STROUP THROWS NO-HITTER IN ZONE

BALLWIN -- Chaffee Junior Legion pitcher Matt Stroup threw a no-hitter Thursday night, missing a perfect game on one error in a 9-1 win over Manchester in the first round of the zone tournament.

Chaffee committed a three-base error which led to Manchester's lone run.

Stroup fanned seven.

There were several defensive plays which preserved Stroup's no-hitter.

Shortstop John O'Rourke made a nice play on a bad bounce in the second inning and Adam Friga made a diving catch in left field in the sixth inning.

Offensively, Chaffee pounded out 11 hits by nine batters.

Stroup and Todd Friend each had a pair of hits. Friend and O'Rourke each hit triples.

Lance Dohogne had one hit and four runs batted in. He had two sacrifice flies and a two-run single.

Chaffee will play the winner of Anheuser Busch and Perryville at 5:30 p.m. today in Ballwin.

Eftink stays on fire as

Chaffee sweeps Jackson

CHAFFEE -- Will this Eftink kid ever stop?

Chaffee Senior Legion shortstop Josh Eftink hit two more home runs Thursday night in helping his team to an easy doubleheader sweep of Jackson.

Chaffee won the first game 11-0, then took the second game 10-0.

Eftink's two homers in the opener -- the first of which was a grand slam -- gives him 20 home runs and 68 runs batted in on the 37-game season.

Since the beginning of Notre Dame's high school season as a junior, Eftink -- in just 63 games -- has a mind-boggling 32 homers and 118 RBIs.

"This is Legion ball; you're talking top-notch pitchers every night," said Chaffee manager Jeff Graviett. "He's phenomenal that's for sure. His first one was a grand slam to leftcenter. Then hits one to rightcenter effortlessly. He only had three at-bats and almost had his third three-home-run game of the year. And what's amazing is he's got another year left."

In the first game, Tommy Stidham picked up the five-inning win, striking out three, while giving up two hits and no walks.

Eftink and Dusty Leggett each provided three hits, while Stidham and Brad Kolwyck had two apiece. One of Kolwyck's hits was a solo homer.

In the second game, Brandon Amick earned the win, going five innings. He allowed three hits and four walks, while striking out one.

Tory Meyr, Jason Bickings, Leggett and Jacob Ressell each had two hits apiece for Chaffee, which ended its season at 24-13 overall and 17-7 in district play.

Chaffee will likely be the second seed in the upcoming district tournament and, if so, will play Monday at 8 p.m.

Cape sweeps Charleston

The Cape Ford & Sons American Legion baseball team swept Charleston in a doubleheader Thursday night, 11-4 and 10-4, as Josh McIntosh homered in each game.

McIntosh now leads the team with 11 home runs.

Mark Ostendorf won the first game, going all seven innings. He gave up four runs (two earned) on eight hits and a walk, while striking out two.

Tommy Wencewicz led Cape with three hits in the opener. He also had two runs batted in.

McIntosh had three RBIs and had two hits. Garrett Broshuis, Scott Reinagel, Richard Harrison and Mike Sullivan all had two hits as Cape finished with 14 hits overall.

Cape scored four runs in the third, two in the fourth and five in the sixth.

In the second game, Justin Cook picked up the win in three innings. He fanned six and allowed one run and two hits.

Joe Hamilton picked up the save, allowing three runs on four hits.

McIntosh was the only player with more than one hit in the second game for Cape. He had a solo homer and two singles.

Cape scored one in the first, three in the second, three in the third, two in the fourth and one in the sixth.

Cape ended its regular season at 21-20 overall and 13-10 in district play.