CAPE LEGION, CHAFFEE SPLIT PAIR

Chaffee's red-hot Medicap Pharmacy American Legion baseball team was finally cooled off just a bit Monday night during the second game of a doubleheader.

Cape Girardeau Ford & Sons, after dropping the opener 7-1, rebounded for a 17-7 victory in the nightcap to salvage a split of the District 14 twin bill at Capaha Field. The second game ended in the bottom of the sixth inning because of the 10-run rule.

Despite the second-game setback -- which was not totally unexpected considering his team's pitching situation -- Chaffee manager Jeff Graviett was more than happy about the events of the past five days.

Chaffee had a grueling stretch that saw it play five district doubleheaders on five consecutive dates, from Thursday to Monday. And the squad won eight of those 10 games. Chaffee is now 21-3 overall and a first-place 18-2 in District 14 play.

"We won eight of 10 these past five days and I have to be happy with that," said Graviett. "We just ran out of pitching, and they (Cape) swung the bats well the second game.

"I'm really happy with the kind of season we're having so far. You play 40 games or so and you're going to lose some. You're also going to have games like the second one tonight."

Cape manager Ron Michel was certainly pleased to salvage a split, particularly since his team has been struggling lately. Ford & Sons, which has won just two of its past eight games, is now 15-10 overall and 8-8 in district play.

"I'm happy we got the split, especially after the first game," Michel said. "Chaffee has a very good team. They ran out of pitching in the second game."

Michel had plenty of praise for a player on the opposing team Chaffee slugger Josh Eftink. The Southeast Missouri State University recruit bombed a pair of monstrous home runs that each traveled approximately 400 feet to left-center.

"I think he's the best hitter to come out of Southeast Missouri in some time," said Michel. "He pitched in both games yesterday (Sunday, at Sikeston) and he played shortstop both games tonight. He's a gamer."

The opener actually featured an impressive pitcher's duel between Chaffee left-hander Brian Obermann and Cape right-hander Garrett Broshuis. The hurlers were locked in a 1-1 tie until Eftink's two-out solo homer in the top of the fifth inning broke the deadlock and sent Chaffee on its way.

"Garrett was throwing well, but you make one mistake to Eftink and it's out," said Michel.

Obermann, who worked all seven innings, allowed just two hits after the opening frame. He finished with a four-hitter and the only run he gave up was unearned. He struck out five and walked three.

Broshuis allowed six hits and five runs (four earned) in 5 1/3 innings. He fanned six and walked four.

"The opener was a big win for us," Graviett said. "Any time you can beat a pitcher like Broshuis, it's big. Brian really threw a good game."

Eftink had two of Chaffee's nine first-game hits, a double to go along with the home run.

In the nightcap, Eftink's two-run homer in the first inning gave Chaffee an early lead, but Cape ultimately turned the contest into a rout. An eight-run third inning gave Ford & Sons the lead for good.

Cape had 14 second-game hits, led by Tommy Wencewicz, who had four hits -- including two doubles -- and drove in seven runs.

Wes Steele, Justin Welker, Scott Reinagel and T.J. Erlacker all added two hits, with Steele, Welker and Reinagel each getting two RBIs.

Chaffee again had nine hits, with Eftink adding a triple to go with his homer and three RBIs. Chris Henley had three hits and two RBIs.

Justin Cook was the winning pitcher. He allowed seven runs (four earned) and eight hits in five innings. Jay Pierce hurled one scoreless inning.

John O'Rourke, the first of five Chaffee pitchers, took the loss. He allowed seven runs (six earned) and five hits in 2 1/3 innings.