Cape launches bid to capture Senior Babe Ruth state crown

~ The squad will compete in the eight-team field in Charleston.

The Cape Girardeau Pepsi Mid-America Senior Babe Ruth baseball team will begin its quest for a state title today when the eight-team state tournament gets underway at Hillhouse Park in Charleston, Mo.

Pepsi Mid-America, which finished second in the Dexter Conference North Division behind Charleston, earned a spot in the tournament due to the host squad's automatic berth.

Cape will take on Mineral Area tonight at 5 in a first-round matchup in the double-elimination event.

Pepsi Mid-America will look to avenge a 10-7 loss to Mineral Area in a seven-inning game Monday night at Capaha Field.

Teams that advance to the state tournament have the opportunity to fill their 18-man rosters with players from teams within their respective conferences that did not advance. Cape coach Alan Wengert said while some of the teams in the tournament likely will beef up their roster, he's content sticking to his original squad.

"I'm not going to make any changes," Wengert said. "I had the option of picking up kids off Sikeston and Chaffee, but I'm just going to run with the kids that I've got. It doesn't bother me at all that other teams load up."

Cape finished the season with an 11-13 record, including an 8-4 mark in conference play, and Wengert knows his team will have to be on top of its game to take down Mineral Area.

"They have some kids that can hit," he said, "but if our pitching's going to be there, I think we can compete.

"If we don't win the first game, I think we can get in the losers bracket and win a couple games.

"I'm just happy to be there, and I'm glad the kids have the opportunity to go down there."

There will be three other first-round games today, with host Charleston (13-19) facing Missouri Valley at 8 p.m. Other opening-round contests are at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

Play will continue through at least Sunday, with the championship game of the double-elimination event set for 2 p.m. An if-necessary title contest would be played Monday.

The winner of the state tournament will move on to the Midwest Plains Regional Tournament in Desloge, Mo., July 28 to August 2.