CAPE LEGION SPLITS PAIR WITH BLUFF

Considering that Cape Girardeau's Ford & Sons American Legion baseball team had just six hits during Monday's doubleheader against visiting Poplar Bluff, the squad was probably lucky to earn a split.

Cape managed just one hit in the opener off hard-throwing Jamie McAlister but rode the stellar pitching of Justin Cook to a 3-1 victory.

Ford & Sons had a bit more offense in the nightcap -- five hits -- but fell into an early hole and never quite recovered during an 8-5 setback.

Cape, which had an eight-game winning streak snapped in the second game, is now 10-3 overall and 4-2 in District 14 play.

Poplar Bluff, which claimed its initial victory of the season in the nightcap, is 1-6 overall and 1-3 in the district.

"We had a great run, but it finally came to an end," said Cape manager Ron Michel of his squad's winning streak that included the championship of its own tournament played over the weekend. "We're a little bit run down right now, with all the games we've been playing."

Poplar Bluff manager John Moon was simply happy that his team finally broke into the win column after suffering some tough early-season losses.

"We've been right there in just about every game," Moon said. "We've lost some really tough ones, but it's nice to finally get that first one. Hopefully this will get us going."

Cook and McAlister hooked up in a dandy first-game mound duel that featured differing styles. While McAlister comes at hitters with his imposing fastball, Cook keeps them off-balance with his pitching savvy.

"It was a great matchup," said Michel. "We knew how tough McAlister was, but Cookie was really on top of his game. He threw great and that's why we matched him up with McAlister."

Cook pitched all seven innings and allowed just three hits -- two never left the infield -- and an unearned run. He struck out six and did not issue a walk, although he did hit one batter.

McAlister went the full six innings and gave up just one hit -- a triple to T.J. Erlacker -- but that blow was part of a two-run third inning that proved decisive. McAlister fanned five and walked four.

In the third, Scott Reinagel drew a leadoff walk, was sacrificed to second by Jay Pierce and scored the game's first run when Erlacker's fly ball found plenty of space down the right-field line. Erlacker then scored on a wild pitch to make it 2-0.

Poplar Bluff got its lone run in the fourth on an error, but Cape answered with an unearned run of its own in the bottom of the fourth.

The nightcap featured a four-run Poplar Bluff first inning off losing hurler Rob Carr -- all of the runs were unearned -- that put Cape down early. Jeff Janecek had the big blow of the frame, a two-run triple.

"That first inning was really the key to the game," Michel said. "It put us in a hole right away. We battled back, but we couldn't quite overcome it."

Poplar Bluff later built a 7-1 lead before Cape made things interesting with a four-run sixth. Trailing 7-5, Ford & Sons still had runners on second and third with one out in the frame, but reliever Kurt Humphrey escaped further trouble and then fanned two in the seventh to end things.

Blake Blue, an impressive left-hander, one-hit Cape through five innings before finally running into trouble in the sixth. He still got the win, allowing three hits and being charged with all five runs while striking out six and walking two.

Humphrey earned a well-deserved save, fanning four and allowing two hits in two innings.

Carr gave up eight hits and seven runs (three earned) in six innings. He fanned four and walked two. Jay Pierce struck out the side in the seventh, although he allowed a hit and an unearned run.

McAlister starred at the plate in the second game with the night's only home run, a blast that bounced off the scoreboard in left. He had two hits and three RBIs. John West also had two of the visitors' nine hits.

Mark Fisher had two of Cape's five hits while Josh McIntosh delivered two RBIs.

Cape will return to action today with a big doubleheader at two-time defending district champion Dunklin County.