CAPE LEGION SPLITS PAIR WITH CHAFFEE

Considering the four pitchers who were on display at Capaha Field Monday night, it's little wonder that hits were at a premium.

Cape Girardeau Ford & Sons and Chaffee Medicap Pharmacy combined for just 19 hits in two games as the teams split a District 14 American Legion doubleheader. Cape won the opener 6-3 and Chaffee claimed the nightcap 4-2.

Ford & Sons is now 12-11 overall and 9-5 in District 14 play. Chaffee is 15-8 overall and 7-5 in the district.

"The pitching tonight was outstanding," said Cape manager Tom Reinagel, whose squad had 10 of those 19 hits.

Cape went with arguably its top two hurlers in Jason Chavez and Justin Welker. Chaffee countered with ace Matt Stroup -- the area's dominant high school pitcher this year -- and G.P. Glueck, who is certainly no slouch himself. All four are right-handers and all four went the distance.

Chavez got the better of Glueck in the opener, allowing five hits and two earned runs in seven innings. He struck out three, walked two and hit a batter.

"Jason is really coming on strong," Reinagel said. "He wasn't overpowering tonight, but he threw a smart game."

Glueck allowed seven hits and five earned runs in six innings. He fanned six and walked four.

Trailing 1-0 in the third inning, Cape took control with a four-run outburst. Zac Fidler drilled a two-run home run over the left-field fence to put Ford & Sons ahead for good. Dusty Barrows added an RBI single and Travis Wissman delivered an RBI double.

Timmy Wencewicz was the only Cape player with two hits. Andrew DePeder delivered two hits for Chaffee.

Stroup and Welker hooked up in a real dandy in the second game.

After not appearing to have nearly his best stuff in the early going, Stroup kicked into gear and dominated over the final four innings, not allowing a hit. He finished with a three-hitter while fanning 13, walking three and hitting a batter in seven innings. Both runs Cape scored came in the opening frame.

"Matt got stronger as the game went along," said Chaffee manager Jeff Graviett.

Welker was nearly as solid at Stroup, allowing four hits and three earned runs in seven innings. He fanned seven, walked three and hit one.

"Both our pitchers threw great tonight," said Reinagel.

Graviett concurred, which is why he was pleased to come away with the split.

"With the way Chavez and Welker threw, you've got to be happy with that," Graviett said. "I didn't think we swung the bats well, but give those two guys credit."

The game's key play took place in the top of the first inning. With a runner on second and one out, DePeder hit a line drive to right field on which Cape's Rob Carr appeared to make a lunging catch. But the ball was ruled to have not been caught cleanly, leaving runners on second and third and leading to a three-run Chaffee frame.

Carr was convinced he had caught the ball, saying, "It came out on the transfer. I had already pulled it out and then I dropped it when I went to throw."

Justin Simpher drilled a pair of RBI doubles for Chaffee.

Cape will host Poplar Bluff Wednesday at 6 p.m.