CAPE CENTRAL DROPS ITS FIRST TWO GAMES IN TOURNAMENT

SOUTHHAVEN, Miss. -- Cape Central's baseball team quickly fell to 0-2 in the round-robin DeSoto Times Today Classic on Friday, demonstrating two ways to lose in the process.

The Tigers dropped a pitching duel in the opener, a 1-0 loss to Bolton, Tenn. Host Southhaven (Miss.) then hammered the Tigers 12-2 in five innings.

Justin Welker was the hard-luck loser in the opener. He went the distance and allowed just four hits, but two came in the bottom of the third when Bolton scored the game's only run. Welker struck out three and walked three.

Cape Central (5-6) mustered five hits in the loss.

"It was a good game," said Cape Central coach Steve Williams. "Their pitcher pitched well and so did ours."

Southhaven scored multiple runs in each of the first four innings, including five in the first off losing pitcher Jason Chavez, who lasted 2 1/3 innings. Chavez gave up seven hits, walked four and struck out two.

Southhaven built a 10-0 lead by the end of the third inning. Cape Central scored both its runs on a John Snider single in the top of the fourth. Southhaven countered with two runs in the bottom of the inning.

"We just didn't play well," said Williams. "They hit the ball really, really well. We just didn't play as well as we needed to."

Cape Central completes tournament play today with a game against Horn Lake, Miss.

Poplar Bluff 6, Jackson 5

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Jackson's frustrations continued as it dropped its third game of the week in the opposition's final at-bat.

On Friday, Jackson (3-7) tied the game at 5-5 with a run in the top of the seventh. Patrick Kohm's two-out double scored Bryan Austin to knot the score.

But Poplar Bluff used a two-out hit of its own in the bottom of the inning for the win. The hit occurred after a two-out fielding error had extended the inning.

Austin pitched all seven innings for Jackson and suffered the loss. He allowed 11 hits, hit two batters, struck out one and walked no one.

Jackson's Michael Birk paced an eight-hit attack with a 3-for-4 day at the plate. Kohm went 2-for-3 with two RBIs and Dusty Roberts was also 2-for-3.

GIRLS SOCCER

Fralish Cup Tournament

CARBONDALE, Ill. -- St. Vincent saw host Carbondale net three goals in the final nine minutes of play as it dropped a 4-1 decision in an opening-round game in the Fralish Cup Tournament.

After a scoreless first half, Carbondale opened the scoring early in the second. St. Vincent (5-5-1) knotted the game midway through the half when Becky Kirn deposited a pass from Caitlin Hoeh.

Carbondale responded with its three-goal flurry.