POPLAR BLUFF SQUAD WINS DISTRICT 14 LEGION TITLE

CHAFFEE -- Poplar Bluff completed an undefeated run through the District 14 American Legion baseball tournament by beating Pemiscot County 9-4 in Saturday's championship game.

Poplar Bluff, now 24-17 after going 4-0 in the district tourney despite being the third seed, will advance to zone play Thursday in the St. Louis suburb of Ballwin.

Pemiscot County, the fifth seed out of seven teams, ends the season with a 26-19 record. Pemiscot County lost its first game in the tourney but came all the way through the loser's bracket to finish second in the double-elimination event.

Joey McAllister was the winning pitcher. He went the first 7 2/3 innings, allowing one earned run and seven hits. Nick Mockabee blanked Pemiscot County over the final 1 1/3 innings. He gave up one hit.

Bert McCullough suffered the loss. He allowed eight hits and seven runs in 6 2/3 innings.

Matt Stahl had three of Poplar Bluff's 11 hits. He also drove in two runs. Benji Stahl, Andy Cisne and McAllister all added two hits.

Poplar Bluff struggled offensively early in the contest as McCullough hurled four shutout innings. Aaron Hickman's solo home run in the second inning gave Pemiscot County a 1-0 lead.

But Poplar Bluff tied the contest in the fourth and went ahead 3-1 in the fifth. A four-run seventh made it 7-1.

"We had a really good tournament," said Poplar Bluff manager Pat Carda. "We started to play well late in the season and that carried over here."

Poplar Bluff had knocked off defending district champion Cape Girardeau Ford & Sons 5-3 in Friday's winner's bracket final. Cape was then eliminated Friday night by Caruthersville 12-9.