Community Sports

CHARLESTON - There are obstacles for the McDonald’s Fighting Squirrels to reach the 2021 Babe Ruth Baseball 16-18 World Series in Mobile, Ala., not the least of which was trying to beat their rival, the Southeast Tropics, in the Regional and State Tournaments last week.

Cape Catfish starting pitcher Jalen Borders wasn’t especially sharp in his outing Saturday at Springfield. However, with a Catfish offense that pounded out 12 hits and scored 17 runs, Borders didn’t need to be great.

The Cape Catfish got off to a fast start in Sunday’s Prospect League game against Springfield, as the hosts took early leads of 2-0 and 5-2 before hanging on for a 5-4 victory at Capaha Field.

The Cape Catfish put two runs on the board early in Friday's game against Springfield but ultimately fell to the Sliders after giving up a six-run fifth inning. Catfish pitcher Colten Weber was solid through four innings, allowing just two hits and striking out four...

The Cape Catfish scored a total of 22 runs on Thursday night, sweeping a doubleheader on the road against the Normal CornBelters. In the opener, both teams combined for 27 hits and 31 runs, but it was the Catfish who picked up the victory 19-12 in seven innings. Cape had 17 hits, two home runs and six extra-base hits en route to victory...

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Todd Obergoenner bounced back from a rough morning round Thursday with an even-par 71 to finished tied for 24th at the 24th Missouri Stroke Play Championship. The Cape Girardeau golfer shot 76 in his first round playing 36 holes on a hot day at Twin Oaks Country Club. He finished at 3-over 287 for the tournament...

CHARLESTON – The numbers from Tuesday’s Babe Ruth Midwest Plains Regional Tournament championship game, as they pertained to McDonald’s Fighting Squirrel pitcher Luke Nichols, didn’t necessarily lie, but boy, were they deceiving.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Todd Obergoenner, Adam Friga, Brevin Giebler and Alex Wiseman made the cut Wednesday at the 24th Missouri Stroke Play Championships. The area golfers will play 36 holes Thursday at Twin Oaks Country Club to wrap up the event. Jack Parker of Columbia will take a one-shot lead into the final day after a 6-under-par 65 second round put him 9-under for the tournament...

Cape Catfish catcher Mason Speirs blasted his second home run of the season in the first inning of Tuesday night’s game against the O’Fallon Hoots. “It’s kind of funny actually,” Speirs said. “I asked Gio (Giovanni Del Negro) the at-bat before — because he got jammed a little bit — what the pitch was, and he was like, ‘Inside fastball.’...

WAITE PARK, Minn. — The Sikeston 9u All-Stars won the Cal Ripken 9 year old Midwest Plains Regional Tournament Tuesday morning in Waite Park, Minnesota. Sikeston defeated DGF, Minnesota, 11-1 Tuesday, avenging their only loss in the regional. Sikeston defeated Waite Park, Minnesota 8-0; Bemidji, Minnesota 9-1 and West Fargo, North Dakota 20-5 in pool play while dropping their game with DGF by a close 5-4 score...

The Scott County Cardinals won the Midwest Plains 8 year old machine pitch regional in Harper, Kansas. The team will compete in the Cal Ripken 8 year old World Series June 30-Aug. 8 in Ocala, Florida. Team members are: Isaac LeGrand, Kolbey Landewee, Ridge Glastetter, Hollis Collier, Gunner Uhrhan, Canon Graham, Johnny Drake, Lincoln Eskew, Bennett Ressel, Tristan LeDure, Drew Benson and Drake Arteme. Coaches are: Tommy Arteme, Dustin Benson, Steve Drake, Chase Eskew and Jordan LeDure...

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. - Serv Pro scored 12 runs on five hits to win the Poplar Bluff Park Dept. Pony League Tournament championship. With Nortek Global HVAC missing its top two pitchers, who were away on vacation, Serv Pro drew 11 walks to win 12-0 in four innings...

Cape Catfish manager Steve Larkin went with his big left-hander, Jalen Borders, on the mound to start the game Sunday against the 20-25 Alton River Dragons at Capaha Field, and boy did Borders deliver, throwing six shutout, two-hit innings for Cape, leading the home team to an 8-2 win...

With the top three teams in the West – Prairie Land Division of the Prospect League each having won six of their past 10 games, the margin for the first-place Cape Catfish isn’t much in staying atop the division.

The Cape Capahas got five shutout innings from starting pitcher Austin Dill, including just one hit surrendered, as Dill struck out seven and walked just one, leading the Capahas to an 8-0 win over Waterloo on Friday. “He (Dill) was the pitcher of the year in the league last year and when he’s on the mound we know we have a good chance to win against any opponent,” Capahas fifth-year manager Tom Bolen said about his starting pitcher...

The Cape Catfish outhit the Alton River Dragons 12-6, but mistakes would come back to bite the ‘Fish in a 7-2 loss Thursday night at Capaha Field. Catfish pitcher Kyle Potthoff was solid through four innings, allowing just two hits and two earned runs while striking out five...

SMITHVILLE, Mo. — Ella Overstreet beat Kaydi Rhodes in a playoff as the Jackson golfers tied for the top spot in their age division Wednesday at the 37th Missouri Junior Amateur at the Paradise Pointe Golf Complex. Anna Bell of Jackson and Landon Barks of Poplar Bluff both earned runner-up finishes in their age groups...

The umpires may have been late getting to the ballfield Wednesday night, but the Cape Catfish showed up early in the game against the Alton River Dragons. The delay due to the officials' tardiness didn't affect Cape as the Catfish put five runs on the board in the first inning, thanks in part to a grand slam from infielder Jackson Jarvis, and the Catfish toppled the River Dragons 7-1 at Lloyd Hopkins Field in Alton, Ill...

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. - Pitching depth proved crucial as the Poplar Buff Park Department Little League Championship closed in on the 3-hour mark. Down two runs heading into the sixth inning, Century 21 scored 10 runs, largely on free bases, and in the bottom of the sixth Tylen Duckett got two strikeouts and a routine grounder to first to give Century the 15-8 win over Focus Therapy...

The Cape Catfish dug themselves a hole early Tuesday against the Danville Dans. Starting pitcher Jalen Borders allowed seven runs — three earned — and gave up six hits in just 2 2/3 innings of work, and the Catfish defense recorded three errors in the first two innings of an 8-2 loss to the Dans (21-16) at Capaha Field...

Trailing 3-0 in the bottom of the second inning, Southeast Tropics 19U first baseman Jeffery Miller took matters into his own hands. Miller hit a hard ground ball to left field scoring both runners already on base. The Tropics would score three more runs in the inning to beat the McDonald's Fighting Squirrels 5-3 on Monday at Capaha Field to win the 2021 Babe Ruth State Championship...

The Cape Catfish snapped a 2-2 tie with Quincy on Sunday at Capaha Field by scoring six runs in the fifth inning and eventually holding on for an 8-5 win in Prospect League action.

The Cape Catfish attempted to rally late in the game against the O'Fallon Hoots but were unable to produce enough runs to overcome their rival on Friday night at CarShield Field. The Catfish recorded four more hits than the Hoots (23-14), but ultimately lost 9-6...

CHARLESTON - There is no shortage of top-quality high school baseball players throughout the Semoball.com area, so selecting just 10 players to be nominated for the 2021 Semoball Award for the Boy’s Baseball Athlete of the Year is a difficult task.

Sean Bard didn’t expect to return to the Cape Capahas this season but is enjoying the opportunity to play baseball again. “I was umpiring at a little league game, and Tom Bolen, the head coach, his son was in the game,” Bard said. “He saw me there and he’s like, ‘You still look good and young, why don’t you just come out and play.’ I hadn’t really thought of it and when he mentioned it, I just kept thinking about it and I just wanted to play. ...

The Cape Catfish swept a doubleheader against the Clinton LumberKings Thursday night at NelconCorp Field. In the opener, Cape scored three runs in the first inning and never looked back, defeating Clinton 5-2. Catfish infielder Kolten Poorman hit his first home run of the season in the first inning. The home run was the Three Rivers freshman’s lone hit of the game...

Sarah Bell - former two-time high school golf state champion at Notre Dame - took home the 2021 Women's Amateur Championship after shooting a three-round total of 203 at Mules National Golf Course in Warrensburg, Mo. Bell shot 2-under par Thursday to leap back over Columbia native Michelle Butler for the lead. Bell finished 7-under par for the event...

Sarah Bell - former two-time high school golf state champion at Notre Dame - took home the 2021 Women's Amateur Championship after shooting a three-round total of 203 at Mules National Golf Course in Warrensburg, Mo. Bell shot 2-under par Thursday to leap back over Columbia native Michelle Butler for the lead. Bell finished 7-under par for the event...

A group of area athletes recently qualified for the AAU Junior Olympics in track and field by advancing from the regional meet as members of the Cleats of Fire team. Clayton Bell Jr., Hannah Bond, Gabby Brown, Benjamin Dowdy, Jaylin Dudley, Lyrica Dudley, Starlyn Edwards, Jamya Hagerman-Buttrom, Zionah Johnson, Nya Noble-Romero, Calls Price, Chance Scott and Nia Stromas each qualified in at least one event competing at the Region 15 AAU National Qualifier held last week in Pacific, Missouri...

CHARLESTON – McDonald’s Fighting Squirrels manager Michael Minner is in his 17th season of guiding the summer baseball team, so he has learned what it takes to succeed in the postseason.

The Cape Catfish's Wednesday night game against the Clinton LumberKings was postponed due to rain and, instead, both teams will play a doubleheader Thursday in Clinton, Iowa. The Catfish (21-14) are coming off a thrilling 13-12 road victory against the Quincy Gems (17-17) and were slated for a two-day series against the LumberKings (14-20) before Wednesday night's postponement...

Twice in Tuesday’s Prospect League game at Quincy did the Cape Catfish trail by five runs. However, the ‘Fish exploded for seven runs in the eighth inning and eventually held off the rallying Gems for a 13-12 victory.

The Holy Smokes Track Club had a lot of success at Saturday’s AAU Region 15 Qualifier - the team’s first meet - qualifying 16 athletes in 27 events for the AAU Junior Olympic Games. “I’m extremely impressed with how we performed in our first season,” Holy Smokes coach Brady Vetter said. “Other than our high school athletes I don’t think any of our younger ones have ever really been to an organized track meet.”...

The Cape Catfish rallied from a 4-0 deficit with four runs in the fourth inning on Sunday at Alton. However, the host River Dragons answered with four runs over their final four at-bats to win the Prospect League game 8-5.

After opening the second half of the Prospect League summer schedule with a pair of victories, the Cape Catfish came back to Earth in resounding fashion Saturday, as they fell at Alton 20-1.

The Cape Catfish hit three home runs in a back-and-forth slugfest, and Cameron Rountree hit a walk-off single in the bottom of the eleventh to beat the Springfield Sliders for their 20th win of the season. The walk-off single was Rountree's lone hit of the night, but the Wright State product finished the game with two RBIs en route to a 9-8 victory on Friday at Capaha Field...

Cape Catfish infielder Zack Beekmann showed out against the Springfield Sliders Thursday night. The Buena Vista sophomore hit his second home run of the season — a two-run bomb in the eighth inning — and the Catfish started the second half of the season with a 5-2 win at Robin Roberts Stadium in Springfield, Ill...

Cape pitcher Jalen Borders had a solid outing in the Catfish’s final game of the first half of the season, but it wasn’t enough to take down the O’Fallon Hoots in a game that would decide the winner of the West - Prairie Land Division in the first half of the season...

Notre Dame track and field assistant coach Brady Vetter has assembled a team to compete at the 2021 AAU Region 15 Qualifier on Saturday in Pacific, Mo. Any athlete who finishes in the top six in running events, top five in field events and top four in multi-events will advance to the AAU Junior Olympic Games in Humble, Texas...

The Cape Catfish swept a road doubleheader Tuesday against the O'Fallon Hoots to claim sole possession of first place in the Prospect League’s West-Prairie Land Division. The Catfish (18-11) have won six straight games and eight out of their last 10...

Poplar Bluff’s Kinsley Gibbs, Gracie Brown and Gracie Muse qualified in 14 total events for the 2021 AAU Junior Olympics in Houston. Brown and Gibbs both qualified in the 200-meter freestyle, 100 freestyle, 50 freestyle and 100 backstroke events in the 13-14-year-old division on Saturday at the R.W. Huntington Municipal Pool in Poplar Bluff...

Burlington tallied 10 hits and scored a total of seven runs spread out over four innings in Sunday’s game against the Cape Catfish at Capaha Field. Good for the Bees.

With the game knotted at three runs each for the Cape Catfish and the Burlington Bees in the bottom of the 11th inning and the bases full of Catfish runners, Burlington relief pitcher K.J. Baker walked infielder Diego Johnson, scoring pinch-runner Chad Donze from third base, giving the Catfish a 4-3 walk-off victory, taking the first game of a quick two-game series at Capaha Field on Saturday...

The Cape Catfish exploded for five runs in their opening at-bat on Thursday against Burlington, which coupled with an outstanding outing on the mound from starting pitcher Jalen Borders, was enough to propel the ‘Fish to a 10-5 road win.

The Cape Catfish were only able to play five minutes of their Friday night road contest against the O'Fallon Hoots before the game was postponed due to bad weather. Just three Catfish batters - Andrew Stone, Diego Johnson and Mason Speirs - had a chance at the plate before the umpires halted the game for a rain delay. None were able to reach base...

Infielder Diego Johnson wasted little time putting the Cape Catfish on the board Wednesday night, hitting his first home run of the season - a two-run shot - en route to a 7-5 victory over the Burlington Bees at Community Field. Johnson went 1-for-5 on the game with two RBIs, the home run being his lone hit...

Cape Catfish outfielder Ellison Hannah II had a good night at the plate Tuesday, but it wouldn't be enough to overcome the visiting O'Fallon Hoots at Capaha Field. The Indiana State product hit a three-run home run in the first inning - his third of the year - and a triple in the eighth...

The Coach Gene Bess Basketball Camp is accepting registrations for its week-long summer camps. Registration forms are available at raidersathletics.com. There is a co-ed camp from July 5-9 and a boys camp from July 12-16. Each camp costs $215 per player and will include two sessions and a meal, limited insurance, T-shirts, participation certificates, and awards for outstanding performance...

The Cape Catfish trimmed a 4-1 deficit to a one-run game on Saturday at Quincy, but the Gems added a couple of runs in their final at-bat, which sealed a 6-3 win for the hosts.