Cape, Jackson advance to winners bracket final

SENATH, Mo. -- Cape Girardeau Ford & Sons and Jackson both turned in shutouts Tuesday night to advance to the winners bracket final of the American Legion District 14 Tournament.

Cape, seeded fifth in the six-team event, knocked off top-seeded and host Dunklin County 4-0.

Third-seeded Jackson beat second-seeded Sikeston 2-0.

The winners bracket final will be played at 5 p.m. Thursday. There will be two elimination games today, with Dunklin County playing sixth-seeded Scott County at 5 p.m. and Sikeston facing fourth-seeded Twin Rivers at 8 p.m.

Jeremy Brinkmeyer and Mike Taylor combined for the three-hit shutout for Ford & Sons (19-21) in the upset. Brinkmeyer threw 7 1/3 innings of two-hit ball to help Cape pick up its ninth win in 10 games. Taylor allowed a hit in the final 1 2/3 innings for the save.

Cape scored two runs in the fourth and two in the sixth for all of the scoring. Scott Brueckner and Taylor finished with two hits apiece, as Cape managed just six hits in all. Taylor had a two-run home run in the sixth, and Sean Bard added an RBI sacrifice fly.

Jackson (25-12) posted its 13th straight victory, as Tyler Beussink pitched all nine innings. He allowed two hits, struck out 11 and walked four.

"He was on," Jackson coach Mark Lewis said.

Jackson had seven hits, led by Brandon Gendron and Jason Meystedt with two apiece.

Zach Brazer homered, a solo shot in the bottom of the sixth inning that gave Jackson a 2-0 lead. Jackson scored its first run in the opening inning as Derrick Biri walked, stole second and came around on Rex Meyr's single.

Ross Meredith pitched seven innings in defeat for Sikeston.

"It was a good game, well-pitched by both teams," Lewis said.