CAPE, JACKSON LEGION TEAMS BATTLE TO DOUBLEHEADER SPLIT

The booming bats of Jackson and the strong right arm of Cape Girardeau Ford & Sons pitcher Jason Chavez added up to an American Legion doubleheader split Monday night.

In the first game at Capaha Field, Jackson blasted three home runs but needed a run in the top of the eighth inning to squeeze out an 8-7 victory.

Chavez then hurled a dominating two-hitter in the nightcap as Cape prevailed 4-1.

Cape is now 8-9 overall and 5-3 in District 14 play while Jackson is 5-7 both overall and in the district.

Jackson manager Gerald Adams praised his team for its ability to bounce back from a potentially demoralizing situation late in the opener.

The visitors appeared to be cruising with a 7-2 lead entering Cape's final regulation at-bat in the bottom of the seventh. But five hits and two crucial Jackson errors later, Ford & Sons had plated five runs to forge a 7-7 tie and force extra innings.

Instead of hanging their heads, however, Jackson's players did something about it. They came right back in the top of the eighth as Pat Kohm led off with a double, went to third on a wild pitch and scored on a one-out single by Clayton Ruesler.

When reliever Jason Brown -- Jackson's third hurler of the game -- retired Cape in order in the bottom of the eighth, Jackson had the victory.

"It was great to come back like that after Cape had scored those five runs," said Adams. "After all the tough games we've lost this year, we could have hung our heads. I was proud of 'em."

Michael Birk, Kyle Long and Lance Limbaugh all drilled homers for Jackson, which also had three doubles and a triple among its 12 hits.

"The boys have been hitting the ball well," said Adams.

Birk, Kohm and Ricky Renfroe all had two hits for Jackson in the opener.

Cape actually had more first-game hits than Jackson, but Ford & Sons' 13 safeties were all singles. Five of them came in the big seventh-inning rally, although the final two runs came home on a Jackson error.

"We had more hits than them, but they hit the ball a lot further," said Cape manager Tom Reinagel.

Zac Fidler, Shane Kistner, Tyler Schlosser, Dusty Barrows, Timmy Wencewicz and Jay Pierce all had two hits for Cape.

Limbaugh was the winner. In four innings, he allowed six runs (four earned) and eight hits, after starter Long had allowed one run and five hits in three innings. Brown earned a save.

Schlosser, Cape's third hurler, suffered the loss. In 2 2/3 innings, he allowed two runs (one earned) and four hits.

Starter Mark Wittenborn gave up three runs and five hits in four innings. Richard Harrison allowed three runs (two earned) and three hits in 1 1/3 innings.

The second game belonged to Chavez, who had not pitched in a week. His strength was evident as he struck out 10 and walked none in going the seven-inning distance. The only run Jackson scored was unearned.

"I had a week's rest and I felt good," said Chavez. "After losing the first game, we needed this one."

Jackson starter Bryan Austin was also solid, allowing four runs (three earned) and seven hits in 5 1/3 innings. Brown worked two-thirds of an inning, allowing a hit.

Barry Ziegler had two of Cape's eight hits.

Ford & Sons broke a scoreless tie with two in the fourth, on an RBI double by Pierce and an RBI single by Chavez.

Cape will host Sikeston at 6 p.m. Wednesday.