Sikeston falls to Ozark

Sikeston High School's bid for the Class 3 state baseball title fell short Friday afternoon with a 2-1 semifinal loss to the Ozark Tigers in Columbia, Mo.

Ozark (28-4) struck first with one run in the first inning. Sikeston (26-2) tied the game in the top of the fifth when J.R. Bizzell scored on a groundout by Lance Rhodes.

The Tigers scored the winning run in the bottom of the sixth on a solo home run by Lucas Harrell, also the winning pitcher, to lead off the inning. Blake DeWitt (7-1), who allowed just four hits in six innings, picked up his first loss of the season on the mound.

Harrell (10-1) allowed seven hits, struck out seven and walked four.

Sikeston will play Grain Valley (23-5) for third place at 11 a.m. today.

Ozark will face MICDS (23-3) for the championship at 5 p.m. MICDS defeated Grain Valley 4-3 in Friday's other semifinal.

Titans open with two wins

The Cape Titans Senior Babe Ruth team swept a doubleheader from Dexter on Thursday to open its season.

The Titans won 5-4 and 10-0.

Blake Essner was the winning pitcher in the first game, allowing four runs on seven hits. Offensively, John Eric Klein had a triple and scored a run, Alex Ramsey scored two runs and Chance Franklin drove in two runs.

In the nightcap, Josh Mayberry threw a five-inning one-hitter. He struck out 11. Aaron Jenkins had three hits, while Chris Daniela and Andrew Prater each had two.

The Titans (2-0) play Thursday against Charleston at Capaha Park.

-- From staff reports