Dunklin capitalizes on extra chances

JACKSON — Handed an extra out in the top of the first inning, top-seeded Dunklin County took advantage and never looked back.

Post 303 scored four runs in the opening frame en route to a 12-0, seven-inning victory against Cape Girardeau Ford & Sons Post 63 in the first round of the American Legion District 14 baseball tournament at Jackson's Legion Field.

Cape Girardeau plays 5 p.m. today against Scott County in the elimination bracket, while Dunklin County (33-15) plays Jackson in the 8 p.m. winners bracket final of the double-elimination event.

Cape Girardeau ace Garrett Stevens took the loss, yielding nine runs — five earned — on 10 hits in 3 2/3 innings.

The four unearned runs came in the first. With two outs and runners at first and second, Dunklin County's Aaron Booker hit a high fly ball along the line in left field. Steven Houseman camped under it, but the ball fell behind him, allowing two runs to score. Austin Jackson, who nearly was retired on a foul pop up, singled to right-center to score Booker from second, and Aaron McCaig smashed a double over the head of center fielder Brooks Osburn for Post 303's fourth run.

"I thought, when we gave up four runs in the first inning, that really hurt us," Cape Girardeau coach Dave Meyr said. "It gave them that little edge."

Dunklin County went a long way with that edge, adding a three-run home run by Dylan Stockton in the second inning and a two-run single by winning pitcher Shane Branum in the the fourth, which ended the night on the mound for Stevens.

KIT DOYLE ~ kdoyle@semissourian.com Cape Girardeau center fielder Brooks Osburn, center, made a sliding catch amid traffic in shallow center field Tuesday at Jackson City Park.

"They're a good-hitting, well-coached, well-mannered team," Stevens said. "I threw a lot of good pitches and they put the ball in play."

"I thought Stevens threw the ball well," Dunklin County coach Jamie Johnson said. "We just hit the ball well, and a few balls went our way that were a little bit of trouble for them."

Like the one in the first inning.

"Every opportunity is huge in a district tournament," said Johnson, whose team won the district last year and finished as the zone runner-up. "Every miscue will come back to haunt you, and it could have been us. Nothing against Cape, but every routine play, you have to handle."

Cape nearly got out of the second inning, too, with less damage, after shortstop Zach Plott ranged well behind second base to snare a grounder, but he couldn't make a play, leaving two baserunners on for Stockton's homer.

Dunklin County, meanwhile, made two of its errors in the bottom of the seventh, which proved to be the last inning. But Jackson made a nice running catch to help out in that inning.

Shortstop Dustin Hunter was flawless on five assists, triggering a tough double play with a sliding stop on a ball hit by Cape's leadoff man, Osburn, in the fifth inning.

"They definitely bailed me out a few times," Branum said. "It could have got ugly if not for them."

Branum also helped himself during his two-hitter, striking out six. He hit two batters and walked three.

After Blake Smith's single put two runners on for Cape in the bottom of the third, Branum retired the next three. He pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the fourth by getting Smith to ground out back to him.

"Shane has thrown the ball well all year long and that's why he got the first start," Johnson said.

Branum, who pitched for Kennett High School, earlier this year beat Ford & Sons 9-3.

"His curveball was easy to pick up," Stevens said. "But on this field at night, it's tough to pick up the ball in the field or at the plate. But you have to play with what you've got."

Dunklin put the game away with two in the sixth for an 11-0 lead, and it added one more in the seventh.

McCaig, the No. 7 hitter for Dunklin, rapped a two-run double in the sixth to cap a 4-for-4, three-RBI performance. Booker drove in the run in the seventh with his second hit in as many innings against Cape reliever Adam Kelley.

"They hit the ball tonight," Meyr said, "and we didn't."

Dunklin County 430 202 1 — 12 15 3

Cape Girardeau 000 000 0 — 0 2 2

WP — Shane Branum. LP — Garrett Stevens. 2B — Aaron McCaig (D) 2. HR — Dylan Stockton (D). Multiple hits — Dunklin: Heath Horvath 2-5, Aaron Booker 2-4, Austin Jackson 2-5, McCaig 4-4.