Mineral Area gets wake-up call
CAPE GIRARDEAU — The Mineral Area Baseball Association (MABA) 13-year-olds, just fresh off their district championship, jumped headlong into the Missouri Babe Ruth State Championships, but it took only four batters before their enthusiasm waned and their play turned from championship style to less than All-Star quality.
SEBA, MABA’s opponent from the Cape area, rallied from their early three-run lead to win the tournament’s opening game 13-1 over Mineral Area in six innings.
After lead-off batter Josh Haggerty walked to start the game, SEBA linked together three hits, the last being a two-run triple by Griffin Siebert to score both Luke Haines and Michael Nelson who had reached on singles.
Starting pitcher Judd Weible had to strike out the last three batters to get out of the inning. Strike-outs seemed to be the only way SEBA batters were put out in the first three innings as Mineral Area utilized three pitchers who recorded seven of the nine outs with a K.
Everything hit By SEBA was either a safe hit (seven in three innings) or one of five errors by Mineral Area’s defense. Mineral Area made a total of eight in the game which also matched the number of walks issued by their four pitchers.
SEBA had 12 hits in all with Siebert going 3-4 with three RBI. Nelson was 2-3 with two RBI, and Jeff Legrand was 2-4 with two RBI.
MABA faced early extinction as SEBA jumped out to a 9-1 lead after three innings. MABA’s lone run was jump-started by Trevor Mason with a lead-off double in the second. Mason gained third base on an wild pick-off throw, and was able to score on a sacrifice fly to left field by Jesse Schwent.
MABA had runners in scoring position in each of the six innings played, but they could not collect despite being given six free passes as SEBA’s starting pitcher Haggerty and reliever Haines combined to only give up five hits.
Mineral Area recorded two hits in the final inning for their only multi-hit inning. Again it was a Mason-Schwent combination, with Mason hitting a one-out double and Schwent following one out later with a single.
SEBA’s defense stood strong, committing only the one pick-off error, and turning a double play in the fifth inning. Mineral Area’s runners were also picked off twice.
The MABA All-Stars will have to pick up their game today at 1:30 p.m. at Notre Dame Highs School’s field as they start the hard road back through the lower bracket with one more loss meaning elimination.
SEBA 342 013 – 13 12 1
MABA 010 000 – 1 5 8
WP- Josh Haggerty 3i 1r 2h 2k 3bb, Luke Haines 3i 0r 3h 3k 3bb.
Hitting:
SEBA – Griffin Siebert 3-4, Michael Nelson 2-3, Jeff Legrand 2-4, Luke Haines 1-2, Tyler Myers 1-2, Duncan McKinley 1-2, Matthew Hayes 1-2, Josh Daumie 1-3. 2b- Haines.
MABA – Trevor Mason 2-3, Jesse Schwent 1-2, Dyllon Parmley 1-3, Levi Earnest 1-3. 2b- Mason 2.
