Sikeston blanks Chaffee

SIKESTON -- Jerod Scott tossed a tidy two-hit shutout to tame Chaffee in Sikeston's 7-0 win on Monday.

The SEMO Conference game was a makeup of an earlier rainout.

Chaffee's struggling offense once again failed to produce as Red Devil starter Chris Hanback kept the score close, 2-0, after five innings.

"Same old, same old. We've been playing pretty well of late, defensively and pitching, but getting no run support," said Chaffee coach Brian Horrell. "If you break the game of baseball down into three facets, pitching, defense and offense, I think we've been playing pretty well in two of three of those areas, but unfortunately, if you don't score, you can't win."

Sikeston (13-10, 5-4 in conference) broke a scoreless tie with two runs in the third inning.

No. 8 hitter Austin Williams, who went 3-for-3, punched a one-out flare past shortstop to ignite the Bulldogs' offense. Williams stole second ahead of Cody Black, who was hit by a pitch.

Leadoff hitter Scott Droddy then rifled a single up the middle to score Williams. Scott followed with a ground single through the hole at short which plated Black for a 2-0 lead.

Scott, never in trouble, set the Red Devils down in order five of the seven innings he worked. He struck out 11, seven looking, with two walks. Backed by a flawless Sikeston defense, Scott only faced three over the minimum.

"We talked about making adjustments, mentally and physically, with two strikes," said Horrell, on his team's high strikeout total. "You've got to fight up there, keep fouling off close pitches until you get one that you can handle.

"We're trying everything we know to get 'em going, as far as fundamental drills, soft toss and tee work. The kids are receptive to the work, we're just not getting it done."

With the score holding at 2-0, Sikeston stranded the bases full in the third and fourth innings.

"I was kind of worried there for a while--Hanback was throwing the ball pretty good and 2-0 is not enough," Self said. "You just never know. That was a big sixth inning for us."

In the sixth, Cody Anderson, hitting seventh in the lineup, led off with a sharp single to left field. Williams poked a single to right ahead of Black's sacrifice bunt which advanced the runners to second and third.

"The lower part of my lineup swung the bats pretty good," said Sikeston coach Kevin Self.

Droddy, appearing confused about the sign from Self, laid down a bunt that was fielded by Hanback, but the second baseman covering first was ruled to have missed the bag. So, instead of runners at second and third with two outs, the bases were loaded with one out.

"The squeeze was not on," said Self. "I didn't really want him (Droddy) to bunt, because he's swinging the bat so well. I was having my guy on third bluff (toward home) to try to get a wild pitch but it worked out for us either way."

Scott saw to that, tagging a three-run double in the gap in left-centerfield for a 5-0 advantage. Scott was thrown out trying to stretch his hit to a triple.

Following a walk to Josh Jackson, who moved to second on a wild pitch and then on to third on a balk, cleanup hitter Tyler Baker smashed a two-run homer over the wall in left-centerfield to increase the lead to 7-0.

"We hit more balls hard in the sixth inning than we did the whole game," said Self.

Behind Williams perfect 3-for-3 day at the plate, Droddy went 3-for-4 with a RBI and Scott 2-for-4 with a team-leading four RBIs. Baker was 1-for-2 with two RBIs. Chase Ferrell and Anderson stroked one hit apiece.

Chaffee's two hits were split between Hanback and Andy Hendrix.

Chaffee (8-14, 0-10) concluded a winless conference season with two other losses to conference opponents coming in the conference tournament.

"We've been in ballgames; we just can't get over the hump," said Horrell. "We've been giving different kids opportunities and we still haven't found the right combination, but we're going to keep looking for it."

Chaffee visits East Prairie today at 4 p.m.

Sikeston closes out the regular season hosting NMCC in a SEMO Conference game on Wednesday at 4 p.m.

ORAN -- Oran pounded New Madrid County Central 11-4 on Monday at Oran.

Oran (18-4), officially the visiting team, led throughout holding NMCC to single runs in the second, third, fourth and fifth innings behind the complete-game pitching of Austin Dumey.

Dumey gave up two earned runs on seven hits with five strikeouts and two walks.

Kody Campbell (3-3, 2 RBI), Dumey (3-4), Chase Seyer (2-4, 4 RBI) led the 12-hit Oran offense.

Andy Gantner (3-3, home run, double, RBI) and Trey Sullenger (2-3, RBI) topped NMCC's offense.

Kyle Marshall took the loss for NMCC.

Oran hosts Bell City today at 4 p.m.