Post 63 exacts revenge

SIKESTON, Mo. -- The Cape Girardeau Ford & Sons Post 63 American Legion baseball team did not mind Wednesday night's sudden change of venue.

Post 63 was eager to play Sikeston again regardless of the location.

"As long as we got to play these guys again," Cape's Dustin Crowden said. "We were looking for some revenge."

Cape got it by beating Sikeston 11-5 in a District 14 matchup at VFW Stadium. The contest was moved to Sikeston after heavy rain fell late in the afternoon in Cape Girardeau while the teams already were at Capaha Field.

"We would have played in Perryville. It didn't matter," Crowden said. "It was good we got the game in. We needed to play."

Post 63 lost its district opener at Sikeston 3-2 on June 10, which stands as Sikeston's lone district victory.

Cape improved to 30-10 overall and 3-4 in district play entering tonight's final district contest at Poplar Bluff.

"Sikeston played us tough. You have to tip your hat to them," said Cape coach Todd Pennington, whose squad recorded its second straight 30-win season after going 31-15 in 2009. "It was good we were able to play and got the win."

After jumping on top with two runs in the bottom of the first inning -- Cape was the home team on the scoreboard -- Post 63 had its lone hiccup as Sikeston posted a five-run second inning.

That frame featured only two hits as four of the runs were unearned thanks to three errors.

"The way our team is, if our defense messes up, we can come back and hit the ball," Crowden said. "We pick each other up."

Cape committed no errors other than in the second inning as Post 63 eventually took control.

"We had a little trouble that one inning, but we started hitting the ball, played defense and pitched," Pennington said. "That's the way you win baseball games."

While Cape helped Sikeston to four unearned runs, Sikeston's defense also was generous as only five of Post 63's 11 runs were earned thanks to five errors.

Cape had nine hits, led by Crowden's 3 for 3 performance that included a triple, double and two RBIs. He was hit by a pitch in his other at-bat.

Skylar Cobb had two hits, including a triple. He delivered three RBIs.

Tanner Hiett was the winning pitcher. He worked the first four innings, allowing four hits and one earned run.

He struck out three and walked three.

Andrew Williams notched a save by finishing up with three scoreless innings. He allowed two hits, struck out one, walked one and hit a batter.

"I thought Tanner pitched well. We didn't play defense behind him that one inning," Pennington said. "Then Andrew came in and shut the door."

After Sikeston went ahead with its five-run second inning, Cape matched that output in the bottom of the frame to lead 7-5.

All of Cape's second-inning runs off Ben Freed were unearned thanks to two errors, but Post 63 took advantage with four hits. Crowden had an RBI triple while Jimmy Obermark and Jamie Pickel added RBI singles.

Sikeston, still trailing just 7-5, ran itself out of a potential big top of the fifth inning.

Williams hit the first batter he faced, Josh Boese, leading off. Freed's double sent Boese to third.

With Evan Underwood at the plate, an errant Williams pitch went all the way to the backstop. Catcher Josh Compas got to the ball quickly and fired a strike to Williams as Boese was nailed at the plate for the first out.

"That was a big play," Pennington said.

Sikeston went on to have runners on second and third with one out in the inning but a strikeout and groundout allowed Williams to escape.

Cobb's two-run triple in the bottom of the fifth on a ball that could have been caught made it 9-5 and Cape finished the scoring with two sixth-inning runs.

Freed and Boese both doubled twice to lead Sikeston. Ross Bohannon added two hits, including a double. Five of Sikeston's six hits were doubles.