SEMO BANK PULLS OFF BIG UPSET

(at Capaha Field)

Thursday's Results

(Game 1): Jefferson City 6, Springfield Glendale 1

(Game 2): Cape SEMO Bank 10, Imperial 8

Today's Schedule

10 a.m. (Game 3): Springfield Glendale vs. Imperial

1 p.m. (Game 4): St. Joseph's vs. Cape SEMO Bank

5:30 p.m. (Game 5): Game 4 loser vs. Game 3 winner

8:30 p.m. (Game 6): Game 1 winner vs. Game 4 winner

Saturday's schedule

1 p.m. (Game 7): Game 5 winner vs. Game 6 loser

5:30 p.m. (Game 8): Game 6 winner vs. Game 7 winner

(second game scheduled for Sunday at 1 p.m., if no team is undefeated)

SUM: Braves upend Eastern zone champion Imperial 10-8.

Even though the Cape Girardeau SEMO Bank Braves entered the 1997 Junior American Legion State Tournament with by far the worst record in the five-team field, manager Chris Stanfield had plenty of confidence in his squad.

"We'd been playing our best baseball of the season the past few weeks and I thought that, if we played defense, we'd have a shot because I felt like our pitching and hitting would be there," said Stanfield.

The Braves -- only in the field because they are serving as the host squad -- had more than a shot Thursday night as they opened the tournament with a 10-8 victory over Eastern Zone champion Imperial at Capaha Field.

Cape improved its record to 16-25 while Imperial fell to 30-6.

Thursday's other first-round contest saw defending state champion Jefferson City (30-3) knock off Springfield Glendale (30-7) 6-1.

There will be four more games today, beginning with a 10 a.m. elimination contest between Imperial and Springfield Glendale.

At 1 p.m., St. Joseph's will see its first action in the tournament, taking on Cape in a winner's bracket semifinal.

Then at 5:30 p.m., the winner of today's first game will face the loser of today's second game in an elimination contest.

At 8:30 p.m., Jefferson City will face the winner of today's second game in the winner's bracket final.

Saturday's action will begin at 1 p.m., with the finals set for 5:30 p.m.

"We stepped it up and came ready to play and it showed early," said an excited Stanfield following the win over Imperial, which had beaten Cape twice during the regular season, although both games were by two runs. "One thing we haven't done most of the year is take advantage of the other team's mistakes. Tonight we did that.

"I couldn't be more pleased with the effort. This is the game we've been waiting there."

Imperial helped out with eight errors, but Cape still scored seven earned runs, thanks to a solid offensive attack that produced 10 hits. Mike Sullivan led the way with four hits while Tommy Wencewicz added two.

Wencewicz was the winning pitcher, working 5 2/3 innings. He allowed all nine of Imperial's hits and all eight runs, six of them earned.

Justin Cook earned a well-deserved save by pitching 1 1/3 hitless innings after taking over for Wencewicz in the sixth.

"Tommy has been my best pitcher all year and he did a good job," said Stanfield. "And what a job the little guy (Cook) did."

Eric Tolie, Steve Moss and Matt Noblin all had two hits for Imperial.

Starter Kevin Pearson suffered the loss, allowing six hits and six runs in 2 1/3 innings. Phillip Guese finished up, allowing four hits and four runs (one earned) in 3 2/3 innings.

Imperial grabbed a 1-0 lead in the top of the third of the seven-inning contest, but Cape took control with a seven-run bottom of the third. The Braves built a 10-2 lead before withstanding a six-run Imperial rally in the sixth.

In Thursday's other game, Jefferson City pitcher Matt Rackers hurled a two-hitter, fanning nine and walking just one.

Jefferson City had 11 hits, three from Brent Morrow. Brian Kekec and Jamie Reed both added two.

Trailing 1-0, Jefferson City tied things in the fourth and then broke it open with a five-run fifth.