Late-game surge propels Poplar Bluff to 8-0 win over Sikeston

SIKESTON — Poplar Bluff defeated Sikeston 8-0 at VFW Stadium in Sikeston on Tuesday, April 4.

The Mules (5-5) used a strong day on the mound from Dylan Bratcher and timely hitting to win over the Bulldogs (1-6).

“We were consistent all day and did some good things,” said Poplar Bluff coach John David Pattillo. “We showed some better patience on the mound. WE let it come to us.”

Sikeston Heath Poindexter throws a pitch during in an 8-0 loss to Poplar Bluff on Tuesday, April 4. (Dennis Marshall/Standard-Democrat)

Bratcher threw six innings and didn’t allow any runs on four hits with five strikeouts and three walked batters. Noah Spain pitched the final inning for Poplar Bluff, striking out two batters.

“[Bratcher] was big for us,” Pattillo said. “He did a good job of throwing strikes, and was around the plate all day. He threw a good game, and [Spain] came in and did a nice job of shutting it down.”

The Mules gained a 1-0 lead in the top of the second inning when Marcus Habanera scored on a double by Bryce Dobbs.

Poplar Bluff increased the lead to 3-0 in the fifth inning after David Durbin and Myles Johnson scored on an error, and added five more runs in the seventh inning. Those runs came when Johnson and Dylan Hall cored on another errors, Tabenera doubled to score Kayson King and Spain, and Tabenera scored on a hit by Bratcher.

“It was a good ball game all the way around,” Pattillo said. “We were hitting the ball early but we weren’t getting a lot done as far as scoring. Throughout the game the scoring kind of came around. Today we played defense, pitched and did the things we’ve struggled with a little bit.”

Joseph Heckemeyer, Trace Sullivan, Noah Pruitt and Luke Gadberry were responsible for the Bulldogs’ four hits.

“The big thing for our offense is to continue to give us more and more opportunities,” said Sikeston coach Wyatt Pratt. “We’re just looking for that big hit right now. It would have completely changed that game if we could have gotten a big hit in those earlier inning when we had runners on.

Heath Poindexter took the loss after pitching 6.1 innings and allowed three earned runs on four hits with three strikeouts and one walked batter.

“Poindexter was excellent today,” Pratt said. “That was the best I have seen him by far. He challenged the zone and kept us in it but the pitch count got us. He had three good pitches going; A slider, a curveball and he challenged batters early in the count with that fastball.“

Heckemeyer recorded the final two outs while striking out one and walking another. He didn’t allow any earned runs on three hits.

Pratt added that he though Gadberry stepped up big time and did an excellent job of calling the entire

game behind the plate.

Sikeston travels to Ste. Genevieve (2-5) on Friday, April 7, while Poplar Bluff will host Greene County Tech (3-1) from Paragould, Arkansas on Thursday, April 6.

__POPLAR BLUFF 8, SIKESTON 0__

P. Bluff 010 020 5 — 8 7 1

Sikeston 000 000 0 — 0 4 5

W—Dylan Bratcher. 2B—Poplar Bluff: Bryce Dobbs, Marcus Tabenera; Sikeston: Luke Gadberry.