Baseball

For the first time in eight years, the Holcomb Hornets baseball squad is set to begin its fall campaign under a new head coach. Marty Young, who served as varsity girls basketball coach at Holcomb last season, is taking over for longtime coach Matt Casper who is leaving the baseball program to be the new head softball coach at Holcomb...

The Senath-Hornersville Lions high school baseball squad enters its fall campaign looking to make noise with a slew of returning starters. The Lions return seven starters off of last season’s squad that went 3-11 in the fall and 10-11 in the spring...

A swarm of Charleston players dogpiled on Sikeston’s Will Pratt, Sunday afternoon, as the former Bulldog recorded the final out of the Babe Ruth World Series, and a championship for the Fighting Squirrels — the first one in program history. Charleston defeated Mobile, Alabama, 4-1 behind strong pitching and timely hitting...

No longer will Missouri high schools have to wait to see an enrollment spike or drop take effect. Beginning this year, the Missouri State High School Activities Association will release new class and district assignments annually. The goal is to make sure schools of similar size are competing against one another, accounting for sudden, drastic shifts in student enrollment...

Charleston is just two wins away from claiming a World Series championship, as the Fighting Squirrels went 3-1 in pool play to earn the No. 1 seed — in the American Division — at the Senior Babe Ruth World Series in Jamestown, New York. The Fighting Squirrels face West End, Williamsport, Penn., in the semifinals today at 5 p.m. The winner of the game advances to the championship game, which will be on Saturday, at 1 p.m...

SIKESTON — Sikeston junior infielder Nate Self committed to play collegiate baseball at the University of Tennessee-Martin on Monday, Aug. 6. In his junior campaign for the Bulldogs, Self led the team in batting average, at .432, runs, with 36, hits, with 38, doubles, with nine and home runs — with six...

Charleston will embark to the Empire State for the Senior Babe Ruth World Series, starting this weekend, in Jamestown, New York. The Fighting Squirrels begin the tournament in pool play, where they play four games in five days, from Saturday to Wednesday, August 8. The Michael Minner-led team takes on Southern Tier at 7:30 p.m., on Saturday in its first game...

Everyone has dreams. And for those who realize those dreams in some form or fashion, most have an idea, even if only in a hazy scene that plays out in the back of their mind, of how they'd most like to see that dream come to its conclusion. Many in the baseball community in Cape Girardeau and the surrounding areas know John Rice -- he has been the voice of so many area teams during the past decade. ...

Headline Local baseball athletes make Future Games Hunter Hiett, junior at Central Junior High School, and Brayden Eftink, junior at Notre Dame High School, have been selected to participate in the upcoming Future Games. These games will take place next week in Indianapolis, IN. The Future Games are the premier summer scouting event for class 2020 prospects. More than 250 college coaches and pro scouts from all over the country are expected to attend...

Behind stellar pitching and hot hitting, Charleston was able to go undefeated at the Midwest Plains Regional in Bismarck, North Dakota from Friday, July 20 to Monday, July 23. In pool play, the Fighting Squirrels went 3-0, defeating Bismarck, Scott County, and East Twins. In all three games, Charleston outscored their opponents 33-3 — the largest run differential of any team in the tournament...

Regional action begins, as the Charleston Fighting Squirrels will battle for a regional championship at the Midwest Plains Regional, at Bismarck Municipal Ballpark in Bismarck, North Dakota, with games going from today to Monday, July 23. In this regional, eight teams were broken up into two different pools, with the two best teams from each pool advancing to bracket play on Monday. Every team is guaranteed three games in its respective pool, as pool play will take place from Friday to Sunday...

Ultimate Baseball Senior Babe Ruth of Kennett is set to begin play at the Midwest Plains Regional in Bismarck, North Dakota, Friday after placing second at the Missouri State Tournament in Charleston on July 8. “We are excited,” Ultimate Baseball coach Tony Sandifer said. “We are going to be without a couple of our big-time guys so we will see how we end up playing. But we’ve still got some good arms so if we can generate some offense and minimize our errors on defense we should be OK.”...

Student-athletes from across Southeast Missouri were recognized for their outstanding achievements Saturday night at the region’s premier sports award show. More than 150 athletes from 57 area high schools were on hand for the Fifth Annual Semoball Awards presented by SoutheastHEALTH at the Donald C. ...

The wait is finally over. The fifth Annual Semoball Awards presented by SoutheastHEALTH kicks off Saturday. Southeast Missouri's premier sports award show will welcome more than 150 student-athletes from 57 area high schools to the Bedell Performance Hall on Southeast Missouri State's River Campus for an evening of recognition and celebration...

SIKESTON — The summer season came to an end on Friday for Sikeston, as it fell to Perryville Senior Legion 11-2 in the loser’s bracket of the Senior Babe Ruth District Tournament at VFW Memorial Stadium in Sikeston. Sikeston dropped both of its games that it played in in the tournament and finished the season without recording a victory on the schedule...

SIKESTON — Sikeston continues to ride the struggle bus, and Wednesday did not help make the ride any more joyful, as it fell to South Pemiscot Senior Legion in five innings in the first round of the Senior Babe Ruth District Tournament at VFW Memorial Stadium in Sikeston...

Three local baseball players competed for the Gamers Blue 17U team from June 25 to July 6, at the Perfect Game Showcase and the Perfect Game 17U National Championship in Cartersville, Georgia. Sikeston’s Nate Self, Carson Aycock of East Prairie, and Landon Tenkhoff from Chaffee all helped the Gamers finish 38th out of 392 teams at the event...

CHARLESTON, Mo – Through the first two days of the Missouri Senior Babe Ruth State Tournament the defending championship Charleston Fighting Squirrels have been firing on all cylinders. On Friday the Squirrels scored in each of the first four innings while starting pitcher Will Ferrell dominated on the mound to down the Wayne County Perfectos 11-1 in five innings via the mercy rule...

CHARLESTON, Mo. — The first round of the 2018 Senior Babe Ruth State Tournament got underway at Hillhouse Park in Charleston on Thursday, as Charleston took on the SEMO Spartans. Charleston scored in every inning of the game en route to a 10-4 victory...

CHARLESTON, Mo. - The hot hitting continued for the Charleston Fighting Squirrels Saturday at the Missouri Senior Babe Ruth State Tournament at Hillhouse Park in Charleston. The Fighting Squirrels scored in double digits for a third straight game as it hammered its way past the Southeast Tropics 12-2 in five innings in a third round contest...

Tyson Campbell, who is a 2014 Kennett graduate, recently received another accolade following his impressive campaign on the baseball diamond for Lyon College in Batesville, Ark. The right-handed hurler was recently named to the 2018 All-Arkansas Collegiate Team...

CHARLESTON, Mo. - Ultimate Baseball enjoyed a 3-0 lead at the end of the top of the third inning but made too many mistakes the rest of the way to secure a victory against the Charleston 18U Squirrels Thursday. Charleston 18U scored four runs in the bottom of the third inning to move ahead 4-3 and added another run in the fifth and sixth innings as it beat Ultimate Baseball 6-4 in Game 1 of the Senior Babe Ruth State Tournament at Hillhouse Park in Charleston...

By Alex Wallner sports@standard-democrat.com Drew Reischman had a memorable season on the diamond this past season for Oran, as he led the Eagles to the programs’ first state championship since 2013 and second state title in program history. The senior finished the regular season with a .523 batting average, 34 RBI, 29 runs scored, and a .750 slugging percentage in 26 games played...

CHARLESTON, Mo. — It was a hot and steamy afternoon for the final day of the #GoNuts Classic at Hillhouse Park in Charleston, Missouri, on Saturday. Only two of the three scheduled games on Saturday finished, as the Wayne County Perfectos did not have enough players to play against Charleston in the final game of the day; canceling the game in the process...

Meet the 12 selections ...

When Bryan Austin would come to Jackson Indian Stadium this past summer to mow the grass and work on the field, often someone was already there. In the bullpen, and usually by himself, Jackson junior Tyler Martin would be working with a medicine ball or refining his pitching technique. Austin and Martin didn't interact much, but the coach took note...

SIKESTON – Last weekend Paragould, Ark. American Senior Legion Post 17 watched the Charleston Fighting Squirrels come to their town and snatch the title from them in the Glen Sain Tournament. On Friday, Post 17 got their revenge, as they came up and beat the host Squirrels in the #GoNuts Classic 6-3, in a game that ended in six limits due to the time limit...

The schedule has been altered for the highly anticipated Go Nuts Classic.

SIKESTON — Miscues hurt Sikeston in its loss to Perryville Tuesday at VFW Memorial Stadium in Sikeston. The Silver Sox finished with three errors in the 5-0 loss, and could not capitalize on five errors by Perryville. Perryville was able to attack early, scoring four runs in the first two innings...

PARAGOULD, Ark. - The long ball continued to be the Charleston Fighting Squirrels’ best friend Sunday night in the championship of the Glen Sain Tournament at Francis Bland Park in Paragould. The Fighting Squirrels hit a pair of home runs for a third straight game as it slugged its way past defending champion Paragould Legion 3-0 in the title game...

Less than a month ago, Oran baseball and St. Vincent girls soccer won Class 1 state championships, capping off a successful spring for area schools. Four teams, three in girls soccer and one in baseball, advanced to the final four with Jackson girls soccer making history by reaching state for the first time in program history...

PARAGOULD, Ark. - The Charleston Fighting Squirrels plated runs in each of the first four innings it batted as it slugged its way past the Ultimate Baseball Athletics 9-7 in a championship semifinal of the Paragould Glen Sain Tournament Saturday. “It’s about scoring more runs that the other team,” said Charleston coach Michael Minner, who’s squad hit two home runs for a second straight game. ...

SIKESTON — It was a walk-off-filled day during the SEMO Challenger Classic at VFW Memorial Stadium in Sikeston on Saturday, as the Southeast Tropics used a pair of walk-off hits to secure the inaugural tournament title. GAME 1 In the first semifinal game of the day, the Tropics defeated the host Sikeston Silver Sox 7-6, behind a five-run sixth inning...

PARAGOULD, Ark. - The Charleston Fighting Squirrels and Ultimate Baseball Athletics both found a way to escape with one-run victories in their respective quarterfinal contests Friday afternoon at the Paragould Glen Sain Tournament. Cole Nichols and Bobby Wright both hit a home run to help propel the Charleston Fighting Squirrels past traditional powerhouse Mountain Home (Ark.) Legion 4-3 in Game 1 Friday...

It's been many years -- few tougher than the most recent one -- since Terry Kitchen sat in his home as a child, listening to older brother Paul, "Bub" as he called him, regale him with stories from the latest Cape Girardeau Central High School baseball practice or game...

Five baseball players from Pemiscot and Dunklin Counties have received recognition on the 2018 Missouri Baseball Coaches Association All-State Baseball Team. Malden junior Gavin Bristow was selected as a first-team all-state catcher in Class 3. Bristow batted .432 with three home runs and 26 RBIs...

SIKESTON — Command issues came back to hurt the Sikeston Silver Sox during Tuesday’s 10-1 loss against Jackson Legion at VFW Memorial Stadium in Sikeston. Coming off of a broken jaw, the Silver Sox’s Ethan Kincy took the mound, but struggled to find the strike zone. He went just 2 2/3 innings, giving up six walks and seven wild pitches...

After 10 months, the list is complete. On Monday, the 45 spring sport finalists for the 2018 Semoball Awards were announced during a selection show live on air on SEMO ESPN Radio 1220 AM. In addition to those individual student-athletes, 15 additional nominees were revealed for Coach of the Year, Comeback Player of the Year and Sportsmanship, plus the Lifetime Achievement Award winner...

Gavin Brown and Weston Comstock will see at least one familiar face in the dugout when they begin their college baseball careers at Williams Baptist College this fall. The recent Bernie High School graduates signed recently to play baseball for the NAIA school located in Walnut Ridge, Ark...

KENNETT, Mo. - The summer success continued for the Kennett Indians junior varsity baseball team in Game 1 of a home doubleheader against the Cooter Wildcats Thursday night. Fresh off taking the top prize at the Charleston Invitational Sunday Kennett rallied from a 2-0 deficit to beat Cooter 12-3...

SIKESTON — With the summer just beginning and local sports teams a ways away from starting their respective seasons, comes a carousel of coaching changes. A new voice and vision are used to help struggling programs rise to the top and with that, here is the list of coaching changes for our local teams:...

The 2018 SCAA baseball awards have been released. Bernie’s Gavin Brown is the SCAA Player of the Year. Brown went 6-2 with a 2.93 ERA and struck out 48 in 45 1/3 innings pitched. He also batted .313 with four home runs. Advance coach Chris Asmus is the SCAA Coach of the Year. Advance finished 17-10 and placed second in the SCAA Tournament under Asmus...

Kennett graduate Tyson Campbell wasn’t thinking about receiving All-American accolades before the start of his junior season at Lyon College in Batesville, Ark., in 2018. “I honestly didn’t think about it until it was all said and done,” Campbell said. ...

The 2018 SEMO Conference all-conference baseball awards have been released. Kennett junior Andrew Spence, Kennett senior Ty Ellis, Kennett senior Patrick Maddox, Kennett freshman Payton Heinley and Kennett senior Brenton Tidd have received recognition on the all-conference team...

SIKESTON — Sikeston struggled to get things going early against the Cape Senior Legion team on Wednesday in the first game of a doubleheader at VFW Memorial Stadium in Sikeston. The Silver Sox fell 10-2, as Cooper Crosnoe was able to dictate the game...

The Bootheel Best Baseball Camp is slated to take place June 8 and June 9 at Gideon Baseball Park. Under the leadership of Mark Littel and other area coaches, youth baseball players will participate in throwing, fielding, base running, bunting and hitting exercises...

O'FALLON, Mo. -- When Oran baseball captured the Class 1 state championship Thursday, it wasn't just adding to the program's storied history. It was also showcasing the continued dominance of Southeast Missouri schools in Class 1. The Eagles' second-ever state championship, thanks to a 4-1 win over St. Elizabeth at CarShield Field, was the fifth time in the last six seasons a team from District 2 has claimed the Class 1 state crown...

O'FALLON, Mo. -- Drew Reischman didn't know what to do. The dream he had for years was now a reality. As his teammates came pouring out of the dugout and onto the field, Reischman didn't throw his glove in the air or jump up and down. He slowly walked off the mound and gave his catcher a hug. Then his teammates were on top of him, leaving him at the bottom of the dogpile...

O'FALLON, Mo. -- With the final out recorded and a spot in the championship game secured, Layne Johnson stepped off the mound. Chills spread throughout his body as he walked towards the first-base dugout. Overcome by emotions, Johnson rose his right arm and pointed his index finger to the sky. Thanks to Johnson's complete-game performance on the mound, Oran baseball is now just one win away from its second-ever state championship...