FORD & SONS FALLS AT HOME TO BALLWIN

Ballwin American Legion baseball manager Ken Eckert says his teams have always enjoyed facing Cape Girardeau Ford & Sons.

"We try to get Cape (on the schedule) every year," said Eckert. "We've really developed a good rivalry with them. I really respect their program and they've always got one of the top five or six teams in the state."

Eckert and his players no doubt enjoyed facing Cape Monday night because Ballwin made the trek from St. Louis and knocked off host Ford & Sons 8-2 at Capaha Field.

Ballwin improved its record to 9-4 while Cape fell to 9-5.

"They've got one of the better teams in St. Louis," said Cape manager Ron Michel, who let it be known that he was not happy with his squad's performance. "But there wasn't any reason we shouldn't have done better tonight. We've got some things to work out."

Cape looked like it would have plenty of offensive success against Ballwin starter Craig Langan, who was touched for four hits and two runs in the first two innings.

But the left-hander dominated Ford & Sons the rest of the way to earn the victory. He gave up six hits in seven innings, allowing only two hits over his last five innings of work. Langan struck out nine and walked three.

"He did a good job, but he's really only a middle guy and spot starter for us," Eckert said. "We're pretty strong on the mound this year."

Hard-throwing right-hander Doug Schoen gave up one hit over the final two innings to close out Ford & Sons.

Cape starter and loser Chris Canfield allowed nine hits and five runs in six innings. He fanned eight and walked two.

Three Ford & Sons relievers hurled one inning each, allowing just one hit between them. Tatum Kitchen was touched for three unearned runs in the seventh, but Craig Ringwald and Jeff Beasley both pitched scoreless frames.

Ford & Sons' seven hits were spread out among seven different players. The lone extra-base hit was by Kitchen, who had an RBI double in Cape's two-run second inning.

Eight of Ballwin's 10 hits came from the bottom four batters in the lineup. Ryan Spillenkothen, Bob Schmalz, Jacob Abraham and Pat Ricke all had two hits. Ricke, hitting ninth, belted the game's lone home run, a solo shot to left in the fourth inning.

Ballwin scored a run in the top of the second inning but Cape answered with its only two runs of the night in the bottom of the frame.

After that, however, the visitors dominated. Schoen and Spillenkothen had RBI singles in the third as Ballwin took the lead for good at 3-2. Ricke's homer in the fourth made it 4-2. Ballwin added one in the sixth and broke the game open with three unearned runs in the seventh.

Cape will return to District 14 action Wednesday when Jackson comes to Capaha Field for a 6 p.m. doubleheader. Ford & Sons is 1-1 in district play after splitting a recent doubleheader with Sikeston.

"Those are two big games for us," said Michel of Wednesday's twin bill.