Ford & Sons wins state tournament opener

MOBERLY, Mo. -- Cape Girardeau's Ford & Sons American Legion baseball team defeated Jefferson City 16-8 Thursday night in the opening round of the state tournament.

Cape (29-14) will play Blue Springs (53-12) at 5:30 p.m. today in the winner's bracket final of the four-team, double-elimination event.

Wayne Essner (5-1) pitched into the eighth inning for the victory. He allowed nine hits and five runs while striking out eight and walking five.

Aaron Dohogne went 5-for-6 and drove in three runs to lead Cape's 15-hit attack. Lee Essner added two hits -- including a home run -- and had four RBIs. Tyler Schlosser and Matt Wulfers both also had two hits.

Cape jumped on top with a five-run second inning that featured Essner's three-run homer and Dohogne's two-run double.

Ford & Sons led 9-3 when Jefferson City rallied with a four-run eighth inning to make it 9-7, but Cape came back with seven runs in the bottom of the eighth to put the game away.