Missed opportunity dooms Cape Ford and Sons Post 63 in loss to Pemiscot County

~ Post 63 had a runner on third with no outs in the eighth inning and failed to score during a 4-2 loss

Cape Ford and Sons Post 63 Senior Legion first baseman Calvin Lovig was hit by a pitch to begin the bottom of the eighth inning Wednesday night against Pemiscot County Post 88.

Lovig stole second then moved up to third on a passed ball but was stranded at third as Post 88 starting pitcher Cameron Clark retired the next three batters.

"That was a missed opportunity," second-year Post 63 coach Justin Lieser said. "We could have ended it right there and missed opportunities like that come back to bite you."

Post 88 scored twice in the top of the ninth and emerged with a 4-2 extra-inning victory.

Post 63 had just five hits and struck out nine times against Clark.

"We really couldn't get anything going tonight," Lieser said. "Early on it seemed like we could pick a few things up here and there, but we just couldn't put it together against him at the right time, and that's been a theme for us here lately."

The Holcomb High School pitcher gave up just two hits through the first two innings and did not allow another Post 63 hit or baserunner until the sixth.

Clark said he was able to keep Post 63 batters off balance with his fastball, which opened up his opportunities to throw a curveball.

"I'd always like to say a well-placed fastball is your best pitch," Clark said. "But it's always nice to have your curveball working so you can go to it, too."

Clark struck out nine batters over nine innings and said that at least five of the batters he struck out swung and missed on his curveball.

Clark improved to 3-0 this summer while allowing just one earned run.

Neither team could get things going until the sixth inning.

Post 88 struck first when Clark led off the inning with a single. He stole second, advanced to third on a wild pitch and later scored on a passed ball to make it 1-0.

Josh Stevens scored Post 88's second run of the inning. Stevens walked, stole second and advanced to third on the same passed ball before being driven home on a hard ground ball to the right side of the infield by Peyton Faulkner.

The ball was hit to second baseman Seth Ressel, who had to make a diving attempt to his left. Ressel knocked the ball down with his glove, came to his feet to collect the ball but had no chance to retire Stevens. He did retire Faulkner at first for the second out of the inning.

Post 63 answered with two runs of their own in the sixth.

Lovig led off the inning with a single. Josh Haggerty followed with a single to right field and Lovig scored on an error on the play to make it 2-1 while Haggerty advanced to third.

A sacrifice fly from Grant Dix gave Haggerty enough time to tag up and score to tie the game a batter later.

Haggerty, who started for Post 63 and got out of jams in the second and fifth innings, could not get out of one in the ninth.

After walking Dallas Nicholson to begin the inning, Haggerty proceeded to give up consecutive hits to Joey Middleton and Colton Bryant.

Hayden Lynn relieved Haggerty and walked Jeremy Jones with the bases loaded, giving Post 88 a 4-2 lead.

Haggerty, who only pitched in two games for Notre Dame last season, said he had never thrown that many pitches during a game and that fatigue started setting in during the seventh and eighth innings.

"My legs started getting pretty tired there at the end," Haggerty said. "I started leaving pitches up because of it and they really took advantage of it."

Lieser said he was pleased with Haggerty's performance and would take a start like he had from any of his pitchers any day.

Post 63 has now lost its first three district games, but Lieser said he is more concerned about improving his team's hitting than its record.

"We would like to be 3-0 right now, but I'm more worried about getting these guys to play decent baseball, especially when it gets closer to tournament time," Lieser said. "That means a better approach at the plate from everyone and more timely hitting."

Pemiscot 000 002 002 -- 4 5 2

Cape 000 002 000 -- 2 6 4

WP -- Cameron Clark. LP -- Josh Haggerty. 2B -- Calvin Lovig (C), Seth Ressel (C). Multiple hits -- Pemiscot County: Joey Middleton 2-4; Cape: Calvin Lovig 2-4. Records - Post 88 8-4, Post 63 10-5