Post 63's tourney trail hits 13-0 bump

The Cape Girardeau Ford & Sons Post 63 Senior American Legion baseball team saw its impressive tournament run hit a major road block Saturday at Notre Dame Regional High School.

Perennial Legion powerhouse Festus Post 253 routed Cape 13-0 in five innings in the semifinals of the 16-team Charleston Fighting Squirrel Baseball Classic.

"They're good," Cape coach Justin Lieser said of Festus. "I don't think this game is representative of the kind of team we have."

Post 63 won its first two tournament games, including Friday's 7-3 victory over the SEMO Strokers, to emerge as something of a surprise semifinalist.

Lieser didn't want Saturday's lopsided loss to put a damper on what his squad has accomplished in the tournament so far.

Cape (7-6) will try to finish off the tourney with a bang when it plays Poplar Bluff Senior Babe Ruth in today's 12:30 p.m. third-place game at Hillhouse Park in Charleston.

"There's some teams wishing they were playing tomorrow," Lieser said.

Lieser knew Cape would face an especially rugged challenge against one of the state's perennially strong Legion programs.

Festus had its string of three consecutive state Legion championships snapped last year, although Post 253 did capture its fifth straight District 13 tournament title.

Post 253 has a new-look roster featuring only three returning players but the team never rebuilds, it simply reloads.

Cape Ford and Sons Post 63 shortstop Calvin Lovig throws to first during Post 63’s 13-0 loss to Festus Post 253 in the semifinals of the Fighting Squirrel Baseball Classic Saturday at Notre Dame Regional High School. (Adam Vogler)

Cape Ford and Sons Post 63 third baseman Josh Morse throws to first during Post 63’s loss to Festus Saturday. (Adam Vogler)

Festus (4-2) lost two of its first three games but has been impressive in the Fighting Squirrels Classic, allowing just two runs in three wins.

"It's basically a brand-new group. We've played much better this weekend," Festus coach Zac Bone said. "When you've got this many new guys, it's good to get them out of town, spend some time together, get a little more familiar with each other."

Post 253, which will face host Charleston Senior Babe Ruth at 3 p.m. today in Charleston for the title. wasted no time in taking control Saturday.

Festus jumped on Cape starter Trevor Propst for six runs on six hits in the top of the first inning. Mitch Neel, one of the squad's top players last year, had a two-run single. Chase Gemberling delivered a two-RBI double and Andrew Hayden added a two-run single.

"Festus hit the heck out of the ball," Lieser said.

Post 253 added an unearned run in the third inning, then broke the game wide open with a six-run fourth inning that featured three hits, four walks and a hit batter. Neel had the big blow, a two-RBI double.

Festus finished with 10 hits.

"We hit the ball good," Bone said. "Our league games are all wood bat. You get down here with aluminum, it helps."

Neel went 2 for 2 with a walk, four RBIs and three runs scored. Gemberling had two hits and three RBIs.

"Overall it was a pretty good offensive day and Mitch Neel was good again," Bone said.

So was Steven Moss, a soft-tossing left-hander who pitched the five-inning shutout.

"He was very good," Bone said.

Moss allowed three hits, struck out two and walked two.

"It's the first time we've seen somebody throw offspeed, maybe a little slower. He did a good job," Lieser said. "You're not going to win many games with only three hits."

Ryan Tegel, Cape's fourth and final pitcher, was the only Post 63 hurler to emerge unscatched. He worked a scoreless fifth inning, allowing one hit.

Tegel, Post 63's youngest player who will be a sophomore at Central High School in the fall, helped spark Friday's quarterfinal win over the SEMO Strokers with a double, single and three RBIs.

Devin Austin pitched four innings for the victory while J.C. Chapman notched a save.