Illinois pitcher guts out victory for Cape in opener

~ Anna-Jonesboro's Houseman earned the win on the mound.

Steven Houseman has only recently returned to pitching after suffering a broken leg during his high school season this year.

Wednesday night he had by far his most impressive outing for the Cape Girardeau Ford & Sons American Legion baseball team as it split a doubleheader with visiting Paragould, Ark.

Houseman hung tough after allowing five second-inning runs and went all seven innings as Cape rallied for an 8-7 victory in the opener.

Paragould came back to capture the nightcap 10-5. That contest went just five innings as agreed upon by both coaching staffs, who are gearing up for tournaments that begin today.

Paragould's Tyler Garnett made it past the throw at home to Cape catcher David Sanders to score during the second inning at Capaha Field on Wednesday. (AARON EISENHAUER ~aeisenhauer@semissourian.com)

"We've both got a lot of games coming up in a short period of time and I think we knew we were both kind of low on pitching coming into today," Cape manager Dave Meyr said.

Both squads are having solid seasons, Cape sporting a 15-6 record and Paragould standing at 18-7.

"They've got a pretty solid team, and so do we," Meyr said.

Several things pleased Meyr about Wednesday's victory, namely the way Houseman battled and the way his team rallied from several sizeable deficits.

Ford & Sons trailed 6-2 after 2 1/2 innings and 7-3 after 4 1/2 innings.

After forcing out Paragould's Hugh Walton, Cape's Mark Himmelberg attempted to turn a double play during the fifth inning Wednesday at Capaha Field.

"It was a good comeback," Meyr said. "One thing about this team, they don't quit."

Houseman, one of five Anna-Jonesboro (Ill.) High School products playing for Cape, broke his right leg during an April game after he was hit by a line drive.

The senior-to-be at A-J started the Legion season in a boot and was only released to return to action earlier this month.

Wednesday was by far his longest Legion stint so far.

"That's the most I've pitched since I've been back, and the best I've pitched," Houseman said.

Houseman, a right-hander, allowed five hits and five runs in the second inning, although he should have escaped unscathed after Cape failed to turn a routine double play that would have ended the inning before Paragould scored.

But Houseman buckled down after that. He allowed just two runs and three hits over the final five innings, including one run and two hits over the final four frames.

Houseman allowed eight hits while striking out five and walking four.

"After the second inning the team just kept battling back," Houseman said. "We've got a good team and I think we can go a long way this year."

Said Meyr: "He really threw a good game. He just settled down after the second inning."

Paragould ace Josh Cruse, a hard-throwing right-hander, held Cape to three hits through four innings as the visitors built a 7-3 lead entering the bottom of the fifth. He struck out five.

But Cruse did not take the mound for the fifth as he will likely pitch some in a tournament over the next several days.

Cape was able to rally with Cruse off the hill.

Ford & Sons scored twice in the fifth to pull within 7-5, then took advantage of some shaky Paragould defense in the sixth to score three runs and go ahead for good.

After the leadoff batter in the sixth was retired, Matt Hester walked, stole second, advanced to third on an error and scored on a Mark Himmelberg single.

Blake Slattery then hit a ground ball to short that should have been a double play, but after a force at second, a throw to first was in the dirt, allowing Slattery to reach.

Slattery stole second and Brad LaBruyere walked. David Sanders reached on an error as Slattery scored the tying run. Alex Shell's single plated LaBruyere with the go-ahead tally.

Houseman retired Paragould in order in the seventh to nail down the victory.

Sanders, one of Houseman's high school teammates, had three of Cape's seven hits. He doubled twice and drove in four runs.

Shell added two hits and two RBIs.

In the nightcap, Cape led 3-1 after one inning but a six-run second by Paragould gave the visitors control.

Cape had seven hits, led by Himmelberg with two. Slattery added two RBIs.

Adam Smithey took the loss, allowing seven runs in 1 1/3 innings.

"We didn't play a real good game and Adam just didn't have it tonight, but give Paragould credit. They're a good team," Meyr said.

Cape returns to action today with a 5 p.m. game against Mayfield, Ky., in the Paducah, Ky., tournament that runs through Sunday.