SEMO SOUTH WINS 6-4

LINCOLN, Neb. -- SEMO South remained undefeated in the Junior Babe Ruth Regional Tournament with Sunday's 6-4 win over Gering, Neb.

The victory improved the local squad's tournament record to 2-0 and put them in today's 4 p.m. winner's bracket final against Shoreview, Minn.

"We're real proud to be in the winner's bracket final," said SEMO South coach Russell Burger. "We're playing really well."

SEMO South, a group of 13-year-old Junior Babe Ruth players from four Southeast Missouri communities, built a 5-0 lead in Sunday's game with three runs in the second inning and two more in the fourth.

Gering, Nebraska's state-championship team, rallied for four runs in the top of the sixth, but SEMO South got an insurance run in the bottom of the frame and held on for the victory.

Brent Thomason pitched the first four innings for the win. Ryan Wood hurled the final 2 1/3 innings to pick up the save.

Patrick Friga led SEMO South's eight-hit attack by going 2-for-2 with two singles. Thomason and J.T. Ramsey both added doubles. James Reischman's sacrifice fly in the sixth inning plated Thomason with the final run of the game.