CAPE TAKES EASY 'ROUT' TO .500, RIPS CHARLESTON

The Cape Girardeau Ford & Sons American Legion baseball team had been saddled with a losing record since beginning the season with a loss.

But a visit from Charleston was just the tonic Cape needed to finally get back to the .500 mark.

Ford & Sons posted ridiculously easy 16-1 and 19-1 victories Monday night to sweep the District 14 doubleheader at Capaha Field. Both games went the regulation 6 1/2 innings because the 10-run mercy rule is not being used for district play this year.

Cape is now 5-5 overall and 4-2 in district play. Charleston fell to 1-5 both overall and in the district.

"I told the guys before the games that the first part of the season, we were 3-5, but this is a new season," said Cape manager Tom Reinagel. "I still think we're going to have a good team.

"I know it's hard to tell from tonight, but I was impressed with the kids. I thought we looked like a different team."

It probably wouldn't have mattered what kind of Cape team showed up because Charleston was battered early and often in both contests.

Charleston, in just its third season of Legion baseball, had only 10 players in uniform Monday as several players were missing due to a variety of reasons. But it's doubtful those extra bodies would have made much of a difference.

"We've got more numbers this year, but not more talent," said Charleston manager Jack Whiteside, whose squad has found the going tough since the program was started.

Ford & Sons pounded out 26 hits in the doubleheader -- 16 in the opener -- and limited Charleston to four hits. The visitors also helped out with some shaky defense as they committed 10 errors, including eight in the nightcap.

Leading Cape's offense was Zac Fidler, who went 6-for-7 in the two games, with three triples, five runs batted in and five runs scored.

Barry Ziegler went 5-for-7 with a triple, two doubles and five RBIs.

Tyler Schlosser had the night's only home run, a two-run shot in the second game. He finished the evening with three hits and four RBIs. Timmy Wencewicz was another potent offensive weapon with three hits and five RBIs.

Cape received two complete-game pitching performances, from Jay Pierce in the opener and Justin Welker in the nightcap.

Pierce allowed three hits, with 10 strikeouts and two walks. Then Welker totally dominated, firing a one-hitter, with 16 strikeouts and one walk.

"I haven't been throwing as good as I wanted this year, so it's good to get a complete game under my belt," Welker said.

Even though Cape did not face much competition Monday, Welker said what happened could be a sign of things to come.

"All we need is a little momentum like we got tonight to get a streak going," he said.

Dustin DeShaney had two of Charleston's four hits in the twin bill. Dustin Smoot took the loss in the opener and Lezcano Dean suffered the defeat in the nightcap.

Ford & Sons will return to action Wednesday, hosting Ballwin in a 6 p.m. doubleheader.