Cape Central baseball team falls to Dexter

Central and Dexter both had one bad defensive inning Monday.

Dexter was able to take advantage more than the Tigers, which allowed the visiting Bearcats to rally for a 6-2 victory.

The Tigers fell to 4-11, while the Bearcats improved to 12-5.

"They capitalized on our mistakes and we capitalized on their mistakes," Dexter coach Brian Becker said. "I'm proud of our boys for getting off the mat. It seemed like we were dead for a while."

That's partly because Central freshman Chase Hagerty had another impressive pitching performance during a season full of them.

Central’s Chase Hagerty delivers a pitch to a Dexter batter Monday at Central High School. Dexter won 6-2. (ADAM VOGLER)

Hagerty entered the contest just 1-2 but with a stellar 1.98 ERA.

"It seems like he always deserves a better fate," Central coach Steve Williams said. "He continues to get better every time out."

Hagerty cruised into the sixth inning with a 2-0 lead thanks to a pair of unearned runs in the third inning.

Hagerty issued his first walk of the day to Owen Flowers but struck out the next two hitters.

Brad Potts got Dexter's third hit off Hagerty, a single that scored Flowers, who had moved up on a wild pitch.

Williams, with an eye toward Central's opener in the SEMO Conference tournament Friday, thought it was a good time to get Hagerty off the mound.

"He's going to start Friday. "He's going to start Friday. I didn't want to use him too much today," Williams said. "He said he felt fine. He was throwing well.

"But I thought, ‘Man on first, two outs. We're ahead 2-1. It was a good time to get him out.' Like they say, he could only be the winner, he can't be the loser."

Williams added with a shrug: "It all went downhill from there."

Luke Hinkebein came in from second base to pitch. Things fell apart, but the blame certainly could not go to Hinkebein.

Chase Young's routine ground ball was booted for an error, and Jordan Miller reached on an infield single to load the bases.

Alex Cliff's routine grounder was booted for another error and allowed the tying and go-ahead runs to score.

A third error, on yet another routine ground ball off the bat of D.J. Dowdy, loaded the bases again.

Josh Overall's infield single plated a run, and Flowers added insurance with a two-RBI single.

"That's a game you have to close out," Williams said.

Dexter's six runs came on four hits and two of them never left the infield. Only the first run was earned.

But Becker said the fact the Bearcats finally started hitting the ball on the ground paid dividends. His team had been getting the ball in the air with a strong wind blowing in.

"We finally started hitting some grounders and put pressure on their defense," Becker said.

Hagerty was charged with two runs, one earned, over 5 2/3 innings. He allowed three hits, struck out six and walked one.

"They've got a bright future with that kid," Becker said.

Hinkebein took the loss. The final four unearned runs were charged to him. He gave up three hits.

Central, which entered the day batting a woeful .171 while averaging just three runs per game, did little at the plate.

"Their pitcher did a good job," Williams said. "We played real well the first five innings, but we're still not hitting very well. It was a tough day to hit with the wind blowing in."

Miller went all seven innings. He allowed four hits and two unearned runs. He struck out four and walked two.

"I thought I threw pretty good," Miller said. "I just throw a lot of fastballs, with some changeups, and get the movement going."

Miller was 0-1 before Monday despite a solid 2.53 ERA.

"Jordan has done well all year long. He pitched a heck of a ballgame," Becker said.

Central's two-run third inning began when No. 9 batter Ethan Dambach singled and later took third when Christian Cavaness bunted for a hit.

Dambach was being held on Hinkebein's ground ball to third, but he scored on a wild throw.

Cavaness later came home on a two-out throwing error off Ramsey Scott's ground ball.

"We gave them a couple. We should have gotten out of that with no runs," Becker said.

Dambach led Central with two hits. Potts had two hits for Dexter.

Dexter 000 006 0 -- 6 6 2

Central 002 000 0 -- 2 4 4

WP -- Jordan Miller. LP -- Luke Hinkebein. Multiple hits -- Dexter: Brad Potts 2-4. Central: Ethan Dambach 2-3. Records -- Dexter 12-5, Central 4-11.