Cape Central baseball team reaches district final in 8 innings

SIKESTON, Mo. -- It wasn't that the Central baseball team didn't make any mistakes in the latter part of its Class 4 District 1 semifinal against De Soto.

It's that the Tigers limited the damage done by the mistakes and then kept making up for them until they eventually more than made up for them in a 7-6 eight-inning victory over the Dragons.

"It wasn't pretty either way," Central coach Steve Williams said. "Both teams could have played better, but you know what, I'm so proud of our kids. They've had so much -- difficult times and tough plays and tough breaks go against us, and we had some go tonight.

"We made some bonehead plays, didn't make some plays we should have, but these kids don't quit. That's a tribute to them and their families and to them wanting to be a Central Tiger baseball player. I couldn't be more proud of them. I really couldn't."

De Soto scored a run as a result of a Central error in the first inning, but the trouble really started in the top of the six inning with the Tigers leading 4-2.

Pitcher Ethan Dambach made quick work of the first two batters in the inning before Central shortstop Vance Toole made a high throw that allowed Cameron Tinker to reach.

Dambach then gave up a hit before inducing a fly ball to center field, which Christian Cavaness dropped. Two runs scored on the play.

The Tigers went down in order in the bottom of the sixth before De Soto squeezed home a run in the top of the seventh.

"With new bats this year, there's a lot of small ball going on, and we kind of thought in that situation there would be a squeeze play," Central pitcher Luke Hinkebein said. "Coach already told us we might see it. I saw them drop the ball down and got a nice hop and thought I had him at home. Kid just got under it."

Hinkebein and catcher Ryan Siebert vehemently protested the call while the remaining De Soto baserunners advanced to second and third with just one out.

But the Dragons could not add to their lead after a ground out to third and a fly out.

"He just made a couple good pitches finally, and I'll tell you what, we had to have them because they ended up having second and third also after the squeeze, so it could've been a lot worse," Williams said. "Once again, we've talked about all year long -- minimizing the damage. So if you give up one, that's OK. Don't give up five. For us tonight, fortunately we were able to stay away from the big inning."

Central loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the seventh inning. Hinkebein brought home a run with a sacrifice fly, but the next two batters were retired.

"Originally I was thinking hit the ball on the ground hard the other way," Hinkebein said. "He gave me a pitch inside that I could handle, so I drove it deep to left to score the run."

The Tigers once again got two outs without allowing a run in the top of the eighth, but a grounder slipped through the legs of second baseman Thomas Crocetti, which plated a run for the Dragons.

The ball was scooped up by right fielder Matt Chism, who made a perfect throw to third base to retire a De Soto runner and once again limit the Dragons to just one run when it seemed like they would have the opportunity for more.

Central's No. 9 hitter Kyle Thompson led off the bottom of the eighth with a triple and scored on a single by Cavaness.

"Before we started the inning, I told Kyle, ‘Get on base. You be the tying run, I'll be the winning run,'" Cavaness said. "When he started off with a triple, it kind of came back like, ‘Wow, I really knew what I was talking about.' As soon as I hit the ball and it got up the middle, I felt really good. I had a feeling that I was going to score."

Cavaness was happy to have a chance to make amends for his blooper.

"It feels pretty good right now," he said. "I made a mistake late in the game that gave them two runs, and my team really picked me up and really gave me the opportunity to put us back in a winning position. It's funny how it always happens. The person who messes up, the game always comes back to them at the very end, so I was very happy that I got the chance to redeem myself and that we came through with the win."

Cavaness advanced to third base with no outs on an overthrow at first base before Toole and Siebert both were walked intentionally to load the bases. Ramsey Scott, who was 3 for 3 at the plate, drew a walk-off walk to send the Tigers into the district title game.

Central, the No. 6 seed in the seven-team district, advanced to play Farmington at 5 p.m. today and defend its district crown.

"Maybe it's because we've made a lot of errors this year, and we've told them, ‘You know what, you keep playing. You can't let an error upset you. You can't just quit,'" Williams said about how his players responded to their miscues.

"I mean, you could name them off. You could just go down the list of our kids that made a mistake tonight that really could've hurt us, and once again, to our kids' credit, they found a way to come back. I'm so proud of their effort and their attitude. That's what's getting us by right now."

De Soto 100 102 11 -- 6 8 3

Central 011 110 12 -- 7 11 5

WP -- Luke Hinkebein. LP -- Kaden Lowry. 3B -- Kyle Thompson (C), Brandon Fluegge (D). 2B -- Ramsey Scott (C). Multiple hits -- De Soto: Nicholas Richman 2-4; Central: Christian Cavaness 2-5, Scott 3-3, Thomas Crocetti 2-3, Kyle Thompson 2-4. Records -- Central 10-14.