layla Underwood made a diving catch in foul territory in the second inning for the Lady Hornets.
"We felt good right there," Echelmeier said. "That's the kind of game I was hoping for, perhaps a 2-1 game, where you're in it and you have a chance. When you're facing a quality pitcher like that, you have to keep it close and give yourself a chance."
The Lady Falcons failed to capitalize on a scoring opportunity in the top of the fourth with runners on second and third base and one out. The Lady Hornets carried that momentum into the bottom half of the inning.
Siebeneck retired the first nine batters she faced, but Reagan Echelmeier snapped the bid for a perfect game with a slow dribbler along the third-base line for an infield single.
"That's her job, to just find a way to get on base and let the people behind her score her," Tim Echelmeier said of Reagan Echelmeier.
Rylee Caswell's sacrifice bunt moved Echelmeier to second base. The Lady Falcons intentionally walked Alex Trowbridge, and the next batter, Brilee Ash, made Blair Oaks pay for that, lining a single to left field to score Echelmeier and tie the game at 1.
"One through nine, we've hit the ball well for quite a while now," Echelmeier said. "When everybody in the lineup is hitting .344 or better, you feel comfortable.
"You're trying to find a way to piece something together, try to find a way to scratch a run here or there."
Like Blair Oaks, Fulton also had runners on second and third base with one out in the fourth. But Siebeneck stranded both runners, getting a strikeout and a flyout to end the inning.
In the fifth, Grace Boessen and Kally Bruce each doubled to put Blair Oaks back in front. After Bruce's double, Echelmeier brought in Miley Hawkins to relieve Walley in the pitcher's circle.
"We were finishing up the second time through (the batting order) and they had two hard doubles at the bottom of the lineup," Echelmeier said. "We've got quality pitchers, so it was time to give them a different look."
Emma Wolken drew a walk, then Libbert smashed a three-run home run to left field to extend Blair Oaks' lead to 5-1.
"They're solid one through nine as well," Echelmeier said. "When you look at their record and the scores of their games, they put up a lot of runs."
Siebeneck added an RBI single in the seventh to give Blair Oaks a five-run victory.
Walley pitched 4 1/3 innings in the loss, allowing three runs on three hits with four strikeouts and an intentional walk of Siebeneck. Mylee Hawkins threw the final 2 2/3 innings for the Lady Hornets, giving up three runs on four hits with one walk and one strikeout.
Trowbridge singled in the sixth for Fulton's final hit of the game.
Blair Oaks (30-4) will play Sullivan (26-9) in the Class 3 state semifinals at 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 29, at Cooper Softball Complex in Springfield.