CENTRAL, ND SHOWCASE CLUTCH PERFORMANCES IN VICTORIES

"It's Southeast Missouri against the world!" bellowed victorious Cape Girardeau Central High baseball coach Steve Williams as he greeted victorious Notre Dame coach Chris Neff in the press box at Capaha Field Thursday night.

Actually, it was Central against North County of Bonne Terre and Notre Dame against Horn Lake (Miss.), but both coaches beamed like world beaters after procuring victories in the Tiger Showcase.

Central nipped North County 7-6 on Josh McIntosh's seventh-inning, game-winning single. And Notre Dame, behind Brian Obermann's three-hit jewel, defeated Horn Lake 7-3.

Central vs. North County

Central entered the game lugging low spirits and a 4-8 record. And although the Tigers' five errors went a long way toward handing North County the game, late-inning dramatics saved the day -- and brightened Williams' mood.

"I can't tell you how big that win is," Williams said. "And not just because we won. We've been struggling. And we didn't play our best baseball today; we were pitiful in the field and we didn't get enough hits.

"But in the end we had our chance to win and we took advantage of it. Our kids kept battling and I'm so proud of them."

North County held a 4-0 bulge before Central finally jabbed in its half of the fourth. Dusty Barrows laced a two-run triple, and his courtesy runner, Mitch Ogles, later scored on a wild pitch, making the score 4-3.

North County tacked on two runs in the sixth, but Central countered with three runs, tying the score 6-6. After Justin Welker doubled and Barrows singled, pinch runner Chad Jones scored on McIntosh's sacrifice fly. Pinch hitter Bill Posey plated courtesy runner Ogles with a double, and pinch runner Ty Fidler came home on Zach Fidler's single.

North County's half of the seventh closed in stirring fashion as Dustin Pinkston lashed a long fly toward the left-field corner. Left fielder Mike Sullivan briefly lost sight of the ball before executing a stunning over-the-shoulder snag.

"That was a huge play," Williams said. "It won the game for us because it gave us a chance to win."

Then, with two out and Ogles on second and Welker on first, McIntosh sent the shot off the right-field wall that won the game.

Central pitcher Matt Welker, who went all seven innings, permitted nine hits and struck out two.

Notre Dame vs. Horn Lake

On Tuesday, with Dusty Hughes pitching, Horn Lake beat South Haven, the top-ranked Class 5A team in Mississippi, 3-1.

Hughes and the Eagles enjoyed no such good fortune against Notre Dame.

The Bulldogs, who improved to 8-0, unleashed five runs in the third inning and didn't look back.

"That's a good team we beat," Neff said. "That's a heck of a big win for us. The kids need to see themselves beat good teams, and that was a good team."

Obermann, a left-hander who limited Jackson to two hits on Tuesday, was equally sharp against the Eagles, allowing one earned run, striking out two and walking two.

"His location is so good that he just makes it so tough on hitters," Neff said. "I love having him strong like that."

Horn Lake scored a run in the first but Hughes, a moderately hard-throwing left-hander, lost his control in the third, walking four batters. The big blows were two-RBI singles from John O'Rourke and Obermann.

Notre Dame, ranked No. 2 in Class 2A, added single runs in the fourth and seventh, on singles by Josh Eftink and Tommy Wencewicz.