'DOGS UNLEASHED ON TIGERS

Harrisburg's Bulldogs are expected to be one of the top high school baseball teams in southern Illinois this year.

Cape Girardeau Central's Tigers are a young, rebuilding squad that is experiencing early-season growing pains.

So it was perhaps no surprise that the Bulldogs rolled past the host Tigers 9-1 Thursday afternoon.

The Bulldogs improved to 2-0 as they have now outscored their first two opponents by a combined 22-1.

Central fell to 0-2, the Tigers having dropped a 4-3 decision to Chaffee Wednesday.

"We're a senior-dominated team and we have a lot of experience," said Harrisburg coach Jay Thompson, whose squad went 28-11 last year. "We think we're going to have a good team."

Thompson will get no arguments from Central coach Steve Williams, who lost 11 seniors and returned no full-time starters from last year's squad that won 20 games.

"Harrisburg is always a good team and I think this is one of the better teams they've had," said Williams. "They've got some good hitters and they had a solid pitcher on the mound."

Scott Way, a senior left-hander, limited the Tigers to three hits and one run in 6 1/3 innings to get the victory. Way, who struck out eight and walked four, was removed with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning after issuing two free passes.

Another lefty, Joey Borders, sandwiched two strikeouts around a hit batter as he closed things out.

"Scott is one of our top two pitchers," Thompson said. "He did a good job."

Central starter Josh McIntosh allowed seven hits and eight runs in 3 1/3 innings as he took the loss.

The Tigers did have a bright spot on the mound as Justin Cook -- Central's third hurler -- pitched the final three innings in scoreless fashion, allowing just one hit while fanning three and walking none.

Cook was largely responsible for making sure the game did not end after five innings because of the 10-run rule. Already up 9-1 after scoring once in the fifth, the Bulldogs loaded the bases with nobody out.

In came Cook to replace Joe Hamilton. Cook escaped the jam with no further damage and then shut the Bulldogs out in the sixth and seventh.

"Justin did real well," Williams said.

Way led Harrisburg at the plate with three of the Bulldogs' 10 hits. Brandon Martin added two hits. Martin and Stephen Stiles both drove in two runs.

Mike Sullivan had two of Central's three hits, a single and a double. Bill Posey got the other hit, a single. Sullivan drove in the Tigers' lone run with a third-inning single that plated Chad Jones, who had walked and stolen second.

Harrisburg jumped on top with four runs in the opening frame. Leading 5-1, the Bulldogs broke the game open with three in the fourth.

Central's JV posted a 10-5 victory. Travis Wissman went 3-for-3 with three RBIs. Jay Pierce was the winning pitcher.

The Tigers return to action Saturday with a game at Poplar Bluff.