Cape Girardeau turns back Perryville of District 13 in Wednesday's twinbill opener

Cape Girardeau American Legion starter Justin Myers hit the first batter he faced Wednesday night with the first pitch of the game.

Myers walked the next Perryville hitter but settled down from there on his way to a three-hitter and a 3-1 win at Capaha Field.

The win moved Cape Ford & Sons to 7-3, although Post 63 trailed Perryville 7-5 after four innings in the nightcap of the doubleheader. The final score of the second game was not available at press time.

"At first, I was kind of nervous," Myers said. "After a while, I settled down and things started working. My fastball seemed to have a little more getty-up tonight."

Cape got out of the first inning unscathed thanks to a double play, and Myers held Perryville hitless through three innings. Perryville had all three of its hits in the fourth, scoring its lone run on an RBI single by Ryan Lorenz.

Perryville Legion's Kory Mueller was safe at third as Cape Girardeau Legion Post 63's Zach Plott waited for the late throw on a stolen base play during the fourth inning of Wednesday's game at Capaha Field. (Don Frazier)

Myers put Perryville down in order in each of the last three innings, including striking out the side to end the game. Overall, Myers struck out 10 and walked just two.

"Justin pitched a whale of a game," Cape coach Dave Meyr said. "He made pitches when he had to. He started off a little rough, but he settled down. It takes him a little while to get going. He threw the ball the way we thought he should tonight."

Zach Plott got Cape on the board first with an RBI ground out in the second. Chris Brotherton led off the inning with a single, stole second and reached third on a ground out by Dane Balsmann.

Cape's offense pushed two more runs across in the bottom of the fourth. Jeremy Brinkmeyer led off with a single, stole second and scored on a Brotherton single. Brotherton scored from third when Perryville failed to turn a double play on an errant throw to first.

"We try to be aggressive on the basepaths, usually that forces the other team into mistakes," Meyr said. "We seem to play better when we play aggressive ball. That gets the whole team up."

Alex Armbruster took the loss for Perryville after going four innings. Armbruster allowed five hits, walked two and struck out one.

Following a five-error game in a loss in the second game of Monday's doubleheader against Calvert City, Ky., Cape did not commit an error in Wednesday's opener.

"Our wins this year have been when we play good, fundamental baseball, and don't make mistakes," Meyr said. "We're not going to go out there and score 14 runs."