Cape Junior Legion's season ends with error-filled loss

~ Cape Post 63 lost 8-3 to Ballwin Post 611 in Zone 4 tournament

Cape Ford and Sons American Legion Post 63's Achilles' heel reared its ugly head again.

And this time, it dealt a season-ending blow for the Junior American Legion squad.

Post 63 committed six errors in an 8-3 loss to Ballwin Post 611 Friday in an elimination game of the Zone 4 tournament at Jackson's Legion Field.

The loss ended Post 63's season at 12-16.

"It was kind of the same old story," Post 63 coach Tatum Kitchen said. "We were rough defensively early, all of a sudden you're in a hole. And against a good team with good arms, you can't slug your way back in it that easily."

Ballwin (21-13) scored twice in the top of the second inning, errors and fielding lapses by Post 63 contributing to both runs. Jim Harter singled and reached third on an infield error.

One out later, with runners at second and third, Ben Anthony's grounder back to the mound led to a rundown between third and home that eventually enabled Harter to score and Tom Bolsted to be called out. Kitchen argued that both runners had occupied third base at the same time, and the lead runner -- Harter -- should have been called out, but the umpires ruled Harter was not tagged.

Anthony later scored on another infield error to put Ballwin up 2-0.

The visitors plated four more runs in the top of the third on five hits, including an RBI double from Ballwin starting pitcher Colton Boone, to make it 6-0.

Post 63 scored twice in the bottom of the fifth on Brayden Bennefield's RBI single and an infield throwing error to cut the deficit to 6-2. But that's as close as Post 63 would get as Ballwin added single runs in the sixth and seventh innings.

Blake Klett stroked a one-out single that scored Clayton Reynolds in the bottom of the seventh to account for the final score.

"We try to eliminate the big inning, so it's nice to see that we can go out there and have one," said Ballwin coach Mark Davidson. "We're real streaky. We'll put together a couple games, a couple innings like that, but our biggest problem is can we put it together for a whole game."

Nick Wiggs absorbed the loss for Post 63, allowing eight runs -- just three earned -- on nine hits over seven innings. He walked one and struck out two.

"[Wiggs] threw well," Kitchen said. "Basically we let down early, and we couldn't get back in it."

Boone pitched the first five innings for Ballwin, allowing two runs -- one earned -- on five hits, walking two and striking out five. Chris Anderson pitched the final two innings after Boone jammed his thumb while batting in the top of the sixth.

For the second straight game, Post 63 failed to get key hits at opportune times.

"We left some men on and just couldn't cash in," Kitchen said. "Last two games, we've had 18 hits and scored only eight runs. We never could get that big hit when we needed it."

Kitchen noted that his squad featured nine players that attend Central, four from Notre Dame, and four more from Anna, Illinois. For Kitchen, the head baseball coach at Central, this summer's season proved valuable not only from a player's standpoint, but from a coach's as well.

"As coaches, you get to kind of play with positions, and see 'Can this kid play here?' and 'Can that kid play there?'" Kitchen said. "And you get a lot of bonding between players. ... In my opinion, in the summer, you get more of a team atmosphere with kids bonding and learning how to play together and kind of trust one another. Hopefully that carries over for us in the spring."

One of those players will be Reynolds, who will play for Kitchen next year as a junior. The Post 63 first baseman was 2 for 3 with an RBI and just missed a towering home run in the seventh that went foul by about two feet.

"We've just got to get better," Reynolds said. "Work on defense, work on hitting, get our arms stronger and get ready for next season."

Ballwin Post 611 024 001 1 -- 8 9 3

Cape Post 63 000 020 1 -- 3 8 6

WP -- Colton Boone. LP -- Nick Wiggs. 2B -- Boone (B), Zach Plunkett (B). Multiple hits -- Ballwin: Luke Berra 2-4, Matt Welby 2-4; Cape: Clayton Reynolds 2-3, Brayden Bennefield 2-3. Records: Ballwin 21-13, Cape 12-16.