Rachel Crader is the editor of semoball.com. She graduated from the University of Missouri School of Journalism in May of 2009 before spending the summer covering the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas.

Highlights from Rachel's days in college include having a class down the hall from Chase Daniel and having NCAA wrestling champion Ben Askren hold the door open for her at Brady Commons, Mizzou's student center. She spent time covering Mizzou basketball, softball and baseball while working for the Columbia Missourian and is excited to return home to Southeast Missouri to cover local sports for semoball.com.

Rachel has covered three Southeast Missourian Christmas Tournaments for the Southeast Missourian and semoball.com, and she'll see you courtside again this year.

Live Blog: Cape Legion defeats Dunklin County for district title

Posted Monday, July 19, 2010, at 11:10 PM

I'm back at the Notre Dame baseball field for the completion of the American Legion Baseball District 14 tournament. Dunklin County will be facing Cape Girardeau Post 63 for a third time in the tournament, this time in a winner-take-all title game.

Dunklin County took the first matchup between the teams, winning 10-9 on Friday. The Dodgers led 10-2 at one point in that contest. Cape won 5-1 last night behind Skylar Cobb's impressive seven innings of work.

We'll be getting underway at 7 p.m. I'll provide updates below every half-inning.

Cape will be the home team tonight. Ronnie Scott is starting for Cape. Logan Edwards is going for Dunklin County.

Top of First

Garret Stockton was retired to start the game. Jake Welch walked. Parker Watkins grounded out to first. Heath Horvath flied out to center.

Dunklin County 0, Cape 0

Bottom of First

Jake Pewitt popped out to shortstop. Blake Smith struck out. Ryan Grigaitis walked. Dustin Crowden singled. Skylar Cobb singled to right field, scoring Grigaitis. The ball got by right fielder Austin Jackson, allowing Crowden to score. Cobb ended up on third. Jimmy Obermark flied out to left.

Dunklin County 0, Cape 2

Top of Second

Adam Grantham homered to left. Austin Jackson struck out. Aaron Booker struck out. Tyler Thompson grounded out to third.

Dunklin County 1, Cape 2

Bottom of Second

Trent St. Cin flied out to deep (deep) center. Josh Compas walked. Logan Morris popped up high on the infield in front of home plate. Compas, who thought there were two outs in the inning, was caught off first and doubled off.

Dunklin County 1, Cape 2

Top of Third

No. 9 hitter Joe Campbell led off with a single. Garret Stockton got a bunt single on a sacrifice attempt. The ball got between the pitcher and first baseman and no one could get back to the bag in time. A wild pitch allowed both runners to move up. Jake Welch struck out. Parker Watkins hit into a fielder's choice to second. Campbell scored. With Heath Horvath up, Cape catcher Josh Compas picked off Stockton at third.

Dunklin County 2, Cape 2

Bottom of Third

Jake Pewitt flied out to left. Blake Smith singled. Ryan Grigaitis fouled out. Dustin Crowden was hit by a pitch. Skylar Cobb doubled, scoring Smith. Jimmy Obermark hit a 3-run homer. Josh Compas popped out to first.

Dunklin County 2, Cape 6

Top of Fourth

Heath Horvath flied out to center. Adam Grantham doubled. Austin Jackson fouled out to third. Aaron Booker fouled out to first.

Dunklin County 2, Cape 6

Bottom of Fourth

Logan Morris singled. Jake Pewitt flied out to center. Blake Smith singled. Ryan Grigaitis popped up to shortstop. A balk was called while Dustin Crowden was a bat, allowing Morris and Smith to advance. Crowden actually swung at the pitch the balk was called on and flied out to left. That played did not count because of the balk. Crowden grounded out to third a few pitches later.

Dunklin County 2, Cape 6

Top of Fifth

Tyler Thompson singled. Joe Campbell singled. Garret Stockton hit a sacrifice fly to center. Both runners advanced. Jake Welch hit a home run over the right field fence to bring home three runs. Parker Watkins singled. Watkins advanced to second on a wild pitch. Heath Horvath doubled, scoring Watkins. Adam Grantham absolutely crushed a ball to third. Somehow Cape third baseman Dustin Crowden got a glove on it. He couldn't catch it, but he picked it up and threw Grantham out at first.

Jeremy Essner replaced Ronnie Scott on the mound.

Austin Jackson singled, scoring Horvath. Aaron Booker walked. Tyler Thompson struck out.

Cape coach Todd Pennington said this game would come down to who hits better with the pitching staffs depleted...looks like he was right.

Dunklin County 7, Cape 6

Bottom of Fifth

Skylar Cobb tried to bunt his way on and reached on an error by the pitcher. He advanced to second on the play. Jimmy Obermark struck out. Trent St. Cin lined out hard to third. Josh Compas flied out to center.

Dunklin County 7, Cape 6

Top of Sixth

Jeremy Essner is still on the mound for Cape.

Joe Campbell struck out. Garret Stockton singled. Stockton stole second. Jake Welch hit a ball back up the middle that was barehanded by Essner, who threw to first for the out. It was not a slowly hit ball and Essner had to reach to get it, meaning he couldn't have reached it with his glove hand. It was one of the more remarkable plays I've seen in person.

Garret Stockton scored on a wild pitch with Parker Watkins batting. Watkins then reached on an error by centerfielder Jake Pewitt, who lost he ball in the lights and couldn't quite recover. Watkins reached second on the play. Heath Horvath grounded out to first.

Dunklin County 8, Cape 6

Bottom of Sixth

Logan Morris lined out to right. Jake Pewitt grounded out to second. Blake Smith popped up to shortstop.

That's three scoreless innings in a row for Dunklin County pitcher Logan Edwards.

Dunklin County 8, Cape 6

Top of Seventh

Heath Horvath popped out. Austin Jackson walked. Aaron Booker got a bunt single on a sacrifice attempt. Tyler Thompson popped up his bunt attempt to the pitcher for an out. Joe Campbell walked.

Jayden Pobst replaced Essner on the mound with the bases loaded and two outs.

Pobst struck out Dunklin County leadoff batter Garret Stockton to end the top of the inning.

Dunklin County 8, Cape 6

Bottom of Seventh

Ryan Grigaitis popped out to second. Dustin Crowden doubled. Crowden moved to third on a wild pitch. Skylar Cobb popped out to second. Jimmy Obermark hit a foul ball home run distance before eventually walking. Trent St. Cin flied out to the warning track in left-center.

Dunklin County 8, Cape 6

Top of Eighth

Jake Welch struck out. Parker Watkins singled. Watkins moved to second on a wild pitch. Heath Horvath struck out. Adam Grantham popped up to second.

Dunklin County 8, Cape 6

Bottom of Eighth

Josh Compas struck out. Logan Morris walked. Jake Pewitt singled to right, but the ball was misplayed by the rightfielder. Morris scored on the play. Pewitt advanced to third. Pewitt was picked off third by pitcher Logan Edwards after dancing off the base a bit. Blake Smith singled.

Dylan Lynn replaced Edwards on the mound. Two outs.

Ryan Grigaitis singled. Someone ran for Grigaitis. Dustin Crowden was hit by a pitch. He was slow to recover from that blow but eventually took his place on first. I thought it hit him in the front him, but I could be wrong.

Skylar Cobb singled up the middle, scoring Smith and Grigaitis. Jimmy Obermark grounded out to shortstop.

Dunklin County 8, Cape 9

Top of Ninth

Austin Jackson walked. Jackson advanced to second on a balk. Aaron Booker struck out. Tyler Thompson grounded out to the pitcher. Joe Campbell grounded out to first to end the game. Pobst covered first on the play. Dunklin County's fans, players and coaches were all upset with the call.

Comments

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Rachel

Nothing like following your updates and watching the Cards/Phillies. Keep up the good work. Will probably attend some of the Zone games.

-- Posted by mac baseball on Mon, Jul 19, 2010, at 7:40 PM

Rachel Crader
Hi, mac! Thanks for joining me.
Cards 5, Phillies 4

-- Posted by joefrank78 on Mon, Jul 19, 2010, at 7:46 PM
I don't know how the guy doing the broadcasts on prepcasts could be any more "nauseating!" I just hope he never replaces "our man Todd" on the Notre Dame broadcasts!!!!! I can hear this guy all the way from my back yard in Jackson......Yikes!!!

-- Posted by semo7178 on Mon, Jul 19, 2010, at 7:53 PM
Also, why is he calling it the "grand championship?" It's the District Championship, for goodness sakes!

-- Posted by semo7178 on Mon, Jul 19, 2010, at 8:01 PM
Rachel who is pitching for DC and Cape?

-- Posted by SCC1990 on Mon, Jul 19, 2010, at 8:08 PM

Rachel Crader
The starers are still in for both teams. Ronnie Scott for Cape and Logan Edwards for Dunklin County.
Cards 8, Phillies 4

-- Posted by joefrank78 on Mon, Jul 19, 2010, at 8:10 PM
Go Cape!!

-- Posted by crackerjack on Mon, Jul 19, 2010, at 8:20 PM
Still a long way to go before this one's over!

-- Posted by semo7178 on Mon, Jul 19, 2010, at 8:34 PM
Ouch! This broadcast is so "difficult" to endure; wish I'd felt like going to the game!

-- Posted by semo7178 on Mon, Jul 19, 2010, at 8:35 PM
If Edwards keeps the ball down, he does a nice job, he's got a good split finger . If the game stays close, look for Zach Watkins to close the last couple of innings (if he hasn't pitched in a few days).

-- Posted by mac baseball on Mon, Jul 19, 2010, at 9:01 PM
Cape back with the lead! But, broadcast still "killing me!"

-- Posted by semo7178 on Mon, Jul 19, 2010, at 9:47 PM
Rachel so who makes all dist team?

-- Posted by SCC1990 on Mon, Jul 19, 2010, at 10:02 PM
Rachel, what was the deal with Trey Bazzell being put in for Tyler Thompson? Was Thompson in the middle of batting? Was it Bazzell or Thompson that grounded that ball to the pitcher for out 2?

Looked like Bazzell from out here?

-- Posted by sportsfann on Mon, Jul 19, 2010, at 10:05 PM

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