TIGERS TIGHTEN 'D', STRANGLE MULES 7-6

Given the inconsistency displayed by Cape Central's defense over the past week, coach Steve Williams must have wondered which of the two teams would show up to host Poplar Bluff on Thursday.

Both of them did.

Central (8-9, 3-3 SEMO Conference) committed four errors in the first three innings before rallying in the fourth and eventually overtaking the Mules 7-6 on a two-out, game-winning single by Bill Posey in the bottom of the seventh off losing pitcher Chris Reeves.

Courtesy runner Mitch Ogles, who stole three bases on the day, scored the game-winning run. Ogles stole second, moved to third on a groundout then scored on Posey's chopper up the middle.

"It was an inside fastball," Posey said. "I knew he was going to come inside and I knew I could hit an inside pitch up the middle."

Central began the game where it had left off Tuesday night in a six-error game against Sikeston.

Poplar Bluff (4-3, 1-2) scored two in the first, one in the second and two more in the third to take a 5-0 behind right-handed starter Lance Inman.

Only one of the Mules' first five runs was earned.

But Central played error-free defense in the final four innings and looked like the team that made only one error in two impressive victories on Saturday.

"In the first half of the game we played bad," Williams said. "But for the last half of the game we were aggressive on offense and made some nice plays on defense."

Central shortstop T.J. Erlacker typified the polar opposites of the Tiger defense. His error in the third inning led to two runs, but the sophomore probably saved three runs with nice plays in the latter innings.

Tiger hurler Josh Cook pitched around trouble, giving up two earned runs in going the distance. He was tagged for 12 hits, struck out three and walked none.

The Tigers sent nine batters to the plate in the fourth inning and scored five unearned runs to take a temporary 6-5 lead. Poplar Bluff committed two errors in the inning, while Central banged out four hits. Starting with Chad Jones -- the No. 9 batter -- Central benefited from four consecutive two-out singles.

"I thought we outplayed them for six innings," Poplar Bluff coach Pat Carda said. "But that's baseball."

Central had scored its first run in the third when Jones singled and later scored on a double by Mark Fisher.

Fisher went 2-for-3 with a walk and Jones went 2-for-2 with three stolen bases, two runs scored and a walk. The Tigers had eight hits and were issued six walks by Poplar Bluff's pitchers.

Jones and Ogles combined for six of Central's eight stolen bases on the day. The Tigers were caught stealing twice.

"Coach told us before the game that if we got on base that we were going to be aggressive and try to run on them," Jones said. "In pregame, we were watching the catcher and it didn't look like he had a real good arm."

Central's junior varsity scored six runs in the first inning to beat Jackson 8-5. Jay Pierce was the winning pitcher. Bobby Wunderlich hit a grand slam.