Ford & Sons falls to Oakville

Cape Girardeau's Ford & Sons American Legion baseball team got a rude welcome home Monday after returning from a four-day stint at the Paducah Tournament, dropping a 9-2 decision in the opener of a doubleheader against Oakville at Capaha Field.

After losing 4-3 against Jackson in the fifth-place game in Paducah on Sunday, Ford & Sons could only muster seven hits and two runs in the doubleheader opener. Ford & Sons fell to 10-18 with the loss.

Results of the second game were unavailable.

"We didn't swing it," Cape coach Michael Minner said. "That's pretty much the jist of it."

Cape looked strong early, picking up a two-out run in the bottom of the first. Patrick Slattery cracked a single up the middle, reached second on a balk and came home on a single from Sean Bard.

That was about the end of the highlights for Ford & Sons. Oakville took the lead for good in the top of the third with the help of two Cape errors. Vinny Gualdoni singled to start the inning. Ken Meyer followed with a single which moved Gualdoni to third.

Cape's first error of the game brought Gualdoni home, as catcher Zac Horman's throw to second on Ken Meyer's steal attempt sailed into center field. Cape starter Jason Umfleet committed the second error of the inning on a pickoff attempt to second. With Meyer on third, Greg Dambach drove him in with a sacrifice fly.

"The defense is getting better, but we did kick it around a bit," Minner said.

Ford & Sons cut the lead to 3-2 on a sacrifice fly from Slattery, but Oakville answered with a solo home run from Casey Jones. Oakville put the game out of reach with four runs in the sixth.

The key play in the four-run inning was a close call at third, which went Oakville's way. Kevin Bruch led off with a single and stole second. Jones followed and grounded out to third. Bruch broke for third after Kendal Deason made the throw to first and just beat the throw from Slattery.

"When you're losing, things don't go your way," Minner said. "I thought he was out, but the umpire was in good position, so I'm sure he got it right."

Umfleet pitched all seven innings for Cape in the loss. For Oakville, Casey Turner pitched five innings for the win. Kevin Bruch added a two-run home run in the seventh to finish the scoring.

Bard was Cape's only multiple hitter with a 2-for-3 game.

Minner said he still feels his team has the capability to beat anyone around.

"At times we're as good as anybody, and at times we're not as good as anybody," he said. "We're trying to find the right combination once it comes district time."