Chaffee reaches Babe Ruth regional

~ The Squids qualified before losing to Charleston in the state tournament final

CHAFFEE, Mo. -- There were two winners as the Senior Babe Ruth state baseball tournament concluded Sunday at Harmon Field.

The Charleston Fighting Squirrels captured their fourth state title in the past five years, routing the host Chaffee Squids 13-0 in a five-inning, run-rule affair.

But Chaffee, by reaching the finals of the seven-team, double-elimination event, will join the Squirrels in the Midwest Plains Regional that begins Friday.

Charleston already was assured a regional berth because it is hosting the tournament. That meant if the Squirrels won state, the runner-up would qualify for the regional as the Missouri representative.

"It's awesome. The first year we put this team together and we get to the regional," Chaffee coach Aaron Horrell said.

Chaffee secured its regional berth by beating the Boonville Pirates 4-2 in Sunday's losers bracket final before falling to Charleston for the second time in 24 hours.

"It was really tense," Cody Payne said of the Boonville contest. "It's great that we're going [to the regional], especially for our first year."

The Squids (32-10) bounced back from Saturday's 11-10, eight-inning loss to Charleston in the winners bracket final.

Chaffee led 10-3 in the fifth inning only to see the Squirrels rally.

"I'm proud of the kids for battling back after that tough loss," Horrell said.

Chaffee and Boonville, with a regional berth on the line, played a losers bracket final that was tight and evenly matched.

"It was really tense," Payne said.

The Squids got a huge performance from Blake Keasler, a Bernie High School product.

Keasler bailed out a pitching staff short of available arms by working all seven innings. He allowed one earned run and four hits, striking out four and walking none.

"Blake pitched a heck of a game," Horrell said. "Our plan coming in was to have everybody available, but our top four other than Blake said they weren't available. He just stayed in there."

Keasler said he endured something of a sleepless night after Horrell told him he would start Sunday.

"I was excited. I didn't get much sleep last night," Keasler said. "It was a big game for us. We knew if we won we'd be in [the regional]."

Keasler said the complete game did not surprise him.

"When I was at Bernie I normally went all seven innings," he said.

Chaffee, which had six hits, scored all its runs in the top of the fourth inning, only two earned.

Josh Overbey singled with one out, Alex Crowe walked and Daniel Dooley's two-out single loaded the bases.

Payne, the leadoff batter, stroked a fly ball to right field that looked like it might be caught.

Boonville's right fielder slowed up a bit as the ball fell in front of him and then bounced past him.

Payne was credited with two RBIs on the single. A third run scored on the error as Payne went all the way to third. He then came in on a throwing error by the catcher.

Keasler made the inning stand up. The Pirates scored an unearned run in the fifth and Rhett Quinlan -- who was strong on the mound in a losing effort -- homered in the sixth to make it 4-2.

Boonville got a leadoff single in the seventh, but Keasler set down the next three batters to finish the game.

"It was a big win for us," Keasler said.

Charleston then put an exclamation point on another state title by hammering the pitching-thin Squids.

The Squirrels (22-17) scored three runs in the first inning and blew things open with a 10-run second that featured four hits, six walks and two hit batters.

"I've said all year, this is a great group of kids," said Charleston coach Michael Minner, whose squad had a string of three consecutive state titles end last year.

Jackson High School product Bobby Clark had a huge offensive performance for the Squirrels, belting a three-run homer in the first inning and a three-run double in the second inning.

"It's awesome," Clark said of his first year with the Squirrels. "They're all a bunch of good guys and they play hard."

Said Minner: "Bobby has been a great addition for us. He's a great kid. We're lucky to have him."

Nathan Rodgers added three RBIs for Charleston. He and Danny McKinney joined Clark in getting two hits apiece. The Squirrels had eight hits, all in the first two innings.

"We can swing it. We pride ourselves in that," Minner said.

Dalton Golightly pitched all five innings for the Squirrels, allowing four hits.

Overbey was charged with seven earned runs in just one inning as he took the loss.

"Dalton threw well, and we jumped on them," Minner said.

Chaffee will open the eight-team Midwest Plains Regional, which features six state champions and two state runners-up, at 1 p.m. Friday against the Colorado champion.

Charleston begins play at 8 p.m. Friday against the Kansas runner-up.