CAPE BEATS UP ON CHARLESTON

It's been a trying first season for the Charleston American Legion baseball team, which has suffered through plenty of growing pains as it attempts to get its program off the ground.

That was evident Wednesday night as Charleston had just three hits in 12 innings during a District 14 doubleheader loss to Cape Girardeau Ford & Sons at Capaha Field.

But there was something of a silver lining for the visitors during the second game as they battled Cape to the wire before Ford & Sons scored four unearned runs in the sixth inning to claim a 5-1 victory.

Cape rolled in the opener 10-0 in five innings as two pitchers combined on a no-hitter.

Ford & Sons improved to 14-12 overall and 7-6 in District 14 play. Charleston fell to 5-22 overall and remained winless in the district.

"It's been a tough first year for us," said Charleston manager Jack Whiteside. "We're real green and we're experiencing a lot of growing pains, but hopefully we can build something."

While Charleston is struggling, Cape is looking to get on a roll. Ford & Sons has now won three straight.

"We'll definitely take 'em," said Cape manager Ron Michel. "We came out and played real well in the first game but I thought we let up in the second game."

Charleston had no chance in the opener as Cape pitchers Garrett Broshuis and Steve Fowler totally handcuffed the visitors, who had only one baserunner, that coming when Broshuis hit Paul Riley in the third inning.

Broshuis, the winner, worked the first three innings. He struck out four. Fowler fanned four over the final two frames.

Ford & Sons used a nine-run third inning that featured 10 hits to break the game open.

Wes Steele, Mike Sullivan and Daniel Turner all had two of Cape's 12 hits in the opener. Josh McIntosh and Matt Jones each drove in two runs.

Lescano Dean allowed all 10 runs and 11 hits in 2 1/3 innings to get the loss.

Charleston's Justin Palmer pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings of relief to finish up the opener and he continued to shine in the nightcap as Cape had a battle on its hands.

Palmer limited Cape to only one hit and an unearned run until the bottom of the sixth, when Ford & Sons broke a 1-1 tie thanks to several Charleston errors.

Palmer wound up allowing just four hits and no earned runs in 5 2/3 innings. He fanned five and walked one.

Cape broke the deadlock in the sixth as, with two outs, Palmer issued his first walk, to Fowler. Tommy Wencewicz singled and Fowler scored when Mark Fisher's ground ball to short was booted. Scott Reinagel added a two-run double for some insurance and another run scored on an error.

Joe Hamilton got the victory despite allowing Charleston's only run of the night, in the sixth. Hamilton went the final two innings, giving up all three hits.

Prior to that, two hurlers continued Cape's no-hit trend. Starter Justin Cook pitched three hitless innings while Dustin Glastetter hurled two hitless frames.

Charleston's first hit of the night was a solid single to center by Lee Barnhill in the sixth. Terry Humphrey and Palmer added infield singles during the frame.

Cape will compete in the Ballwin Firecracker Tournament this weekend.