Sikeston tennis beats Charleston

SIKESTON -- The Sikeston boys tennis team split its two most recent matches, losing to Parkway West on Saturday, then defeating Charleston on Monday to go 8-4 on the season.

Sikeston's No. 1 doubles team of Marc Leible and Chris Matthews salvaged the only victory in an 8-1 loss to Parkway West.

The Bulldogs' Logan Hampton and Clayton Matthews battled tough before succumbing to tiebreaker losses.

"We faced a good team in Parkway West," said Sikeston coach Brian James. "It's good to see some tough competition like that right before districts. It gives our guys some different looks from some guys that know how to really play. I thought we competed well."

Results vs. Parkway West

Singles

1. Marc Leible lost to McElvoy, 0-6, 2-6.

2. Chris Matthews lost to Burger, 0-6, 2-6.

3. Grant Ingram lost to McQuin, 2-6, 2-6.

4. Logan Hampton lost to Gitel, 2-6, 6-4, (10-7 tiebreaker).

5. Charlie Jones lost to Mowery, 1-6, 2-6.

6. Clayton Matthews lost to McCalister, 6-3, 1-6, (10-4 tiebreaker).

Doubles

1. Leible/Chris Matthews def. Burger/McElvoy, 8-6.

2. Hampton/Andrew Powell lost to McQuinn/McCalister, 5-8.

3. Jones/Clay Matthews lost to Gitel/Mowery, 3-8.

JV winners: singles: Andrew Powell; doubles: Ingram/Justin Deere.

On Monday, the Bulldogs won five of six singles and two of three doubles matches for a 7-2 win over Charleston.

Said James, "Against Charleston, I saw a lot of improvement out of us and a lot from Charleston's young team from our last meeting."

Highlighting the matches was the No. 1 singles duel between Leible and the Bluejays' Derek Hoppe. Leible, with a one-point advantage at 9-8 in regulation, prevailed in a 9-7 tiebreaker.

"Marc, in singles, had a marathon match, but pulled one out," James said. "Those two are about as even as you can get. They had that incredible match last year in districts and today was about the same."

Charleston turned the tables in the No. 1 doubles with Hoppe and Branum defeating Leible and Chris Matthews in a 7-5 tiebreaker after a 9-8 edge in regulation.

"Again, their top two guys are tough as nails and Marc and Chris played an outstanding doubles match against the probable top seed in the district," added James. "Marc and Chris are 10-2 on the year in doubles, losing only to these guys. It was a great match today."

Results vs. Charleston

Singles 1. Marc Leible def. Derek Hoppe, 9-8 (9-7).

2. Chris Matthews lost to Blake Branum, 3-8.

3. Grant Ingram def. David Holley, 8-2.

4. Logan Hampton def. Josh Patrick, 8-0.

5. Clayton Matthews def. Daniel White, 8-2.

6. Charlie Jones def. Corey Newton, 8-0.

Doubles

1. Leible/Chris Matthews lost to Hoppe/Branum, 8-9 (5-7).

2. Ingram/Craig Millington def. Holley/White, 8-3.

3. Clay Matthews/Jones def. Patrick/Newton, 8-1.

Sikeston visits Dexter today at 3:30 p.m.

MARBLE HILL -- Charleston scored 15 runs in the final two innings to rush past Woodland.

Facing a 6-4 deficit, the Bluejays' big finish resulted in a 19-6 win over the Cardinals on Monday.

Winning pitcher Dustin McCann surrendered all six Woodland runs in a rocky first inning, then settled down to pitch shutout ball the rest of the way.

McCann went the distance for his first win of the season, allowing six runs, one earned, on four hits with five strikeouts and nine walks.

The Jays (7-11) got two hits and four RBIs each from McCann and Josh Marshall. Marshall connected on an inside-the-park home run. Robert Goodin and Billy Butler also collected two hits apiece and Brink Naile drove home three runs.

Charleston (7-11) visits Advance today at 4 p.m.

Chase Rhodes hit two home runs, including a two-run walkoff blast in the bottom of the seventh that lifted Delta to its third win of the season.

After Jerry Seabaugh tied the game with a two-out RBI single, Rhodes capped a four-run inning with his second two-run homer. Rhodes also homered in a four-run Delta third.

Cody Crowden picked up the win with two innings of two-hit relief.

Seabaugh finished 3-for-4, while Caleb Guilliams and Rhodes also had two hits.

FARMINGTON -- Sikeston senior E.C. Atchison earned his fourth trip to state with an 8-over-par 80 at blustery Eagle Lake Golf Club in Farmington in the Class 3 District tournament on Monday.

Atchison, who medaled at state last season with a 12th-place finish, captured a fifth place in the district competition. The top 10 individuals qualify.

"The course played as tough as I've ever seen it," said Sikeston coach Rick Oetting, referring to the cold, windy conditions. "E.C. (Atchison) did a good job focusing on his game to pull out a 5th place finish to qualify for state on May 16-17."

Another Bulldog senior Zed Hagen also earned all-district honors, but fell short of state qualifying, with a round of 89 for a 15th-place tie.

Said Oetting, "I was happy to see Zed (Hagen) shoot so well, he has been our No. 4 man all year and to make all-district was a great achievement."

Martin Schaefer just missed the cut for district honors with a round of 90 while teammates Darris Butler shot 102 and Billy Green 104.

A change in MSHSAA rules, effective for the first time this season, allows only the top team to qualify for state as opposed to the top two in previous years.

North County took the team honors with a score of 330. Sikeston finished sixth in the team standings at 361.

POPLAR BLUFF -- Poplar Bluff broke a scoreless first-half deadlock with three second-half goals in a 3-0 win over Sikeston's girls soccer team on Monday.

Morgan Allen, Brittany Masaro and Chelsea Garner scored the Lady Mules' goals, while Kristen Ploetze assisted on two scores.

Poplar Bluff (7-7-2), which outshot the Lady Bulldogs 14 to eight, scored its first two goals off corner kicks.

Sikeston goalie Audra Wooley stopped 11 shots as the Bulldogs' record dropped to 3-13-1.

Sikeston hosts Farmington today at 5 p.m.

PORTAGEVILLE -- Portageville ran its record to 8-2 with a 17-2 four-inning run-rule romp over South Pemiscot on Monday.

Pitcher Deanna Deere picked up her seventh win of the season and also led the offense with a 3-for-3 day, including a fence-clearing home run to straightaway center field. Deere drove home six runs.

Lauren Kellams and Morgan Lechenette chipped in with two hits and one RBI apiece.

Next up for Portageville is the Bootheel Conference Tournament next week at Senath.