Ford & Sons uses sweep of Nashville to close in on .500

This is more like it as far as Cape Girardeau Ford & Sons American Legion baseball manager Tom Reinagel is concerned.

Reinagel expected his team to be solid this year but Ford & Sons recently suffered through a five-game losing streak that dropped its record to 3-7.

But all of a sudden Cape has caught fire and posted three straight victories, including Saturday's 9-0 and 11-1 doubleheader sweep of Nashville, Ill., at Capaha Field. The second game was stopped after 4 1/2 innings on the 10-run rule.

Coming on the heels of Friday's District 14 win at Poplar Bluff, Saturday's romps improved Cape to 6-7. Ford & Sons will have a chance to move above the .500 mark today when it visits Calvert City, Ky., for a doubleheader.

"I think we started turning it around Friday," Reinagel said. "We're finally getting to know everybody and starting to play. When we click on all cylinders, I think we're a good team. We're playing good defense now."

Ford & Sons made no errors and outhit the visitors 18-4. But Reinagel was quick to point out that Nashville (4-4) was missing five of its key players for various reasons.

"This was not indicative of their team," Reinagel said.

Still, it was no doubt a confidence-building day for Cape, which received stellar pitching performances from Wayne Essner and Michael Taylor -- both making their first starts of the season -- and a big offensive outburst from Patrick Slattery.

Slattery went 5-for-6 with a home run, a double and six runs batted in. His booming bases-loaded homer in the second game -- which sailed over the 400-foot mark to dead center field at spacious Capaha -- highlighted his day.

"It's the first grand slam I've ever hit. It felt good," a beaming Slattery said.

Slattery already has three home runs for Ford & Sons -- including two at Capaha -- after hitting just two homers for Central High School this year as a junior, although he did enjoy a solid season. Slattery credits former longtime Ford & Sons manager Doc Yallaly, who still works with the team, for his new power stroke.

"I've been working with Doc. He's helping me a lot," Slattery said. "I'm bending my knees more and staying back longer."

Chris Conrad was Cape's other offensive star as he went 4-for-6, including a triple, with four runs scored and three RBIs.

Luke McClellan added two hits, Matt Wulfers drove in four runs and Dustin Tatum added three RBIs.

Essner fired a two-hit shutout in the opener, striking out 10 and walking three over seven innings.

"I felt really good today," Essner said. "It was probably the best game I've had."

Taylor also allowed two hits in the five-inning second game. He walked two and hit two batters -- all coming in the second inning, when Nashville scored its lone run -- while striking out one.

"Both pitchers were excellent, especially for their first starts," Reinagel said.