Community Sports

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — The Cape Catfish took a page out of the Alton River Dragons’ playbook in Wednesday night’s 8-3 loss to the Springfield Sliders, playing mostly pitchers in the field while mostly throwing non-pitchers. With the division crown for the second half of the season and a playoff berth locked up, Wednesday’s loss was inconsequential...

Having clinched a playoff berth, the Cape Catfish were determined to have some fun in their final regular-season home game against the Alton River Dragons on Tuesday night. The Catfish had a blast, recording 14 hits in a 13-0 mercy-rule victory at Capaha Field...

Neither of the two local baseball squads got off to the type of starts that they wished for at the 2021 Babe Ruth 16-18 World Series over the weekend in Mobile, Ala.

After Sunday, Cape Catfish outfielder Andrew Stone, who calls Cross Lanes, West Virginia home and attends West Virginia State University, can call himself a Hall of Famer in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, as it was announced prior to first pitch at Capaha Field that Stone was the first member of the Cape Catfish Hall of Fame...

Cape Capahas manager Tom Bolen was hoping to play two final games against the St. Louis Spikes on Saturday to wrap up the regular season, but mother nature had other plans. That seemed to be a common theme in 2021 for the Capahas. In a previous interview, Bolen said the Capahas summer schedule had been riddled with rainouts, pushing the team to end the season by playing 15 games in 17 games...

After clinching the West – Prairie Land Division title 24 hours earlier, the Cape Catfish came back to earth in a 12-2 loss to O’Fallon on Saturday at CarShield Field.

If you ask Cape Catfish manager Steve Larkin, every game and every win is equally important. Friday night’s victory against the Alton River Dragons — the Catfish’s sixth straight win - may be a little more special. The Catfish topped the Dragons 8-4 to claim the West—Prairie Land Division title for the second half of the season, securing a spot in the Prospect League playoffs against the O’Fallon Hoots...

The Cape Girardeau Ford and Sons Senior Legion Post 63 19U baseball team was eliminated in the American Legion Missouri state tournament. Oak Grove Post 379 proved to be Cape's kryptonite, defeating Post 63 twice in two days to eliminate them from the tournament...

The Cape Girardeau Capahas were playing their best baseball of the summer, but making up numerous games in a short amount of time caught up to them on Friday evening, as the Capahas lost both games of the doubleheader, 4-0 and 3-0, to the Valmeyer Lakers, and overall just looked like a team that was worn down...

The Cape Catfish were solid in all aspects of Thursday night’s 10-1 victory — their fifth straight — over the O’Fallon Hoots at Capaha Field. Catfish pitcher Colten Weber threw another gem. The Jackson native struck out eight batters and allowed just four hits and an earned run - a solo home run to open the sixth - in 5 1/3 innings of work...

Poplar Bluff native Noah Burkey remained perfect this summer season on the mound, as he kept the O’Fallon offense at bay and led the Cape Catfish to a 6-2 road win on Wednesday.

The Cape Girardeau Ford and Sons Senior Legion Post 63 19U baseball team avenged a loss on Saturday to Ste. Genevieve Legion Post 150 by opening Sunday's contest with 11 runs in the first inning. Cape Post 63 went on to defeat Ste. Gen Post 150 16-9 to win the American Legion AAA Zone 4 championship in Jackson and advance to the state tournament...

CHARLESTON - As the month of July began, the McDonald’s Fighting Squirrels were more resembling the “faltering” Squirrels than playing like a tough nut to crack. The 16-18-year-old baseball team dropped four of their first six July games and an extended postseason was not a certainty in anyone’s minds.

Capahas manager Tom Bolen put it best when describing what he and his team went through on Tuesday evening when he stated, “It was a long night,” as the Cape Capahas made up two games that were previously rained out on the schedule against the Southeast Tropics, winning the late-night finale, 9-5 at Capaha Field...

Cape Capahas first baseman Sean Bard delivered in game one of a double-header on Tuesday, smashing a walk-off home run to give Cape a 3-2 victory over the Southeast Tropics at Capaha Field. Capahas starting pitcher Kaleb Richards was electric on the mound, throwing seven strong innings, striking out 11 Tropic batters, but would garner a no decision in the game...

In the bottom of the ninth inning, the Cape Catfish were one strike away from beating the West -Prairie Land Division team, the Alton River Dogs, which is nipping at its heels of the first-place ‘Fish.

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.”...