CHAFFEE RECOVERS, FORCES SHOWDOWN IN LEGION TOURNEY

CHARLESTON, Mo. -- It's probably only fitting that top-seeded Chaffee Medicap Pharmacy and second-seeded Dunklin County will play one final, winner-take-all game to decide the American Legion District 14 Tournament championship.

Those squads proved to be by far the district's best teams during the regular season and they will square off at 1 p.m. today at Hillhouse Park. The winner earns a berth in this week's Zone 4 Tournament in St. Louis.

"It should be a great ballgame," said Chaffee manager Jeff Graviett.

Chaffee, which found itself in the loser's bracket of the double-elimination event after its tournament opener Tuesday, forced today's deciding game by winning twice Saturday, pushing its tourney victory streak to four in a row.

First, Chaffee routed fifth-seeded Poplar Bluff 16-4 in seven innings in the loser's bracket final, relegating Poplar Bluff to third place in the seven-team event and avenging Tuesday's 5-1, first-round loss.

Then Chaffee handed three-time defending tournament champion Dunklin County its first tourney setback, riding the brilliant pitching of ace Matt Stroup to a 4-0 victory in the finals. That set up today's championship showdown.

"We've had a tough road," said Graviett, whose team is now 35-6 compared to Dunklin County's 40-7. "The kids have responded well after losing the first one."

Stroup certainly responded well against Dunklin County Saturday. The right-hander pitched all nine innings, allowing seven hits and no walks while striking out 11.

Dunklin County had six hits off Stroup in the first four innings but just one harmless single over the last five frames. Stroup retired 15 of the final 17 batters he faced.

"I didn't have much confidence in my fastball, but my curve was real good," said Stroup.

Said Graviett, "Matt is a phenomenal pitcher. He keeps you guessing. He didn't have his best fastball today, but he still did a great job."

Stroup won a duel with Dunklin County's highly-regarded left-hander, Justin DePriest, who allowed just an unearned run until the bottom of the seventh inning, when Chaffee pulled away by scoring three times.

Chaffee went ahead 1-0 in the third as John O'Rourke reached on an error and scored on Josh Eftink's two-out double.

That's the way things stood until the seventh, when Chaffee gave Stroup plenty of breathing room. With one out, O'Rourke walked. One out later, Eftink ripped a ground-rule double, with O'Rourke having to stop at third. Todd Friend came through with a two-run triple and then scored on a wild pitch.

Friend matched Eftink with two hits to lead Chaffee's seven-hit attack. DePriest had three of Dunklin County's seven hits while Nathan Baker added two.

Earlier Saturday against Poplar Bluff, Brian Obermann pitched six strong innings after having also started but struggling during Friday night's wild 12-11, 10-inning victory over Sikeston.

Obermann, who was lifted after 4 2/3 innings Friday, hurled six innings Saturday, allowing four hits and three earned runs. He fanned six and walked three. Eftink hurled the final frame of the run-rule contest in perfect fashion.

"Brian came back and did his job," said Graviett. "That was huge for us. It kept our pitching intact."

Stroup had three of Chaffee's 14 hits. O'Rourke and Andrew DePeder added two each. Stroup, O'Rourke and Brad Kolwyck all drove in three runs.

Kurt Humphrey belted a three-run homer to lead Poplar Bluff (19-16).

Late Friday night, Chaffee scored a run in the bottom of the 10th to stay alive and eliminate Sikeston. Eftink singled, went to second on Friend's sacrifice and came home on Garrett Cook's single.

Cook had two hits and four RBIs. Friend had three hits while Eftink, DePeder and Adam Friga added two each.

Justin Simpher, Chaffee's solid No. 2 hurler who will start today, pitched three scoreless and hitless innings for the win.

"Justin has looked good this week," said Graviett. "He's a big-game pitcher who will give us a chance (today)."