Mineral Area and Kaskaskia split doubleheader

By DONN ADAMSON\Daily Journal Sports Editor

PARK HILLS -- The two teams were undefeated when they met for a doubleheader on Thursday. The Mineral Area Cardinals were 2-0 and the Kaskaskia Blue Devils were 5-0, but one thing was for sure, at least one of the two teams would not be after Thursday's doubleheader.

As it turned out they both left with a marred record. Kaskaskia took the 2-0 opener, and the Cardinals recaptured the second game by a score of 6-5.

What worked great for the Cardinals in Saturday's games with Rend College was their demise on Thursday. Mineral Area, which had turned five double plays on the weekend, had three turned against them by Kaskaskia.

The stellar defense and pitching that the Cardinals displayed on Saturday, became suspect on Thursday with Mineral Area committing six errors and three wild pitches over the twelve innings of play. What did come to life for the Cardinals were their hitting in the second game.

Jeff Scott for Mineral Area and Jake Roberson for Kaskaskia locked into a pitching duel for most of the first game. Roberson allowed only one hit in pitching five innings of shut-out ball for the win. Scott had allowed only three hits in doing the same, but when Scott took the mound in the sixth, the Cardinals game became unraveled.

Ryan Snowden led off the inning with a single and then stole second base to get into scoring position. After recording one out, the Cardinals committed an error, hit a batter, threw the ball away in trying to get a double play, and the Blue Devils scored both of their runs in the inning.

The Cardinals made three threats to score in the game. The first came in the fifth inning when with one out they loaded the bases, but a double play ended their chances. In the sixth inning Marty Clements drew a walk and Ryan Becker singled , only to have another double play cut down the opportunity.

A lead-off double by Aaron Miller in the seventh gave the Cardinals their last hope. Tyler Roseburrow followed with a single, but the next three outs were recorded without a score.

The Cardinals jumped into the lead in the first inning of the second game. Clements drew a two-out walk and the floodgates opened up for the Cardinals. Sean Bard roped the line for a double to score Clements from first. Becker drove in Bard with a single, and Tyler Stahl drove in Becker with a double to right field.

Faulty defense by the Cardinals would allow the Blue Devils to take the lead in the top of the fourth inning. Even though the Blue Devils had four hits in the inning, Mineral Area could have controlled the run count if they had played perfect defense, but instead Kaskaskia scored four runs leaving the bases empty at the end of their turn at bat.

Mineral Area did not cave in Michael Hall led off the bottom of the inning with a single, Ryan Dickerman sacrificed Hall to second. After Drew Horrell walked and Clements was hit by a pitch, Bard drove a ball into the gap to score Hall and Horrell for the lead and winning runs.

Shayn Mabury got the win as he was the pitcher of record when Mineral Area retook the lead. Mabury pitched one and one-third innings, giving up two runs on two hits and a walk and striking out one batter. Matt Holland got the save. Adam Mollett took the loss for Kaskaskia.

FIRST GAME

Kaskaskia 000 002 0 - 2

Mineral Area 000 000 0 - 0

Hitting:

Kaskaskia - Dallas 2, Snowden 1, Rowland 1; SB-Snowden 2; LOB-6.

Mineral Area - Becker 1, Miller 1, Roseburrow 1, Crook 1; 2B-Miller 1; SB-Dickerman 1; LOB-7.

SECOND GAME

Kaskaskia 001 40 - 5

Mineral Area 301 2x -6

Hitting:

Kaskaskia - Dallas 1, Roder 1, Piatt 1, Harpstrite 1, Engele 1; 2B-Roeder; LOB-6.

Mineral Area - Bard 2, Becker 1, Stahl 2, Hulsey 1, Sikes 1, Hall 1; 2B-Bard 2, Stahl 1; LOB-7.