Area sports digest 9/28/05

Pickering named OVC

defensive player of week

Southeast Missouri State's Lindsay Pickering has been named the Ohio Valley Conference defensive player of the week for women's soccer for the second time this season.

Pickering, a junior goalkeeper in her first year with the program, picked up two shutouts as the Redhawks played to a 0-0 tie with Eastern Illinois and beat Memphis 1-0 in double-overtime. She made nine saves in 220 minutes of action.

Pickering, also the leading hitter for Southeast's softball team last year, has five shutouts this season, and her goals against average is 0.36.

The Redhawks (5-2-1, 0-0-1 OVC) host Austin Peay Friday night.

Punt, Pass and Kick set for Saturday

The NFL Pepsi Punt, Pass and Kick competition for Cape Girardeau is in a must-play situation this weekend after the event was postponed again this past Sunday by the weather.

After lightning postponed the event on Sept. 18, heavy rain from Hurricane Rita prevented it from taking place Sunday.

The event has been rescheduled for 2 p.m. Saturday at Central Junior High, located at Caruthers Avenue and Independence Street.

No cleats will be allowed. The event will be played no matter the weather to qualify winners for Sunday's sectional competition, set for 1 p.m. at Central Junior High.

The competition, coordinated by the Cape Girardeau Jaycees, is open to boys and girls ages 8 to 15. There is no charge.

The sectional event will include competitors from Jackson, Ste. Genevieve, Chaffee and McLeansboro, Ill., as well as Cape Girardeau. Winners from that event will have their scores compared with those from other sectionals for the chance to compete in the St. Louis Rams Team Championship later this season at the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis.

Close wins lift Yanks, A's to first

The Yankees and A's came through the weekend tied for first in the 15- to 18-year-old division of the SEMO Fall Baseball League with 4-0 records.

While the Yankees and A's are tied for first, the Braves fell into third at 4-2 after being swept by the Yankees. The Red Sox are 1-3, the Mets are 1-5 and the Cardinals are 0-4.

The Yankees followed a 7-5 victory against the Braves with a 1-0, 10-inning win.

In the opener, Chad Cook posted the win and Corey Chamberlain recorded the save. Chamberlain had two hits for the Yankees.

For the Braves, Alex Chasteen, Rusty Hendricks and Chris Simmons each had two hits. Ben Walters was the losing pitcher.

In the second game, Brink Naile picked up the win in relief. He also scored the winning run in the bottom of the 10th after reaching base on an error and scoring on Robby Cheney's two-out single.

Sam Sander of the Yankees and Matt Whitehead of the Braves matched each other seven scoreless innings. Each pitcher struck out 10. Walters took the loss for the Braves.

The A's stayed unbeaten by sweeping the Cardinals 2-0 and 4-3.

In the opener, Seth Baker, Logan Kirkpatrick and Josh Jackson combined for the shutout.

Jackson and Nick Lambert had hits for the A's in the two-run fourth inning.

Lance Young took the loss after striking out 16 and allowing two unearned runs.

The A's won the nightcap with a run in the eighth inning to break a 3-3 tie. Hunter Dillender walked and scored with the help of Cardinals errors.

Nick Lambert picked up the win, and Brandon Reiss suffered the loss in relief.

Justin Myers and Frank Soltys each had two hits for the Cardinals.

The Mets and the Red Sox split their doubleheader.

The Mets won 6-5 with Tyler Branam earning the win in relief, while Dylan Harris took the loss. Freddie Gilliland had three hits for the Mets, and Jacob Valleroy had two for the Red Sox.

The Red Sox won 10-1 in the nightcap, as Valleroy and Harris each had three hits. Ryan Cheney, Jacob Meyer and Alex Tripp each had two hits, while Caleb Guilliams picked up the win. For the Mets, Zach Secoy had two hits but also suffered the loss.

This Saturday's action has the Mets playing the Cardinals at 10:30 a.m. and the Red Sox meeting the Yankees at 2:30 p.m. All games are at Jackson American Legion Field.

-- From staff reports