STROUP PITCHES CHAFFEE TO TITLE

ST. LOUIS -- Matt Stroup pitched a combined 8 1/3 innings and picked up two wins to lead the Medicap Pharmacy Chaffee Legion team to a championship in the Anheuser Busch Legion Tournament on Sunday and Monday.

After winning its pool, Chaffee (25-3-1) got a one-hit performance from Stroup in the semifinal for a five-inning, 10-0 victory over local rival Sikeston.

Stroup came on in relief in the championship game and pitched 3 1/3 perfect innings to get the win as Chaffee disposed of Anhueser Busch 13-8.

Against Sikeston, Stroup fanned seven and walked two.

"He's just been dominating hitters," said Chaffee manager Jeff Graviett. "He's just flat blowing it by people. He got a little tired and lost some velocity in the second game, but he could still pitch well enough to get outs."

In the offense department, Josh Eftink was about as hot at the plate as Stroup was on the mound. Eftink blasted two-run homers in both the semifinals and finals. He had two hits in the semifinal game and three hits -- as well as three runs and three RBIs -- in the championship game.

Also in the semifinal game, John O'Rourke had a double, two runs scored and three RBIs.

In the championship game, Todd Friend had two hits, including a two-run home run, Garrett Cook had three hits and Brad Kolwyck added a pair of singles as Chaffee had 12 hits total.

Caps take third

In a game that was suspended for two days, the McDowell Capahas fell 8-7 in 11 innings to the Waterloo Buds in the semifinals of the Balmeyer (Ill.) Tournament.

The Caps (22-6) rallied later, however, to take third place with a 15-7 victory over the host team on Tuesday.

In a game that started on Sunday and was suspended in the fifth inning when the Caps held a 5-4 lead, the Caps got a 6-4 lead on a Kevin Meyer homer, but saw Waterloo score three runs in the seventh to go up 7-6.

In the ninth inning, Shane Allen prolonged the game with a clutch single. But the Caps ultimately lost the game in the 11th.

Brent Self suffered the loss, though he pitched out of a bases-loaded jam in the ninth which enabled the Caps to go to extra innings.

Darrin Kinsolving went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer. Zach Borowiak and Shane Allen each went 2-for-5.

In the third-place game, the Caps cruised to victory after scoring eight runs in the second inning which included a grand slam by Allen.

Matt Palmer earned the win. He threw three hitless innings, walking two and striking out three.

Steve Kress led off the game with a homer and went 3-for-4 with four runs batted in. Borowiak and Mark Wroten each had three hits, while Cory Crosnoe, Meyer, Allen and Tom Bolen each had two.