CAPE LEGION FINDS BATS, WINS: FORD & SONS ELIMINATES JACKSON 14-1

(in Sikeston)

Wednesday's Results

(Game 1) Sikeston 3, Van Buren 2

(Game 2): Chaffee 10, Poplar Bluff 4

(Game 3): Dunklin Co. 9, Jackson 3

(Game 4): Sikeston 3, Cape Ford & Sons 2

Thursday's Results

(Game 6): Jackson 13, Poplar Bluff 1 (8 inn.), P. Bluff eliminated

(Game 5): Dunklin Co. 3, Chaffee 2, 12 innings

(Game 8): Cape Ford & Sons x, Jackson x, Jackson eliminated

(Game 7) Van Buren vs. Chaffee, late

Today's Schedule

1 p.m. (Game 9): Sikeston vs. Dunklin Co.

5:30 p.m. (Game 10): Cape Ford & Sons vs. Game 7 winner

8:30 p.m. (Game 11): Game 9 loser vs. Game 10 winner

Saturday's Schedule

(Championship)

1 p.m. (Game 12): Game 9 winner vs. Game 11 winner (second game to follow if no team is undefeated)

SIKESTON -- Top-seeded Cape Girardeau Legion Ford & Sons bounced back from an upset loss in Wednesday's opening round of the American Legion District 14 Tournament to eliminate Jackson 14-1 Thursday.

In defeating Jackson in seven innings, Cape Legion improved to 37-13 on the season and advanced into today's losers' bracket final. Cape Legion will face the winner of Thursday's late game between Chaffee and Van Buren at 5:30. The Chaffee-Van Buren game was not complete at press time.

After losing 3-2 to Sikeston on Wednesday, Cape Legion lashed out 15 hits against Jackson (3-30).

"Our offense was working tonight," said Ford & Sons coach Ron Michel. "If we keep our offense in gear, we're going to go through this thing. You have to hit your way out of the losers' bracket. We still have enough pitching to win this."

Craig Ringwald and Jeff Michel teamed up to limit Jackson to four hits. Ringwald, who got the win, allowed three hits in five innings, striking out nine and walking two. Michel pitched the final two innings and struck out two, walked one and gave up one hit.

Jeff Beasley led the offense with three hits while Jeff Lappe and Todd Pennington added two apiece.

Cape Legion grabbed the lead with a single run in the top of the first and scored in each of the next four inning. Ford & Sons added two runs in the second and five in the third for an 8-0 lead. Jackson scored its lone run in the third.

Jackson played the game under protest after confusion arose on the starting time.

Dunklin County (30-10) relegated Chaffee (26-15) to the losers' bracket with a 2-1 victory in 12 innings in a game played Thursday afternoon. No details of the game were available.

In Thursday's first game, Jackson eliminated Poplar Bluff with a 13-1 romp. The contest was stopped after eight innings because of the 10-run rule.

Jackson, in winning just its third game of the season, put on an impressive display that featured 16 hits and a complete-game pitching performance from Mike McCall, who hurled a four-hitter.

Greg Lincoln had a huge game at the plate with two home runs, a triple and a double. Todd Wessel, Zane McClard, Burt Hahs and Tom Walters all added two hits.