Area digest

Charleston wins Senior Babe title

The Cape Girardeau Senior Babe Ruth baseball team came all the way out of the losers bracket to reach Sunday's championship game of the state tournament.

But it was host Charleston that wound up garnering the top prize.

Charleston capped an undefeated run through the seven-team event by beating Cape 9-3 at Hillhouse Park.

"To actually be a state championship team is a tribute to our kids and their work ethic," Charleston coach Michael Minner said.

Charleston (30-14) led 9-0 until Cape scored three runs in the seventh and final inning.

Tyler Branum pitched a complete-game three-hitter, with all three runs being unearned.

Charleston had 14 hits, led by Tommy Starr and Paul Bucher with three each.

Chris Hanback suffered the loss for Cape (18-10), which earlier in the day beat defending state champion Mineral Area in the losers bracket final.

Charleston advances to the Midwest Plains Regional in Williston, N.D., with play beginning Thursday.

Local softball teamwins regional title

The Heartland Nationals, a local 12-under softball team, won the Heartland Babe Ruth Softball Midwest Regional tournament that it hosted.

The Nationals rolled past Union, Mo., 10-2 in Sunday's title game in Benton, Mo. Summer Burger pitched a two-hitter, while Brittany Kiefer and Ashton Elfrink both had two hits.

Heartland won earlier games against a team from Denver, Colo., 7-2, against a team from Kirksville, Mo., 11-1, and against a squad from Lamar, Colo., 10-0.

Elfrink and Brandie Glastetter each fired four-inning no-hitters in the tournament.

Hali Rendelman was named tournament MVP.

The Nationals advance to the Babe Ruth World Series in Wilson, N.C., Aug. 3 through 11.

Matthews, Johnsonnab race titles

Travis Matthews and Tara Johnson were the top winners during Saturday's seventh annual Going the Distance For Victims of Violence 5K Walk/Run sponsored by the Safe House for Women, Inc.

Matthews was the top overall finisher with a time of 17 minutes, 28 seconds. Ben Beussink was second (17:44) and Cody Green third (17:49).

Johnson was the first female finisher in 20:12, followed by Jordan Whitener (21:42) and Heather O'Connor (22:11).

Jamie Driskill was the top male walker, with Julie Sappinton first among female walkers.

There were 83 participants in the event.

Mitchell, Morlan winevents at Dalhousie

The team of Rob Mitchell and John Morlan won nine-hole competitions in both 4-ball and chapman formats Saturday at Dalhousie Golf Club. The pair carded a 31 in 4-ball and a 32 in chapman.

Tom Hamilton and George Landre, and J.P. Arpin and Ken Schmitz tied for second in 4-ball at 33. Ian Soutar and Terry Bozzay tied for second in chapman with a 33.

In women's play, the team of Ann Dombrowski, Deanna Estes and Robin Davis won a 2-of-3 best ball handicap event with a 132 total. The team of Eileen Owens, Correen Soutar and Terri Parmly finished second at 142.

-- From staff reports