Heartland Nationals drop opener

The Heartland Nationals 12-and-under softball team, an all-star team made up of players from Kelso, New Hamburg and Oran, dropped its pool-play opener 7-3 to Lodi, Calif., Friday at the Babe Ruth 12U World Series in Varina, Va.

Heartland will be back in action at 5 p.m. today against host Varina, Va. Each team plays four pool-play games in the 10-team field, with the top three teams from each pool advancing to the double-elimination portion of the tournament which will begin Tuesday.

After trailing 2-0 heading after 2 1/2 innings, Heartland scored twice in the bottom of the third to tie the score 2-2. Lodi scored five runs over the final three innings to secure the win. Heartland outhit Lodi 5-4, but Lodi benefited from nine walks.

Kaitlin Glastetter took the loss after allowing two runs on no hits over two innings. Glastetter walked five. Abbey Anderson allowed two unearned runs over the next three innings, and Halle Woodfin allowed three runs on just one hit and two walks in the final frame.

Glastetter led Heartland with two hits. Woodfin had two RBIs.

Morris wins Cape C.C. women's championship

Kathy Morris was crowned the club champion at the Cape Girardeau Country Club Ladies Club Championship which concluded Thursday.

Leslie Steele won the championship flight, followed by Martha Hamilton and Beth Mapes.

Mary Ann Vogelsand won the "A" flight, Janet White topped the "B" flight and ER Fischer won the "C" fight.

The longest drive went to Morris, and Vogelsand won the longest putt.

Steele (No. 2), Mapes (No. 6 and No. 13), White (No. 8), Vicki McKinney (No. 11) and Morris (No. 16) won closest to the pins.

Southeast softball signs two players

The Southeast softball team recently announced the signing of a pair of California prep standouts to complete their recruiting class.

Elise Sperakos of Nipomo, Calif., and Jennifer Vasquez of Placentia, Calif., will join the Redhawks for the 2007 season.

Sperakos was the team MVP at Nipomo High School as a senior outfielder, and hit .353. Vasquez, also an outfielder, hit .301 and helped El Dorado H.S. place second in the California Interscholastic Federation Championship in 2005.

Wheeler second at Sikeston Drag Strip

Chad Wheeler of Jackson placed second in the trophy class at the Sikeston Drag Strip last Saturday.

-- From staff reports