CAPE GETS HOLD OF SELF IN 7-4 WIN

Sikeston -- Led by standout pitcher Brent Self -- had Cape Girardeau Central's number this spring during the high school baseball season.

With Self pitching two of the victories, including the district championship game, Sikeston beat Central in all three meetings as the Bulldogs advanced to the Class 4A quarterfinals.

But Wednesday evening it was something of a payback for several Central players who are key components of the Cape Ford & Sons American Legion squad.

With Andy Sweet, Shane Gibson and Greg Craft -- all Central products -- each contributing two hits against Self, Ford & Sons knocked off Sikeston 7-4 in a key District 14 game at Capaha Field.

Cape improved to 7-4 overall and 3-0 in District 14 play. Sikeston is 7-2 overall and 2-1 in the district. The teams agreed before the contest not to play a second game (only the first games of doubleheaders this year count in the district standings).

"It felt good to beat Sikeston. I think everybody was thinking that," said Sweet, who also drove in two runs. "We came out swinging the bats. Self is a real good pitcher but we hit him pretty good."

Todd Pennington got the better of Self in a matchup of two of the region's premier pitchers.

Pennington, a hard-throwing righthander who starred at Shawnee (Ill.) High, allowed five hits and three runs (two earned) in 7 2/3 innings. He struck out nine and walked four.

Self, who had a dominating high school season to establish himself as one of the state's premier hurlers, was touched for seven hits and all seven runs in seven innings. He fanned six and walked none but did hit three batters.

"It was some kind of pitching matchup. These are two of the top pitchers around," said Cape manager Ron Michel. "Todd was strong. And any time you can score seven runs against a guy like Self, you're happy."

Pennington said he wanted to finish the game, but Michel figured he'd take his ace hurler out on the extremely humid evening.

"I was wanting to finish it, but coach wouldn't let me," said a smiling Pennington.

Said Michel, "I was a pitcher and I know you always like to close a game. But when the time comes, the time comes."

Dustin Glastetter, one of two Oran High products that recently joined the Cape squad (Justin McAlister is the other), hurled the final 1 2/3 innings. He allowed two hits and an unearned run.

Cape broke a scoreless tie with a three-run fourth inning that featured Scott Reinagel's two-run double and Pennington's RBI single.

Leading 4-2, Cape broke the game open with three in the eighth. The big blow was Sweet's two-run triple.

Doug Wiles, Derek Montgomery and Justin Pobst all had two of Sikeston's seven hits (Cape had eight hits). Wiles belted a solo home run in the fifth to pull Sikeston within 3-1.

Ford & Sons will return to action Friday at 7:15 p.m., facing Rogersville on the opening day of the eight-team Capaha Classic Tournament that Cape is hosting. The tourney, utilizing both Capaha Field and Central High's field, will run through Sunday.