Fulton senior Alex Fleetwood delivers a pitch to Kaden Helsel of South Callaway during the seventh inning of Monday's game in Fulton.

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So far, so good:

South Cal living up

to great expectations

May 8, 2017

FULTON, Mo. ---Technically, Alec Fleetwood didn't get the save.

That's not to say, however, he didn't save the day.

This was one for the family album --- call it Fleetwood Smacks' Greatest Hits.

The Fulton senior had a go-ahead two-run single in the second inning Monday and belted a game-clinching three-run homer in the sixth as the Hornets turned back the South Callaway Bulldogs 8-4 at the Fulton Athletic Complex.

"Alec's been swinging the bat really well the last couple of weeks," Fulton coach John Brinkmann said. "He's a senior and he's been a leader for us all year --- not only offensively, but he's played a darn good center field for us, too."

He was solid in center Monday, but this was about what he did with the bat --- and he did it batting ninth.

If you weren't sure, that would be last in a baseball lineup.

"I keep him there as a surprise," Brinkmann said with a smile, "but I don't think he's a surprise anymore. But I hate moving him, because he's hitting it so well."

Just for fun, Fleetwood came on to pitch a 1-2-3 seventh to end it.

"He came in and threw strikes, which is all you can ask in the seventh inning with a four-run lead." Brinkmann said.

This was anything but a four-run game most of the way --- it was, for the most part, a quality game played between two quality teams.

"South Callaway's always a tough team to play, they're one of the best teams in the state in Class 3 --- they can probably go up against anybody in the state," Brinkmann said. "So it's always nice to get a win like this going into districts."

The second-ranked Class 3 Bulldogs (21-5) took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on a run-scoring single by Graysan Peneston, who went 5 1/3 innings and was charged with seven runs on eight hits to eventually take the loss.

The surging Class 4 (14-6), who've won nine of 10 and 11 of 13, answered with three runs in the second. They had four hits in the frame, including doubles by Jared Peery and Devon Keltner (who drove home Peery), and a two-run single by Fleetwood.

All four hits were no-doubters.

"If you make a mistake, if you fall behind in the count, they are going to make you pay," Bulldogs coach Heath Lepper said of the Hornets. "Anytime they had a 2-0 count, they got their money's worth."

Dylan Lepper's RBI single in the third pulled South Cal within 3-2, which is where it stayed until the sixth when the Bulldogs loaded the bases on a hit-batter and singles by Peneston and Austin Loucks. A sacrifice fly by Landon Horstman tied it, before an error allowed the go-ahead run to come home.

The Hornets were suddenly down 4-3 with six outs to go ... not to worry.

"We weren't cocky," Brinkmann said, "but we were still confident. They trust themselves at the plate and they have a lot of confidence in their teammates."

A run-scoring double by Isaiah Pani tied it during a five-run sixth inning for the Hornets, before an RBI single by Cameron Vititoe gave Fulton a 5-4 lead. After a walk, Fleetwood ripped a 1-0 pitch over the left field wall for his third home run of the season to put this one away.

"The team that had the biggest inning won the game," Lepper said. "And in high school ball, that's normally the way it works."

The loss was the third in four games for the Bulldogs, but all three have been to quality opponents --- Fatima, Class 5 Hickman and now Class 4 Fulton.

"That's why we schedule the way we do," Lepper said.  "We want to play Class 4 schools, we want to play Class 5 schools and if we're competitive in those games, it makes those Class 3 games a little easier to play."

So despite losing three of four to end the regular season, it's not time to panic ... yet.

"Anytime you lose your last game, it's always a concern," Lepper said. "But these guys have played enough ball this season --- and most of these guys were here last year --- that we're not going to panic or anything like that.

"The nice thing is, we have four full days of practice to get back to what we used to do."

While South Cal's momentum seems to be fading, Fulton's is headed in the right direction.

"The momentum's huge," Brinkmann said, "because at the end of the day, our goal is to win districts. Hopefully, we'll keep playing well, get another win on Wednesday (at home vs. Hallsville) and then get ready for Mexico on Saturday (at 3:30 p.m. in the first round of districts at Marshall).

"You definitely can feel the confidence among the players," Brinkmann said. "No matter what the score is, they always feel like they're going to win the game.

"And that's a nice feeling to have going into districts."

Fleetwood Smacks: Fulton senior
powers Hornets past Bulldogs