Weather reigns again in league final

Rain continued to plague the SEMO Conference baseball tournament, forcing Tuesday night's championship game to be stopped after one inning at Capaha Field.

Second-seeded Central (14-8) held a 2-0 lead over top-seeded Sikeston (17-1) when the game was halted due to lightning and rain.

The game is scheduled to resume at 4:30 p.m. today.

The contest was the third of the day. The opener saw No. 3 Notre Dame defeat No. 5 Dexter 6-3 in the fifth-place game. Fourth-seeded Poplar Bluff then stopped No. 6 Jackson 9-3 for third place.

In the third-place game, Poplar Bluff (11-10) unleashed five consecutive hits with two outs in a six-run fifth inning after it broke a 3-3 deadlock in the third-place game.

Jackson's Trevor Thompson blasted a home run in a two-run Jackson first inning before the Mules retaliated with two in the home half of the frame. Jackson (8-10) moved ahead 3-2 in the second and Poplar Bluff tied the score 3-3 in the fourth.

With the game still tied 3-3 and Mules at second and third in the fifth inning, Steve Rogers singled past third for a 5-3 lead. The Mules followed with two more singles and two doubles.

Winning pitcher Chris Smith went 2-for-3 for the Mules, who had nine hits. Thompson had half of Jackson's four hits, going 2-for-3.

Tyler Beussink suffered the loss.

In the day's first game, Notre Dame scored three runs in the sixth inning and Jared Jinkerson nailed down the win with a 1-2-3 seventh to give the Bulldogs fifth place.

Jinkerson's perfect seventh saved the game for starter Blake Urhahn. Urhahn pitched six innings, allowing six hits and three earned runs.

Notre Dame (13-5) led 2-0 after four innings before Dexter (12-6) scored three runs in the top of the fifth off Urhahn to take a 3-2 lead. The Bulldogs tied the score in the fifth before regaining the lead in the sixth.

The Bulldogs outhit Dexter 11-6, with Urhahn leading the way with a 3-for-4 performance. Kyle Diveley, Wayne Essner and Jeff Brosey added two hits apiece. Matt Wulfers delivered a solo home run.