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The smallest school in the first-ever SEMO Conference Baseball Tournament also proved to be the best.

Class 2A Chaffee knocked off 3A Sikeston 5-0 in Monday night's championship game played in front of a huge Capaha Field crowd estimated at more than 1,000.

Chaffee, which beat 4A Cape Girardeau Central in Saturday's semifinals and downed 3A Dexter in Friday's opening round, won its 16th straight game. The Red Devils (16-1) have not lost since a season-opening setback to Cape Central.

"This definitely has to make the kids feel real good. And Chaffee has to be proud. I think the whole town was here," said Red Devils coach Brian Horrell, whose squad was ranked second in the state in the most recent 2A coaches' poll.

"It's just an honor to be a part of a tournament like this. The SEMO Conference is so tough. You're playing good teams all the time."

Matt Stroup, one of the state's premier pitchers, capped an outstanding tournament for Chaffee by working all seven innings, making him 2-0 (both complete games) with a save in the nine-team event.

Stroup was in top form Monday as he improved to 7-1. The senior right-hander allowed just four hits while striking out 10 and walking two.

"We expect to beat them. That's what we play for," said Stroup when asked how it felt to prevail over all the larger schools in the tourney.

While Stroup might not have been all that impressed by Chaffee's title performance, he was by his latest mound work.

"I actually pitched a good game for once," he said with a smile. "I had my control working and all my pitches working. That's probably as good as I can pitch."

He'll get no argument from Sikeston coach Kevin Self, whose squad fell to 13-4. The Bulldogs are ranked seventh in 3A.

"He threw well. I have to tip my hat. He threw the ball as well as anybody we've seen," said Self.

Stroup also benefited from the Red Devils' customary solid defense. Chaffee committed no errors and made several nice plays, including a dazzling one in the seventh by first baseman Shawn Powderly, who left his feet to catch a pop foul near the fence.

The Red Devils did not exactly batter Sikeston hurler Chris Cota, who also went the distance. In six innings, Cota allowed six hits and three earned runs -- the Bulldogs made three errors -- while fanning six and walking two.

"They probably hit the ball as hard as we did," Horrell said. "We just took advantage of some breaks when we got them."

Stroup and Perry Rice each had two hits for Chaffee, with Rice now having hit safely in all 17 games this season.

Freshman Blake DeWitt doubled twice to pace the Bulldogs offensively.

Chaffee got all the runs it would need in the bottom of the first inning. With one out, Rice walked and Stroup singled, sending Rice to third and he was able continue home on a throwing error. Stroup later scored on a ground out by G.P. Glueck, making it 2-0.

The Red Devils closed out the scoring with a three-run third, getting a two-RBI single from Travis Hanback and an RBI single from Stroup.