Scott County takes walk -- and win-- on the wild side

~ In a game with 21 walks, Post 369 completed a 12-11, 11-inning victory against Cape Girardeau with a bases-loaded walk.

For a game with 21 walks, it was only fitting Scott County's American Legion team ended a marathon 11-inning game against district foe Cape Girardeau with a bases-loaded walk for a 12-11 victory Saturday at Notre Dame Regional High School.

The game lasted more than three hours and nearly reached the 14 innings of baseball that were originally scheduled. The teams agreed to play one nine-inning game rather than a pair of seven-inning affairs due to short benches on both sides.

Scott County's win ended a seven-game losing streak as the team approaches the final week before the District 14 tournament.

"On this team, if we win no one holds their head high and if we lose they won't hold their head down," Scott County coach Tom Dirnberger said. "They don't hang a loss on their shoulders."

Despite periods of ugly play on both sides -- Scott County began the game with just nine players and Cape was missing several players of its own including three of its top hitters -- there was plenty of drama to go around.

Scott County took the lead with two runs in the bottom of the eighth, and each team scored in both the ninth and 10th innings.

In the 11th, Cape had a leadoff double and ended its half of the inning with a player caught stealing third. Scott County loaded the bases with one hit in the bottom of the inning before Jon Simpher took ball four to bring home the winning run.

With so many missing players on both teams some unheralded players were able to play big roles. Scott County's Alex Orr drove in the game-tying run in the 10th with a sacrifice fly, while Lucas Dirnberger pitched 7 1/3 innings of relief for the win.

"Everyone got involved," Tom Dirnberger said. "Everyone played a part of this game."

Lucas Dirnberger was thrust on the mound after Scott County starter Andy Stephens allowed two hits and three walks after retiring the first two batters in the fourth. Stephens made several close pitches in the inning to nearly get out of the jam, but lacked control throughout the start with 10 walks in 3 2/3 innings.

"Cape was disciplined enough and they knew he was struggling," Tom Dirnberger said.

Ford & Sons scored six runs in the fourth and built an 8-2 lead. Justin Myers had some control problems of his own -- Myers walked three batters in Scott County's two-run second -- but through five innings Myers had only allowed two runs on five hits and three walks.

Myers hit a wall in the sixth, when Scott County touched him up for five runs on five hits and a walk. Trenton Moses had the big hit with a bases-clearing double. All five runs in the inning came with two outs.

Kory Kitchen relieved Myers with one out in the seventh following a walk. Myers walked five, struck out 10, allowed 10 hits and seven runs in 6 1/3 innings.

"Justin's problem was he had a high pitch count," Cape coach Dave Meyr said. "He didn't last as long in the game as he should have."

Meanwhile, Lucas Dirnberger faced the minimum his first three innings of work and did not allow a run until the ninth. Eric Ennis hit a dribbler through the hole between short and third to score two with two outs for a 10-9 lead in the top of the ninth.

Kitchen drove in the only other run off Dirnberger with a two-out triple in the 10th.

Overall, Dirnberger allowed eight hits, walked one and struck out three in 7 1/3 innings for the win. Not bad for a player who was not even in the dugout at the start of the game.

"He's been struggling with arm trouble all year long," Tom Dirnberger said. "His arm hurts a lot. He was over at SEMO doing his enrollment so he got here late, but that was a good thing because he got to warm up in the bullpen."

Moses led Scott County with a 4-for-5 performance and reached base six times. Blake Dirnberger went 4-for-7 with singles in each of his final four at-bats, including the game-tying RBI in the ninth.

Kitchen led Cape with four hits and drove in four runs. Also, Kitchen pitched 3 2/3 innings in relief. Lance Young added three hits for Ford & Sons. Zach Plott took the loss after coming in to start the 11th.

Scott County is off until Monday when it goes to Dunklin County, while Ford & Sons has a doubleheader scheduled at Calvert City (Ky.) today.

"We've got Calvert City and I'm hoping we have enough to go there," Meyr said. "We're just really short right now. Hopefully we'll get them back for district time."