Mineral Area stuns Cape with big 7th

~ The Indians scored seven runs in the final inning to rally for an 11-10 victory.

The Cape Girardeau Pepsi Mid-America Senior Babe Ruth baseball team moved to the losers bracket of the eight-team, double-elimination state tournament after suffering a heartbreaking 11-10 defeat to the Mineral Area Indians in opening round play at Hillhouse Park in Charleston, Mo., Thursday night.

Cape, which seemed to be in control for most of the game, took a 10-4 lead into the bottom of the seventh of the seven-inning contest, but could not hold on for the win. Cape relief pitcher Garrett Stevens, who came in to pitch in the sixth, allowed six hits in the seven-run seventh, which also included two errors.

Cape's starting pitcher, Anthony Wulfers, allowed four runs on eight hits in 5 2/3 innings before being relieved by Stevens.

"This is a tough one to swallow," Cape coach Alan Wengert said. "We knew going into the game that they were a team who could hit the ball, and when we gave them five or six outs in that inning, they really hurt us."

After scoring its first run in the top of the first and adding another in the second, Cape allowed two runs in the bottom of the third as Mineral Area tied the score 2-2. Cape answered with three runs of its own in the top of the fourth on RBI hits by Stevens and Tyler Bruce.

Mineral Area scored two more runs in the bottom of the fourth, but Cape answered again, scoring three in the fifth, two runs scoring on a Jacob Wengert single with the bases loaded. After a scoreless sixth, Cape added two more runs in the top of the seventh on a Bruce double for a 10-4 lead.

Jacob Wengert, Stevens, Nathan Kolda, Luke Moll and Bruce each had two hits for Cape. Bruce drove in three runs, while Wengert and Stevens added two RBIs apiece.

Cape, which will resume play today at 2 p.m., will play the loser of Thursday's late contest between host Charleston and Missouri Valley.