POPLAR BLUFF SCORES UNARTISTIC, 13-12 VICTORY OVER CAPE LEGION

It wasn't always the prettiest of sights, but Cape Girardeau Ford & Sons and Poplar Bluff certainly hooked up in a tense District 14 American Legion baseball game Monday evening.

When the dust at Capaha Field had cleared -- after about 3 hours and 40 minutes -- Poplar Bluff had prevailed 13-12 to not only notch its first district win of the season but also hand Cape its initial district loss of the campaign.

The teams then squared off in a seven-inning contest (the first game was nine innings) that does not count toward the District 14 standings.

That second game, which ended right before the Southeast Missourian went to press, was also not exactly a classic. Cape scored 13 first-inning runs with the benefit of just two hits. Thrown in were four errors, a bunch of walks and several wild pitches and passed balls. Cape ended up winning 22-5 in a mercy-rule contest that ended after the top of the fifth.

Cape is now 10-7 overall and 3-1 in the district. Poplar Bluff is 2-4 overall, 1-2 in district play.

"We should have never let it get away from us like that," said Cape manager Ron Michel after Monday's first-game setback.

Ford & Sons held leads of 5-2 and 11-7 before Poplar Bluff staged a late rally.

"It's a big win for us," said Poplar Bluff coach Pat Carda. "We really battled back well."

The teams combined for 28 hits, six errors and 18 walks.

Bluff had more of the hits (15) and walked the most batters (12) while Cape had the most errors (4).

"It really wasn't a very well-played game. We sure didn't play well," Michel said.

Travis Jordan led Bluff with four hits and three RBIs. Andy Cisne had three hits and three RBIs while Aaron Person homered.

Todd Pennington paced Cape with four hits, including an inside-the-park homer, and five RBIs. Andy Sweet had three hits while Justin McAlister added two.

Travis Klipfel, the second of four Cape pitchers, took the loss. He gave up six hits and five earned runs in 2 2/3 innings. Starter Joey McCullough allowed seven hits and five earned runs in 4 1/3 innings.

Bluff also used four hurlers. Louie Smith got the win, allowing an unearned run in 1 1/3 innings. Cisne closed the door, pitching the final 1 2/3 innings. He struck out three.

"Cisne came in and did a good job," Carda said. "I really didn't even want to use him."

Trailing 11-8, Bluff scored five runs on seven hits in the eighth to take the lead for good.

Cape got one back in the bottom of the eighth but left the bases loaded. Cisne then worked around a two-out double in the ninth.

In the second game, McAlister pitched all five innings for the win. Pennington added two more hits while Adam Bertand had two triples.

Ford & Sons will have a non-district game tonight at Ballwin.