Strokers fall to Poplar Bluff, drop into elimination game

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- SEMO Strokers coach Chris Asmus kneeled on the ground with his players huddled around him following their first-round game of the Senior Babe Ruth state tournament on Thursday at Hillhouse Park and explained why they hadn't been successful.

The Strokers, which are based out of Advance, Missouri, struggled in several aspects of the game in their 6-1 loss to Poplar Bluff, but in Asmus' mind the team's shortcomings are the result of something deeper.

"I think, really, like I told them there in the huddle, it's a lack of leadership," Asmus said after his team dropped into an elimination game in the 14-team, double-elimination tournament. "Nobody wants to take that role and nobody wants to be the hero."

Poplar Bluff took a 2-0 lead in the second inning before Strokers catcher Zane Eggiman scored on a sacrifice fly in the top of the third.

It remained a one-run game until Poplar Bluff scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth.

Poplar Bluff shortstop Ethan Boyer reached second on an error and scored on a double to right by Southeast Missouri State signee Wesley Pyles.

A two-out single by left fielder Drew Dowd scored Pyles, and an error allowed Dowd to score to make it 5-1.

Cole Dempsey, who took the loss, gave up five hits and walked two over the first three innings. He walked the first three batters in the fourth before being lifted for Logan Frazier.

"Usually our first pitch was a ball, and then you have to work back from that," Eggiman said about his pitchers getting behind in the count. "Then the batters knew what was coming -- 2-0 count they're expecting a fastball, and that's what they were sitting on."

Poplar Bluff added a run in the sixth inning for the final score and will advance to face the Piedmont Riverdogs at 12:30 p.m. today at Hillhouse Park.

"We're young. We lack focus," Asmus said. "We just don't know the game. And part of that's being young; the other part is the kids just don't eat, sleep and breathe it. I mean, they're out here just to play ball. That's what it seems like to me. I've challenged them here lately to focus and come out and play -- show me you want to be here, but until then I don't expect anything different."

The Strokers will face East Prairie at 5:30 p.m. today at Notre Dame High School in an elimination game.

"I hope they come out and they take something from today and know they can win a ballgame," Asmus said. "We could get right back in the championship game of this thing, but it's going to take focus and somebody to step up and lead the team there. I mean, we've got plenty of pitching, some of our kids weren't here today, and we've probably got another good stick or two in the lineup tomorrow that wasn't here today. It's just, we've got to come out and want to win."

Strokers 001 000 0 -- 1 3 3

Poplar Bluff 020 031 x -- 6 9 2

WP -- Lucas Tibbs. LP -- Cole Dempsey. 3B -- Wes Pyles (P). 2B -- Pyles (P), Cody Slusher (P), Cole Dempsey (S). Multiple hitters -- Poplar Bluff: Pyles 2-3, Slusher 2-3.