CAPE CENTRAL DROPS TO 1-3 ON ROAD TRIP

SOUTHHAVEN, Miss. -- With rain threatening weekend play, Cape Central played three games in the Chamber Invitational Friday and saw its tournament record drop to 1-3 with a win and two losses.

The Tigers opened tournament play Thursday with a 9-0 loss to host Southhaven.

On Friday, the Tigers defeated Independence, Miss., 10-8, but then dropped a 7-5 decision to Horn Lake, Miss., and a 13-7 outcome to Oxford, Miss.

The Tigers stepped up their offense after managing just three hits in Thursday's shutout loss.

Cape Central (3-5) wrapped out nine hits against Independence, including two by Mark Fisher. T.J. Erlacher knocked in three RBIs in a game limited to five innings due to a time limit.

Joe Hamilton picked up the win, allowing seven hits and walking two. He struck out five.

Central trailed 4-3 after two innings but scored seven straight runs for a 10-4 lead.

In Friday's second game, Horn Lake jumped out to a 4-0 lead and won in six innings (time limit).

Zac Fidler and Dusty Burroughs each had a solo home run among their two hits as Central had seven hits overall.

Travis Klipfel pitched 5 2-3 innings and suffered the loss. He gave up 11 hits, walked three and struck out two.

The Tigers were scheduled to play Oxford today, but squeezed the game in Friday because of a threatening weather forecast. Central saw Oxford jump out to a 4-0 lead but bounced back to tie the game in a four-run third. However, Oxford pushed across five runs in the bottom of the inning for a 9-4 advantage. Oxford led 13-7 after five innings when the game was stopped due to darkness.

Fisher and Fidler each had two RBIs for Central, which had six hits on the game. Justin Welker went 2 1-3 innings and suffered the loss. He walked five, struck out five and allowed seven hits. Justin Cook pitched 3 2-3 innings in relief, allowing six hits.

"We're playing some decent baseball," said Cape Central coach Steve Williams. "We need to start putting all three parts of the game together. At some points we get real good hitting and our pitching and defense let up, and at some points our defense is good and our hitting falters. We need to get all three things together on the same day."

Perryville 7, Jackson 4

PERRYVILLE - Perryville pushed across four runs in the fourth inning with the aid of just one hit and went on to defeat Jackson.

The Pirates trailed 2-1 after one inning and moved ahead 3-2 with a two-run third. Jackson starter Josh Hopkins then issued three walks in the fourth inning, which were compounded by two errors.

"That inning killed us," said Jackson coach Sam Sides, who saw his team dip to 2-3.

The Indians retaliated with two runs in the sixth, but stranded the bases loaded with the score at 7-4.

David Riojas picked up the win for Perryville (1-3). He went 5 1-3 innings, giving up two runs on six hits and five walks, while striking out two.

Joe Heuring was 2-for-3 with a double and a triple for the Pirates.

Jackson committed five errors on the game and five of Perryville's runs were unearned.

"They came all at the same time with the walks," said Sides. "That's a bad combination."

Hopkins pitched five innings, giving up four hits and four walks. He struck out six.

Chris Kohm pitched a hitless sixth inning for the Indians.

Jackson had eight hits as Andy Callis, Chris Schlick and Cory Daniel each had two. Callis finished with three RBIs.