Sr. Legion hosts weekend tourney

American Legion baseball, to the casual observer, is a means to while away the summer playing or watching a game that relatively goes hand-in-hand with the summer months.

But to the Cape Ford and Sons American Legion Post 63 squad and head coach Justin Lieser, it means more. Much, much more.

The Senior Legion squad, consisting of players ages 16-18, began play last week with several games against area Babe Ruth squads. Post 63 sports a 3-3 record entering play in their annual Ford and Sons AAA Showcase, which gets underway with a single game today and features teams from Missouri, Indiana, Illinois and Arkansas.

"It gives us an opportunity to look at our team and [pitch] some different kids in different situations," said Lieser, who is entering his first season at the helm of the Senior Legion squad after coaching the freshman team last season. "Playing three games in two days, you get to see a lot of pitchers. And we're not playing district opponents, so you don't have to worry about saving a certain pitcher for a certain team."

The tournament is part of a 50-game schedule for the Legion squad, culminating in tournament play beginning in early July. Post 63 is one of five teams comprising District 14, along with Jackson, Sikeston, Scott County and Dunklin County. The winner of the District 14 tournament advances to the Zone 4 tournament, hosted by Jackson, and that winner advances to the Missouri State tournament Aug. 1-3.

A regional tournament will be held the following weekend, and the AAA World Series is set for Aug. 14-18 in Shelby, N.C.

The games are one thing. Representing Post 63 means a whole lot more.

"We preach to the kids hard work and discipline," Lieser said. "It doesn't matter whatever school you came from. It's all about what you can do and how you can improve. You don't represent just one school anymore, you represent the whole area."

To that end, Post 63 has just four players from Central High School. Others on the squad are from Notre Dame and Jackson, and several are from the Cobden, Ill., area.

"The Legion program itself serves a bigger purpose," Lieser said. "It's in honor of the veterans who served their country and sacrificed so that we can [do things like] play baseball."

Josh Morse follows through on a swing during a game against Woodland earlier this week. Morse and his Post 63 teammates will participate in the Cape Ford and Sons AAA Showcase this weekend at Central High School. (Fred Lynch)

Lieser, as an assistant coach with the Central High School squad, finds himself limited by a MSHSAA rule that allows him only 25 days of contact with his players. That's why most of the schedule consists of doubleheaders with teams in a four-state area.

"They know their duties," Lieser said of his charges. "Everybody is getting more and more familiar with each other. We're six games into the season, and we still haven't had our entire team together."

Cape Ford and Sons AAA Showcase

Today game

Paragould, Ark. vs. Murphysboro, Ill., 4:30 p.m.

Saturday's games

Murphysboro, Ill. vs. Cape Post 63, noon

Murphysboro, Ill. vs. Evansville, Ind., 2 p.m.

Paragould, Ark. vs. Cape Post 63, 4 p.m.

Sunday's games

Evansville, Ind. vs. Poplar Bluff SBR, noon

Paragould, Ark. vs. Evansville, Ind., 2 p.m.

Poplar Bluff SBR vs. Cape Post 63, 4 p.m.

(All games at Central H.S.)