Central and Farmington split the MAAA/JCAA Showcase

By DONN ADAMSON/Daily Journal Sports Editor

SAUGET, IL - The Central Rebels and Farmington Knights played in the MAAA/JCAA Showcase held at the GMC Stadium in Sauget Illinois on Saturday. The 4-3 Rebels took on the 7-1 Herculaneum Blackcats in the opening game. Farmington played Festus in the nightcap.

The Rebels had lost their last three games, but stopped the losing streak with a 7-2 win over the Blackcats. Farmington did not fare so well, losing 8-1 to the Tigers.

In game one, good defense and pitching kept a potent Blackcat offense from generating many runs. Ronnie Calvird did the job on the mound for the win with the help of Justin Forsythe and Brock Boren. The three pitchers did not allow a walk by the Blackcats. Central recorded only one error to Herculaneum's six in the game.

Central had two big innings in the game on offense with three runs in both the third and fifth frames. The Herculaneum bats started to rumble in the later innings, but a double play by the Rebels ended the last threat in the seventh inning.

Farmington 8, Festus 1

The second game blew up in Farmington's face from the start. Festus came out swinging and racked up four runs before the Knights could even touch a bat. The Tigers used only three hits to score the four runs.

Farmington's Josh Taylor hit a double in the bottom of the first, but it was all the offense the Knights could muster in answer to the Tigers start.

The third inning looked to be a momentum changer, but it fizzled out for the Knights. Farmington got up to bat via a double play. With the bases loaded, Kevin King bobbled a catch in the outfield. Thinking the ball was caught, the runner at second tagged up but did not advance , and the Knights took advantage of the gift by throwing to third and then second for the forced double play keeping the run from scoring.

Schuyler Semar walked to start the bottom of the inning and stole second base. Semar would score on a single by Taylor, but the threat ended, and from there on in the game it was all Festus again.

Festus scored three more runs in the fourth inning. The Tigers lead-off batter singled, and then the next two batters turned sacrifice tries into hits to load the bases. A passed ball scored one run, a squeeze bunt scored a second, and a sacrifice fly scored thee third.

West County 7, South Iron 6

LEADWOOD - The West County Bulldogs played the South Iron Panthers in a non-conference baseball game Friday night and was able to pull off a win courtesy of the free passes South Iron's pitchers were giving out. The Bulldogs received 12 walks to record a 7-6 win over the Panthers.

Justin Nettles started the game for the Bulldogs on the mound. Nettles gave up five runs (four earned) on six hits and one walk while striking out two batters before being lifted in the fourth inning for relief pitcher James Abel. Abel gave up only one run on three hits and two walks while striking out six batters in his three and two-thirds innings to record the win.

John Barnett had two hits and two RBI in the game, and Abel and Richard McCoy had one each as the Bulldogs recorded only four hits in the game.