TIGERS ROAR INTO TITLE GAME

Cape Central made a couple of errors and starting pitcher Jason Chavez didn't have good command of his curveball.

But the Tigers' bats more than made up for that.

And it didn't hurt that Jackson chipped in with six errors, either.

Central pounded out 13 hits and took advantage of Jackson's poor defense as the second-seeded Tigers (14-13) crushed the third-seeded Indians 12-5 in a Class 4A, District 1 semifinal game at Capaha Field Tuesday.

The Tigers will take on No. 1 Farmington (17-7) for the championship at 4:30 p.m. Thursday. Farmington defeated fifth-seeded Hillsboro 4-1.

Central enjoyed success up and down the lineup. The Tigers got at least one hit from eight of their nine starters.

They jumped out to a five-run lead in the first inning. Jackson (11-13) recovered with two runs in the bottom of the first, but the Tigers put the Indians away with three in the third.

The heart of Central's batting order did the most damage.

Chavez, the Tigers' cleanup hitter Tuesday, went 3-for-5 with two runs scored and one run batted in. T.J. Erlacker, in the No. 6 slot, went 2-for-4 with three RBIs. Central's top six batters combined to go 10-for-24 with seven RBIs.

Travis Wissman went 2-for-5 with a homer and Justin Welker went 2-for-5 with a double.

"Our big boppers hit the ball well today," Central coach Steve Williams said. "I was very pleased with the way we hit the ball. And we executed well offensively. We ran the bases well, moved runners over and got some big hits."

As for Jackson, the Indians' defense faltered as it has much of the season.

The Indians' six errors led to five unearned runs.

"We made the same mistakes today that we made the first game of the season," Jackson coach Sam Sides said. "We don't make the sacrifices in the offseason and do the things we need to do. I really thought we had a good chance to compete in this district but we didn't show up today."

Dusty Barrows, Chavez and Erlacker all had key hits in Central's five-run first. Two consecutive errors by Jackson with two outs led to the Tigers' fourth and fifth runs.

Jackson looked like it was going to make a game of it in the first inning after an RBI double by Patrick Kohm and an RBI single by Jason Brown made it 5-2.

But Cape Central cut out the Indians' hearts in the third, scoring three runs -- two on RBI singles by John Snider and Aaron Dohogne -- and the third on an error.

Central scored one run in the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh innings.

Chavez pitched well considering he didn't have his best stuff. He went the distance and allowed five runs, four earned, on six hits and four walks. He struck out six.

Jason Brown suffered the loss. He went 3 2/3 innings and allowed eight runs, three earned, on five hits and two walks.

Patrick Kohm and Brown both had two hits apiece for the Indians. Brown belted a two-run homer in the seventh inning.