CLASSIC HANGS IN BALANCE

Balance appears to be the key word regarding the second annual Capaha Classic American Legion Baseball Tournament being played in Cape Girardeau.

After the first two days of pool play Friday and Saturday, all of the nine tourney teams have at least one loss. That means things are wide open heading into the final three pool play games today, which will help determine the championship game at Capaha Field.

"It's been really wide open so far, with no team that appears to be dominant," said Cape Ford & Sons manager Ron Michel, who also serves as the tournament director. "It's made for some very exciting games."

The winners of each pool will square off at 1:30 p.m. today for the tournament championship. Who those teams will be is anybody's guess.

"We'll find out after the (early) games today," said Michel.

There will be three pool play games at 10 a.m. today, leading up to the championship contest.

Cape, after falling to Washington Friday night, bounced back to beat Manchester 7-3 Saturday.

Steve Fowler was the winning pitcher. He benefited from a six-run third inning that featured eight hits. Garrett Broshuis paced Cape's offense with two hits.

Late Saturday night, Cape took on Rogersville in a game that was still going on as the Southeast Missourian went to press. Cape rallied to take a 6-5 lead in the bottom of the fifth inning.

Chaffee, which opened the tourney Friday with a big win over Ballwin, split a pair of Saturday games with Festus, first winning 6-5 and then suffering a 20-3 blowout in a contest stopped after the top of the fifth inning by the 10-run mercy rule.

Jeff Graviett, Chaffee's manager, wasn't about to make excuses. But the squad was playing shorthanded for the second game with Festus because several of its players left after the first contest to head up to Columbia for the state high school all-star games.

"We lost some of our key players after the first game and we were kind of short on pitching," said Graviett. "But we're 2-1 (in the tournament) so far and I'll be tickled if we go 3-1 and have a shot at making the finals."

Chaffee's first win over Festus was a thriller. Chaffee scored two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning, the contest ending when Brad Kolwyck singled home Tommy Stidham with the bases loaded.

Stidham pitched all seven innings for the win, scattering 12 hits.

Chaffee also had 12 hits, three by Brandon Amick, who belted a two-run homer. Stidham, Lance Amick and Brian Obermann all had two hits.

Festus then got revenge with a 16-hit barrage that featured four home runs, including two by Dave Emmons, who had a grand slam and a two-run shot. Joe Fehlker and Justin Neel also homered.

Festus scored 14 runs in the third inning to break things wide open.

Chaffee had eight hits, two apiece by Kolwyck and Adam Seyer.

Brandon Jett was the winning pitcher while B. Amick took the loss, allowing 10 runs in 2 1/3 innings.

Complete results from the tournament can be found in `Scoreboard' on Page 6B.