ROUNDUP: Campbell baseball holds off South Pem (09/05/08) By DAR STAFF STEELE -- The Campbell Camels jumped all over South Pemiscot with a six-run lead after four innings lead and went on to a 8-6 victory. Shortstop Zack Jackson had a great day at the plate for the Camels as he went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer and a triple. Jackson had three RBI on the day...

In extra innings, Lady Mules get first win (08/31/08) By DAR STAFF DELTA -- Timely hitting and solid pitching earned the Poplar Bluff softball team its first win of the season Saturday afternoon, a 3-2 eight-inning victory over Delta. Haley Foust led the eighth inning off with a double and then stole third. With two down, she took advantage of a passed ball and gave the Lady Mules the go-ahead run...

ROUNDUP: Doniphan softball slips past Twin Rivers (09/03/08) By DAR STAFF DONIPHAN -- Doniphan scored a run in four different innings as the Donettes moved past Twin Rivers 4-3 Tuesday afternoon. "I thought our kids were really focused," Doniphan coach Brad Phillips said. "In the past, Twin Rivers has really had Doniphan's number and we were fortunate enough to hang in there and battle and get the win."...

Neelyville jumps all over Greenville for win (09/03/08) Tigers get out of gate with six-run first inning

ROUNDUP: Greenville rallies past Ellington 10-9 (08/29/08) By DAR STAFF GREENVILLE -- Greenville rallied for five runs in the sixth inning and got a walkoff single from Tyler Dougherty in the bottom of the seventh to move past Ellington, 10-9, Thursday afternoon. Dougherty finished the game with three hits and two RBIs...

Royals jump on Dons early in 10-1 win (08/29/08) By ALEX ABATE ~ Sports Writer BROSELEY -- Twin Rivers wanted to put its opponent in a hole early Thursday afternoon. The Royals wasted little time as they scratched across three runs in the bottom of the first inning and added five more in the third as they moved past Doniphan, 10-1...

ROUNDUP: Royals turn triple play but fall to Camels (08/27/08) By DAR STAFF Twin Rivers fell to Campbell 8-2 Tuesday afternoon but did turn a triple play in the process. Campbell's Cody Huber popped up a bunt attempt and Royals pitcher Garrett Stockton made a diving catch and threw to Jon Stevenson at second who threw to first base to complete the play...

Offenses rule on fall baseball's opening day (08/26/08) By DAR STAFF The Doniphan Dons got three runs in the first frame on the way to a five-inning 11-1 win over Van Buren. Travis Moe and Ethan King each had two RBIs for the Dons while Zack Swindle had one. "We scored runs, we kind of took what the pitcher gave us," Doniphan coach Jason Rose said. "I was pretty proud overall of how we swung the bats."...

Naylor tries to build off postseason runs (08/26/08) By ALEX ABATE ~ DAR Sports Writer NAYLOR -- Both the Naylor baseball and softball teams are looking to build on productive seasons last year as they head into the fall. The baseball team lost in the district final to Winona and the softball squad lost in the district final as well to Oran...

Doniphan coaches start with the basics (08/22/08) By ALEX ABATE ~ DAR Sports Writer DONIPHAN -- Doniphan's baseball and softball programs are donning new leaders heading into this fall sports season. Jason Rose is taking over the baseball program while Brad Phillips will be leading the softball squad...

Redhawks baseball hosts open tryouts (08/22/08) CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Southeast Missouri State baseball head coach Mark Hogan has announced that the Redhawks will hold open walk-on tryouts at 3 p. m., Wednesday, September 3 at Capaha Field. All interested participants ust be enrolled at Southeast with at least 12 credit hours. They also must be registered with the NCAA Clearinghouse. Players need to arrive at the tryouts in baseball attire...

Clearwater softball back on familiar ground (08/21/08) By ALEX ABATE ~ DAR Sports Writer PIEDMONT -- After a tough off-season, the Lady Tigers are getting back on their feet. The flood last March hit the Clearwater softball team especially hard as it flooded out their field and washed away the dugouts and fencing, leaving virtually nothing familiar. However, with help from the community and others even outside the state, the Lady Tigers field is expected to be ready for their first game...

Stuckey is new coach for Twin Rivers baseball (08/18/08) By ALEX ABATE ~ DAR Sports Writer BROSELEY -- In his playing days, Denver Stuckey was a tough, hard-nosed competitor. After coaching stints at Three Rivers Community College and Oran High School, he is looking to bring that mentality to the Twin Rivers baseball team as its new coach this fall...

New coach to lead Neelyville baseball (08/18/08) Softball program also has a new leader.

Evaluation showcase helps area's baseball players (08/06/08) By ALEX ABATE ~ DAR Sports Writer Puxico's John Smith got set and fired a fastball to the catcher as hard as he could. This fastball was one of many Smith threw Tuesday afternoon. Smith, along with other pitchers and position players, was at Raider Field displaying their various baseball skills at the PRO-DAY Southeast Missouri Baseball showcase...

D.C. takes number one seed (07/17/08) The Dunklin County Dodgers clinched a No. 1 seed in the upcoming District XIV tournament with a 10-0 win over Cape Girardeau on Wednesday night in Senath. The No. 1 seed means that the Dodgers (32-15, 4-2 District XIV) will play their first game in the district tournament Tuesday at 8 p.m. in Jackson...

Dexter's new summer baseball program deemed a success by Bearcats' coach (07/13/08) By JERRY JARRELL Daily Statesman Sports Editor This summer marked the first time since who-knows-when Dexter didn't have an organized Babe Ruth baseball program. Instead, like many other communities and schools in the area, Dexter opted for a team made up of only Dexter players. A team more in the line of a high school squad, which will help the younger players make the transition from youth league to playing for the Bearcats...

Indians beat Rays to snap 10-game losing streak (07/11/08) Cleveland had lost 10 straight, traded away arguably its best player and was welcoming to town the team with the best record in baseball. Just figures the Indians would finally get a win. Ben Francisco drove in a career-high four runs and had one of Cleveland's four homers, and the Tribe rolled to a 13-2 victory over Tampa Bay on Thursday night that extended the Rays' skid to four in a row...

Dobbins, new Neelyville principal, intends to coach, too (07/10/08) By TIM KRAKOWIAK ~ DAR Staff Writer NEELYVILLE -- Administration in the Neelyville R-IV School District has been in a state of transition since Larry Graves retired as superintendent last year. Former high school principal Brad Hagood was promoted to Graves' position. Frank Killian filled the principal post left open over the last academic year until he announced his resignation in April...

Scott County hands Dodgers first district loss (07/03/08) CHAFFEE, Mo. -- Scott County Post 369 picked up a big 4-3 District XIV victory over the Dunklin County Post 303 Dodgers on Wednesday evening via the walk-off hit. Blake Dirnberger stood in with two men on in the first game of Wednesday's doubleheader and delivered with a single to right center field bringing in Levi Felter for the winning run...

Dodgers rally in seventh, advance at Paducah Invitatational (06/29/08) PADUCAH, Ky. -- The Dunklin County Dodgers Senior Legion baseball team scored four times in the bottom of the seventh inning to rally from a three-run deficit and take a 7-6 win over Ballwin, Mo. in the final game of pool play at the Paducah Invitational here Friday...

Dodgers stay perfect in district play, sweep Sikeston (06/25/08) SIKESTON, Mo. -- It was a rather lopsided victory for Dunklin County at VFW Memorial Stadium during Senior Legion action on Tuesday night, as Sikeston Post 114 fell 14-3 in a shortened five-inning rout in the opening game of a doubleheader. Dunklin County took the nightcap 13-4 to complete the twinbill sweep...

ALL-STATE HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL (06/25/08) The all-state baseball list, as selected by the Missouri Sports Writers and Sportscasters:

Late rally lifts Dodgers to sweep of Casons (06/24/08) Post 303 picks up 19th win of season

Little League (06/18/08) Integrity Communication's pitcher Zach Alsup (left) delivers a pitch during youth league baseball action Tuesday at the Dexter Sports Complex fields behind East Park. First Midwest Bank provided the competition as first baseman Kyle Ward takes a throw for a out from Joshua Kolhbaker (No. 9) during a play in the first inning between the two teams...

Dodgers ride arms to three wins over weekend (06/17/08) SENATH, Mo. -- Dunklin County Post 303 manager Jamie Johnson said before the season that one of his team's major strengths was its pitching. That was quite obvious over the weekend, as the Dodgers won three of their four games, getting complete games from their starters in all three victories...

Semoball High 5 baseball final rankings (06/16/08) 1. Scott City (23-1) ... State champions in Class 2 following a pair of 10-run victories. Last ranking: 1. 2. Oran (24-5) ... Finished third in Class 1 with another trip to the state's final four -- its fifth in seven years after the absence last year. Last ranking: 2...

Shae Simmons, Scott City (06/16/08) Offensively, Scott City leadoff hitter Shae Simmons had a week to remember at the Class 2 state tournament. The junior set the table for the Rams offense, which racked up 23 runs and two 10-run victories en route to the state championship. Simmons was 5-for-6 (an .833 average) with two walks. He had a double, a triple and scored five runs in the two games...

Redbirds work fast to take win No. 20 (06/15/08) STEELE, Mo. -- The Dunklin County Redbirds did not take long to pick up their 20th win of the season. The Redbirds put up nine runs in the bottom of the second inning and needed just three innings to dispatch Trenton, Tenn. 15-2 in first-round action at the BankStar of the Bootheel Tournament here Friday...

Pierce to play at Hannibal-LaGrange (06/12/08) Will play with former teammate Josh Jackson

Dodgers sweep away Poplar Bluff (06/12/08) SENATH, Mo. -- If clutch hitting is the name of the game, the Dunklin County Post 303 Dodgers proved Wednesday that they know how to play. The Dodgers scored their first seven runs of the day with two outs as they took an 8-2 win over the Poplar Bluff Mules in the first game of a doubleheader...

Dodgers down district foe Scott County (06/11/08) Post 303 takes district contest, settles for twinbill split

Ricemen rock Post 303 (06/04/08) JONESBORO, Ark. -- The runs kept coming and coming for Jonesboro on Tuesday. The Ricemen -- which feature seven players off of Arkansas Class 4A state champion Valley View -- combined to score 32 runs in doubleheader sweep of Dunklin County Post 303 in American Legion baseball at the Jack Moore Baseball Complex...

Redbirds stay hot, 10-run Dyersburg twice in sweep (06/04/08) Great pitching, solid defense and aggressive hitting were on display for Dunklin County's Junior American Legion baseball team again on Tuesday night at Indian Park as the Redbirds claimed a doubleheader sweep of Dyersburg, Tenn., 12-0 and 13-3, improving their record to 11-2...

Former Dexter standout to play summer ball in New York (06/01/08) A baseball career can take a player down many roads, and for one former Dexter High School standout, the journey will lead him half way across the country to the state of New York this summer. Drew Pixley, who is currently playing baseball for the Mineral Area Cardinals, packed his bags and headed east Saturday morning for New York where he was invited to play for the Hornell Dodgers in the New York Collegiate Baseball League (NYCBL)...

DC Redbirds sweep past Paragould in home opener (05/28/08) Excelling in three key categories in baseball will generally earn victories: defense, pitching and hitting. Dunklin County's Junior American Legion team executed soundly in those categories during their doubleheader sweep of Paragould RC Tuesday at Indian Park, winning 10-1 and 18-0...

Semoball High 5 (updated May 26) (05/27/08) 1. Scott City 2. Oran 3. Notre Dame

Sikeston's Droddy to play baseball at Flo Valley (05/22/08) By Josh Mills ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com SIKESTON -- Another Sikeston Bulldog baseball player is heading to the collegiate level to further his career on the diamond. This time it's Scott Droddy, who led the team in average, finishing his final season as a Bulldog batting .451...

Eagles suffer tough loss in district final (05/18/08) By BRAD HURT ~ DAR Sports Writer WINONA -- The young Naylor Eagles were one strike away from surviving a Winona rally and taking home the MSHSAA Class 1 District 4 title on Friday at Joe W. Roberts Field. Unfortunately, they ended up watching the host Wildcats celebrate the title after an eighth-inning RBI double by Kyle Wakefield gave Winona a 13-12 win...

Clearwater pounces on Warhawks (05/20/08) Tigers scored four runs in first inning to set pace in win

Clearwater rallies, beats Twin Rivers (05/18/08) By ALEX ABATE ~ DAR Sports Writer Clearwater waited until it had to have a hit Friday afternoon to get something going. The Tigers were down 7-4 to Twin Rivers in the Class 2 District 3 title game going into the bottom of the seventh inning before they got three runs to tie the game at seven and send it to extra innings. A bases-loaded walk to Jake Hime in the bottom of the ninth gave the Tigers the win, 8-7 at Strenfel Memorial Field. It was the second straight district title for the Tigers...

'Cats fall one run short in district title game (05/15/08) CAPE GIRARDEAU - The baseball season came to a heart-breaking conclusion for Bearcats Wednesday night at Notre Dame Regional High School as the Bulldogs defeated Dexter, 3-2, in the Class 3, District 1 championship game. The loss caps a story book season for the Bearcats who had to replace seven senior starters lost to graduation, but surprise most observers with a 17-7 season record that included a share of the prestigious SEMO Conference regular season title...

Portageville claims first district title (05/15/08) Staff Reports ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com CAMPBELL -- The Portageville Bulldogs baseball team hoisted their first district championship Tuesday afternoon after beating the South Pemiscot Bulldogs 5-2. Portageville set the tone early against the opposing Bulldogs when senior Jacob Estes stepped to the plate in the top of the first. With two on, Estes delivered with a three-run shot to give the Bulldogs a 3-0 lead and they never looked back...

Scott City wins pitchers duel over Kelly (05/14/08) Scott City scores only run of game in bottom of sixth

Charleston advances to district final (05/14/08) Bluejays battle weather and Red Devil comeback in Class 2 tourney

Dexter, Bernie, Naylor reach district baseball finals (05/14/08) By DAR STAFF While rain postponed the MSHSAA Class 2 District 3 semifinals Tuesday, three area teams pushed their way into district championship games. The games at Three Rivers' Raider Field will be played today with the final still set for 4 p.m. Thursday, weather permitting...

New Madrid tops Oran in extra innings (05/13/08) NMCC pitcher Kyle Marshall earned the complete game win

ROUNDUP: Portageville advances to Class 2 final (05/13/08) Delta C-7 will take on Cooter in Class 1 District 1 semifinals

Sikeston's season ends suddenly (05/13/08) Perryville knocks off Bulldogs in the first round of district play

Charleston rallies past East Prairie to advance (05/13/08) By Chris Pobst ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com CHARLESTON -- Usually with the game on the line and all options pointing in a specific player's direction, that particular athlete wants to be the one to put their team over the top with the game winning play. But, for Chase McClendon on Monday night, he was thinking differently...

Leopold overtakes Scott County Central in baseball (05/13/08) Wildcats score four in bottom of sixth to seal win

ROUNDUP: Dexter rallies past Fredericktown (05/13/08) By DAR STAFF CAPE GIRARDEAU -- David Hessling hit a two-run triple to left in the fifth inning and Tyler Scott had the go-ahead hit in the sixth as Dexter rallied to beat Fredericktown 4-3 in the first round of the MSHSAA Class 3 District 1 tournament Monday...

ROUNDUP: Sixth-seeded Greenville advances (05/13/08) By ALEX ABATE ~ DAR Sports Writer The Greenville Bears didn't pay attention to the seeds of the Class 2 District 3 tournament. Behind ace Joey Morey, the No. 6 seed Bears scratched across two runs and beat No. 3 seed Alton on Monday at Raider Field, 2-0...

Royals feeling lucky, rally past Puxico (05/13/08) By ALEX ABATE ~ DAR Sports Writer The scene was all too familiar for the Twin Rivers Royals. Last season, the Puxico Indians knocked the Royals out of the Class 2 District 3 tournament, and for five innings Monday, it appeared they might do it again...

Seckman takes advantage of Mules' miscues (05/13/08) By BRAD HURT ~ DAR Sports Writer JACKSON -- After making up a two-run deficit to pull even with Seckman in its MSHSAA Class 3 District 1 playoff game Monday, Poplar Bluff saw its season end with a 5-2 loss as a result of shaky late-game defense. The Jaguars snapped the tie with an RBI infield single by Corey Johnson in the fifth and added two insurance runs in the sixth after Jon Baer reached on an error to start the inning...

Cooter defeats South Pem (05/09/08) Staff Reports ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com STEELE -- The Cooter Wildcats picked up victory number 18 on Thursday afternoon as they battled the South Pemiscot Bulldogs for seven innings, winning by a final score of 9-7. The Wildcats recorded 11 hits off of a combined three Bulldog pitchers, including Chris Medlin who picked up the loss for South Pemiscot...

Oran breezes past East Prairie 12-1 (05/09/08) By Chris Pobst ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com ORAN -- It was the long ball that gave the Oran Eagles an early lift in their last regular season game against the East Prairie Eagles on Thursday, as the blue Eagles pounded out 12 hits on their way past the red Eagles 12-1...

Local players honored on all-conference team (05/09/08) By Josh Mills ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com SIKESTON -- Seven local baseball players were named to the SEMO Conference 1st Team for the 2008 season. From Dexter Eric Windham (P), Caleb Miller (IF) and Mason Noe (IF) were selected. Sikeston s first team selections included Chase Ferrell (C) and Scott Droddy (IF)...

Bhatt shoots for state tennis; Mules run in district (05/09/08) By BRIAN ROSENER ~ DAR Sports Editor Malay Bhatt played today for a third straight trip to the state tennis tournament while Poplar Bluff's track, baseball and soccer teams prepared for their district showdowns. The Poplar Bluff senior was scheduled to play Carlos Espinosa of Eureka this morning at the Creve Coeur Racquet Club near St. Louis with the winner advancing to the MSHSAA Class 2 District 1 singles championship match...

Fowler goes with Shawnee (05/09/08) By ALEX ABATE ~ DAR Sports Writer BROSELEY -- Even as a younger high school player, Twin Rivers' Jordan Fowler showed promise. As a sophomore, Fowler batted in the two hole on a team that went to the 2006 MSHSAA quarterfinals and lost to South Pemiscot. Now a senior Fowler is looking to take his solid play to the next level as he signed with Shawnee Community College in Ullin, Ill. Thursday at Twin Rivers High School...

Kelly races out to big lead to spoil Senior Day for Indians (05/09/08) The Kelly Hawks raced out to a big lead and held off a late comeback to defeat the Kennett Indians 7-4 Thursday at Indian Park, spoiling Senior Day for the Tribe. In other area baseball games, it was Senath-Hornersville 10, Holcomb 3; Cooter 9, South Pemiscot 7; and North Pemiscot defeated Gideon...

Tribe shuts out Lions (05/07/08) The Kennett Indians seem to just have the Senath-Hornersville Lions' number on the baseball diamond this spring. For the second time this spring, the Tribe's pitchers shut down the Senath-Hornersville offense, as Trey Bazzell and Corey Henfling combined to hold the Lions to just one hit in a 4-0 win at Indian Park Tuesday...

Junior Tribe's success on diamond bodes well (05/04/08) If the success that the Kennett Indians junior high baseball team has had over the last three seasons means anything, then the future for Kenett High School baseball is indeed bright. The junior Tribe just wrapped up its third straight Bootheel Conference Tournament title with a 13-2 win over Portageville Wednesday in the tourney finals at Portageville...

Chaffee drops close contest to Kennett (05/02/08) Staff Reports ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com CHAFFEE -- The Chaffee Red Devils lost a hard-fought late-inning battle against the Kennett Indians on Thursday, as the Indians scored three runs in the top of the eighth to break a tie ball game and hold on for the win...

Charleston baseball blasts Hayti (05/02/08) Charleston has 18 hits in 24-0 win over Indians

ROUNDUP: Neelyville, Twin Rivers softball roll (05/02/08) By DAR STAFF Chelsea Lane held the Lady Tigers to three hits, and the Lady Eagles used their speed and baserunning to overwhelm Clearwater 11-0. "They're one of the best-hitting teams around," Clearwater coach Shannon England said of the Lady Eagles...

Neelyville pounces on Greenville (05/02/08) By BRAD HURT ~ DAR Sports Writer GREENVILLE -- After seeing an early five-run advantage dwindle in the later innings the Neelyville Tigers escaped with a 7-4 win Thursday at Greenville. "We got our offense early and that's not the problem," Neelyville coach Jared Beaird said. "It's early that we do better but it's the 3-4-5 innings that we struggle."...

Dons hold off Poplar Bluff (05/02/08) By DAR STAFF The Mules rallied again Thursday afternoon against Doniphan but again, they came up just short. Poplar Bluff was down 11-7 entering its half of the seventh and scored three runs but was unable to tie the game as it fell 11-10. "I was telling the guys, as proud as I was of them yesterday with Sikeston and the way we battled in that game,...

Lady Bearcats pound out win over Lady Mules (05/01/08) A tough 6-2 loss to Twin Rivers in extra innings Tuesday had the Lady Bearcats ready to take their frustrations out on someone. Unfortunately for Bernie, it was the youthful Lady Mules who were next in line. Dexter scored in every inning and brought the game to an end early with seven runs in the fourth as the Lady Bearcats defeated the Lady Mules on the road, 19-1, Wednesday in a SCAA game shortened by the mercy rule...

'Cats rally to take third place at conference tourney (04/29/08) CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Dexter staged yet another last ditch rally to take third place at the SEMO Conference baseball tournament with a 5-4 win over Jackson Monday at Capaha Park on the Southeast Missouri State University campus in Cape Girardeau. Dexter, the tournament's No. ...

Cardinals' relief pitcher McClellan has local ties (04/27/08) Kyle McClellan has taken a winding road to the major leagues -- six seasons in the minors, Tommy John surgery and even a stop in Kennett. McClellan, a rookie reliever with the St. Louis Cardinals, married Kennett native Bridget Johnson back in November, then made his major league debut earlier this month against the Colorado Rockies at Busch Stadium...

South Pem makes Tribe pay for mistakes (04/26/08) HAYTI, Mo. -- Errors. Walks. Hit batsmen. Missed opportunities. All of them combined to doom the Kennett Indians' chances of winning the Bootheel Conference Tournament. The Tribe issued five walks, hit four batters and made a pair of costly sixth-inning errors as it fell 5-3 to the South Pemiscot Bulldogs in the tournament championship game here Thursday at Indian Field...

Kelly outslugs NMCC in SEMO tourney opener (04/25/08) By Josh Mills ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com NEW MADRID -- The Kelly Hawks lofted four home runs in Thursday's 11-7 contest against the New Madrid County Central Eagles to advance in the SEMO Conference Tournament setting a date with the No. 1 seed Dexter Bearcats today in Dexter...

ROUNDUP: Sikeston soccer beats Marion, Ill. (04/25/08) Staff Reports ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com MARION, Ill. -- The Sikeston Lady Bulldogs improved to 7-10 Thursday evening when they beat the Marion Lady Wildcats on the road, 3-1. After a scoreless first half, the Lady Bulldogs wasted little time in the second, scoring two goals in three minutes. Jordi Ferrell was first to connect at the 44-minute mark on an assist from Abbi Keefer. Ferrell would then return the favor to Keefer at the 47-minute mark to give the visiting squad a 2-0 lead...

ROUNDUP: Cooter stymies Camels for tourney title (04/25/08) By DAR STAFF COOTER -- Cooter scattered seven Campbell hits as it moved past the Camels 6-0 Thursday in the championship of the Tri-County Conference Tournament. The Camels struck out 10 times as only three players had hits in the game. Cale Weeks got the loss for the Camels as he pitched five innings and allowed three runs on four hits...

Twin Rivers runs past Naylor 12-1 (04/25/08) By ALEX ABATE ~ DAR Sports Writer BROSELEY -- Runs were a dime a dozen for Twin Rivers on Thursday afternoon. The Royals put together an offensive surge at home and grounded the Eagles, 12-1 in five innings. "It kind of boosts the confidence a little bit," Twin Rivers coach Jeff Null said. "It wasn't the prettiest game. We didn't play our best game and Naylor didn't play theirs."...

ROUNDUP: Robey throws no-hitter but NMCC falls to Kennett (04/24/08) Staff Reports ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com NEW MADRID -- New Madrid County Central softball pitcher Kelly Robey didn't allow a hit Wednesday afternoon against Kennett. However the freshman picked up a hard-luck loss as Lady Eagles were unable to score, losing 3-0...

ROUNDUP: Bearcats edge Cape Central (04/23/08) By DAR STAFF CAPE GIRARDEAU -- The Dexter Bearcats scored four first-inning runs but needed a late rally to knock off Cape Central 8-7 on Tuesday. Jared Laird scored on a sacrifice bunt by Ben Mills in the fifth inning for the winning margin. After surrendering a pair of runs to start the game, the Bearcats (10-3, 6-1 SEMO) took advantage of control issues by the Tigers' starting pitcher to take their early lead. ...

ROUNDUP: Bluff's Hillis scores 32 at Ozark Ridge (04/23/08) Poplar Bluff baseball team beats New Madrid County Central

Bearcats stand up to Central Tigers in pivotal SEMO Conference victory (04/23/08) CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Tuesday's baseball game between the Cape Central Tigers and the Dexter Bearcats wasn't for the faint of heart. Both teams went toe-to-toe like two prize fighters and never gave an inch. But in the end, it was the Bearcats who were still standing atop the SEMO Conference standing after an 8-7 victory over the Tigers...

Tribe rolls into semis (04/22/08) HAYTI, Mo. -- The Kennett Indians may be peaking at the right time on the baseball diamond. The Tribe scored at least three runs in every inning and pounded out 14 hits to roll to a 15-1 victory over Hayti in the first round of the Bootheel Conference Tournament here Monday...

Clearwater's Swofford throws no-hitter in defeat (04/22/08) By DAR STAFF Clearwater's Tisha Swofford threw her third no-hitter in four games but walked eight as the Lady Tigers lost 5-0 Monday at Greenville. The Lady Tigers had their best chance to score when Lydia Wymore led off the second inning with a double, only to be stranded on second as Sara Condray retired the next three hitters in order...

Clearwater tops Bears for fifth straight win (04/22/08) By ALEX ABATE ~ DAR Sports Writer GREENVILLE -- Clearwater had to pull out all the stops Monday afternoon. After the Tigers blew a 3-1 lead in the sixth inning against host Greenville, they scored one in the eighth and held on for the win, 4-3. "Sometimes you have to win them ugly," Clearwater coach Justin Dobbins said. "Sometimes heart and guts have got to come through when you are not playing real well."...

Semoball High 5 Baseball Ratings (04/22/08) 1. Scott City 2. Oran 3. Cooter

Notre Dame wins Miss. Co. wood bat tourney (04/21/08) Bulldogs explodes for six runs in fourth inning to defeat host team

Oran claims two wins Saturday (04/21/08) Red Devils split a doubleheader with Egyptian, Ill.

ROUNDUP: Parish, Vancil toss no-hitters (04/18/08) By DAR STAFF Libby Parish and Carlee Vancil each pitched no-hitters Thursday to lead their teams to wins. Neelyville 11, Clearwater 0 Parish struck out four and walked one at home for Neelyville. Parish found her success by forcing Clearwater into ground ball after ground ball...

Homers key surge in Clearwater's win against Neelyville (04/18/08) By ALEX ABATE ~ Sports Writer NEELYVILLE -- Clearwater was happy to open the floodgates Thursday afternoon. The Tigers scored eight runs in the bottom of the third inning on the way to a 13-0 win over host Neelyville in five innings. "This was just a real good team effort," Athletic Director Louis Bell said, filling in for Justin Dobbins, who served a one-game suspension for being ejected from Wednesday's game...

Lucky seven: Twin Rivers pulls away from Greenville (04/18/08) By BRAD HURT ~ DAR Sports Writer BROSELEY -- A third-inning onslaught by Twin Rivers buried the Greenville Bears as the Royals battered their way to a 13-2 win in five innings Thursday. After scoring four runs in the first two innings, the Royals (4-2) put seven of their runs on the board in the third, sending 11 batters to the plate and collecting six hits to knock Bears starter Tyler Dougherty out of the game...

Jackson edges Mules with goal from the corner (04/18/08) By BRIAN ROSENER ~ Sports Editor Kasey Crowden did her best impression of David Beckham -- if Becks was left-footed -- to beat the Poplar Bluff Lady Mules. The Jackson midfielder scored from a corner kick in the 28th minute Thursday night at Whiteley Park to give the Lady Indians a 1-0 win...

Kelly falls short against Notre Dame (04/18/08) By Josh Mills ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com CAPE GIRARDEAU -- The Kelly Hawks baseball team battled hard on Thursday afternoon, coming up shy of a victory in a 12-11 loss to the Notre Dame Bulldogs. The contest, scheduled originally to be played at Kelly High School, was moved north to Notre Dame due to poor field conditions following the recent rainfall...

NMCC softball wins eighth straight game (04/18/08) Bernie improves to 7-2 with shutout of Risco Thursday

Clearwater rallies, edges Dons 2-1 (04/17/08) Smith's homer in ninth is difference

Fundamentals help 'Cats fabricate win over Indians (04/17/08) Even Dexter baseball coach Brian Becker has to be impressed with this year's team. After building a quick 6-0 lead over Jackson, the Bearcats must have had that sinking feeling as they watched the Indians begin to chip away and eventually overtake them, 7-6, with two runs in the sixth...

ROUNDUP: Naylor bounces back with win (04/16/08) By DAR STAFF One day after dropping an extra-inning affair at home against Greenville, the Naylor Lady Eagles bounced back with a 10-0 five-inning win over East Carter on Tuesday. Hailee Deckard and Courtney Sullivan each scored three runs as the Lady Eagles (3-2) used a balanced effort to overwhelm the Lady Redbirds...

Oran defeats Dexter on the road (04/16/08) Staff Reports ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com DEXTER -- The Oran Eagles improved to 7-1 on the season as they defeated the Dexter Bearcats 7-5. Steven Dooley got the win for the Eagles allowing three earned runs on five hits and two walks. He also struck out nine batters in five innings of work. Kody Campbell picked up the save...

Sikeston walks off with win over Charleston (04/16/08) Bulldogs rebound from a three-game losing streak

Bearcats come up short against Dooley and Oran (04/16/08) Oran's offense staked pitcher Steven Dooley to an early 6-0 lead and that was all the all-state hurler needed as the Eagles defeated the Dexter Bearcats, 7-5, Tuesday at the East Park ball field in Dexter. Dooley worked five innings to pick up the win, allowing six hits and walking two. The hard-throwing right-hander set nine Dexter batters down on strikes while working with a big early lead...

Mid-inning meltdown: Tribe allows 13 runs in fourth and fifth innings in SEMO loss (04/16/08) For the first three innings on Monday, the Kennett Indians seemed headed to their fourth straight win. Then the wheels came off and things fell apart over the next two innings, sending the Tribe to a 13-10 loss to the New Madrid County Central Eagles in a SEMO Conference baseball game at Indian Park...

Branum signs to play college baseball for Shawnee (04/15/08) Shane Branum just has baseball in his family. Branum's older brother, Ryne, helped lead the Tribe to a district title and state quarterfinal appearance two years ago before going on to play at Three Rivers Community College. Now Shane is following in his older brother's footsteps, having recently signed a national letter of intent to play at Shawnee Community College in Ullin, Ill. next season...

ROUNDUP: Sikeston tennis shuts out Mules (04/15/08) Staff Reports ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com POPLAR BLUFF -- The Sikeston tennis team blanked Poplar Bluff 9-0 on the road Monday afternoon. "I thought we played well today," said Sikeston head coach Brian James. "It's only our second match, so we're behind some of these other teams that have several matches in and maybe a tournament or two in...

ROUNDUP: Greenville rallies, walks away with victory in eighth (04/15/08) By DAR STAFF The Greenville Bears rallied from a three-run deficit to force extra innings and scored the winning run on a bases-loaded walk to defeat Naylor 8-7 in eight innings Monday. D.J. Robinson went 3-for-5 and scored three times while Joey Morey went 3-for-4 and also scored three times for the Bears...

Miller's homer edges Mules (04/15/08) By DAR STAFF DEXTER -- Caleb Miller's two-run home run and his six innings of work on the mound led Dexter past Poplar Bluff 3-2 Monday. "Bob is a player," Dexter coach Brian Becker said of Miller, using his nickname. "No two ways about it. Even though he's just a junior, he's a big part of the leadership on this ballclub...

Miller's bat, arm help 'Cats defeat Mules (04/15/08) Caleb Miller pitched six strong innings and added a two-run home run to help his cause as the Bearcats defeated the Poplar Bluff Mules, 3-2, Monday in SEMO Conference baseball action at Dexter's East Park ball field. The victory extended the Bearcats current win streak to three games after Dexter picked up two wins Saturday, defeating South Pemiscot, 12-2, and Twin Rivers, 6-1...

Sikeston soccer splits in Carbondale tourney (04/14/08) Cooter baseball wins the Tri-County Conference with win on Saturday

Extra work: Mules beat Oran in ninth inning (04/14/08) By BRAD HURT ~ DAR Sports Writer More than three hours after the first pitch on a cold Saturday at Strenfel Memorial Field, Poplar Bluff's Todd Bullington ripped a ninth-inning single into left field to give the Mules a 9-8 win over Oran. Facing a hard thrower in Oran reliever Jayden Pobst, Bullington turned on an inside fastball and delivered the hit to drive in pinch runner Colby Geringer with the winning run...

Notre Dame blows by Sikeston (04/13/08) Notre Dame hit three home runs on very windy afternoon

Walk-off woes continue for Sikeston (04/10/08) Bulldogs drop second straight on final play of game, this time in 12 innings against Kennett

ROUNDUP: SIkeston soccer shuts out Harrisburg (04/10/08) Oran, Cooter baseball teams win convincingly

ROUNDUP: Bhatt reaches tourney quarterfinals (04/10/08) By DAR STAFF SPRINGFIELD -- Malay Bhatt reached the quarterfinals of the Springfield Invitational singles tournament Wednesday as the Poplar Bluff senior returned to the site of the state championships. Bhatt won his first two matches before losing to Brandon Champagne of Jenks, located in Tulsa, Okla., 8-4...

Marathon: Tribe rallies past Sikeston in epic 12-inning battle (04/10/08) The Kennett Indians and Sikeston Bulldogs have had some epic battles on the baseball diamond in recent years, but Wednesday's marathon may be the most memorable one of all. The Tribe rallied not once, but twice in extra innings to take a thrilling 4-3 victory over Sikeston Wednesday evening in a SEMO Conference contest at Indian Park...

Offenses post crooked numbers (04/09/08) By DAR STAFF ZALMA -- Joey Morey struck out seven and Greenville's offense dominated Zalma in a 25-2 win in five innings Tuesday. "I was pleased with our bats hitting the ball after a long layoff," Greenville coach Jason Hill said. "We had a good all-around offensive attack."...

Neelyville edges Poplar Bluff (04/09/08) By BRAD HURT ~ DAR Sports Writer Despite rallying to tie the game in the fourth inning, Poplar Bluff stranded a total of four runners on third base, including the final inning, as they fell short Tuesday against Neelyville, 5-4. Garrett Griffin provided a sacrifice fly for the Tigers that pushed the winning run across in the sixth inning...

ROUNDUP: Chaffee, Cooter suffer first baseball defeats (04/09/08) Scott Central drops slugfest to Bernie

Dexter silences Charleston (04/09/08) Bearcat pitching holds Charleston to three base hits

Kennett routs Lady Lions while soccer wins again (04/09/08) Tuesday's much-anticipated softball showdown between the Senath-Hornersville Lady Lions and Kennett Lady Indians ended up very one-sided. The Lady Tribe pounded out 13 hits and got another dominating performance from Laurel Scales to roll to an 11-0 victory over Senath-Hornersville at Indian Park...

Dexter walks off with win over Sikeston (04/08/08) Caleb Miller hits walk-off home run to beat Bulldogs

Kelly earns first baseball victory, 7-4 at Charleston (04/08/08) Hawks defeat previously unbeaten Bluejays on the road

ROUNDUP: Oran, Chaffee, Cooter remain unbeaten (04/08/08) Sikeston golfers finish second in Poplar Bluff tourney

West's OT goal lifts Mules over Sikeston (04/08/08) By BRIAN ROSENER ~ DAR Sports Editor Alex West's overtime goal Monday night completed another come-from-behind home victory for the Poplar Bluff Lady Mules. West pounced on a cross in the 84th minute to beat Sikeston 2-1. "We wanted to get numbers forward," Poplar Bluff coach Mark Papp said. "We're not playing for ties and we're not playing to get to penalties, we're trying to win."...

ROUNDUP: Miller's home run lifts Dexter (04/08/08) By DAR STAFF DEXTER -- After falling into a three-run hole late against Sikeston on Monday, Dexter appeared to be in trouble before Caleb Miller capped a four-hit burst in the final inning with a walk-off home run to send the Bearcats to a 6-4 win. Miller's home run followed a single by Mason Noe that drove in Jared Laird and Ben Mills, who both reached on singles to start the inning. Garrett McEwen got things started by singling up the middle...

Miller's walk-off homer lift 'Cats over Bulldogs (04/08/08) By JERRY JARRELL Daily Statesman Sports Editor Caleb Miller's 3-run walk-off home run propelled the Dexter Bearcats to a 6-4 SEMO Conference win over the Sikeston Bulldogs Monday at home. Miller deposited a 1-0 offering off Sikeston pitcher Scott Droddy over the fence in left center to cap a seventh-inning rally that saw the Bearcats erase a 4-1 deficit to take the win...

Sikeston wins three games in wood bat tourney (04/07/08) By Josh Mills ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com PADUCAH, Ky. -- The Sikeston Bulldogs baseball team traveled across the state line and dove back into the simple tradition of the game over the weekend as they participated in the Reidland Wood Bat Tournament. Sikeston split a doubleheader on Saturday, dropping the first contest 7-5 while pulling out the victory 15-13 in the night-cap...

Mules edge Tigers in baseball; Poplar Bluff wins track title (04/06/08) By DAR STAFF Donnie Magruder came through in the clutch for the Mules at home Saturday against Cape Central, giving himself a win in the process. In the bottom of the seventh inning with the game tied, Magruder hit a single through the right side with the bases loaded to score Cameron Pickard and give the Mules a 6-5 win...

Teams take advantage of wood bat tournaments (04/06/08) Josh Mills ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com SIKESTON -- Who could deny enjoying the natural sound of a wooden bat and a leather baseball connecting for a crisp line drive? Fans of "America's Favorite Pastime" surely cannot, and those fans should be delighted in the fact that many of the area's high school programs are getting more involved with the true pastime of the game, the wood bat...

Rains making it difficult for teams to get in games (04/06/08) This spring is one of the worst in memory, say many local coaches

Charleston baseball remains perfect (04/04/08) Charleston uses late runs to defeat NMCC Wednesday

Oran, Chaffee baseball teams remain unbeaten (04/03/08) Staff Reports ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com ORAN -- The Oran Eagles (3-0) routed the Clearwater Tigers on Wednesday afternoon. On a no-hitter by Steven Dooley the Eagles were lifted past the Tigers 14-0 in five innings of play. Dooley faced 17 batters in his five innings of work, striking out 10 while allowing only two walks...

Bearcats stumble against Bulldogs (04/03/08) CAPE GIRARDEAU - Notre Dame scored three runs in the sixth inning to break open a tight ball game and help the Bulldogs to a 6-3 win over the Dexter Bearcats in SEMO Conference baseball action Wednesday. Dexter had just manufactured a run in the fifth to tie the game at 2-all, before the Bulldogs used three hits and a throwing error to score three times and take command of the game...

ROUNDUP: Garner's four goals lead Poplar Bluff (04/02/08) By BRIAN ROSENER ~ DAR Sports Editor KENNETT -- Chelsea Garner had a hat trick before halftime Tuesday -- no fooling. The Poplar Bluff senior scored four times in an 8-1 win at Kennett. "We had problems with her all day," Kennett coach Rick Bell told the Daily Dunklin Democrat. "We couldn't correct it and she took advantage of it."...

Sikeston's Limbaugh shuts down Perryville (03/31/08) Sikeston wins second straight with 3-0 win over Pirates on Saturday.

Miller throws no-hitter for Bluejays (03/30/08) Charleston bats come alive on cold, windy Friday for 15-2 victory against East Prairie

Doniphan surges past Twin Rivers (03/28/08) By BRAD HURT ~ DAR Sports Writer DONIPHAN -- In a rematch of last fall's Ozark Foothills Conference championship game, Doniphan got its revenge, using a five-run rally in the sixth inning to knock off Twin Rivers 6-4 Thursday. After struggling against Royals starter Dylan Stockton for most of the game, the Dons took advantage of some Twin Rivers mistakes and came up with clutch hits in the sixth to dig themselves out of a 4-1 hole...

Oran bats come alive against Zalma (03/28/08) Balanced offensive attack paces Eagles in easy 15-2 victory

ROUNDUP: NMCC softball wins two from Oak Ridge (03/28/08) Chaffee and Cooter claim wins in baseball while SHS soccer team rolls on the road.

Neelyville softball holds off Lady Bears (03/28/08) By DAR STAFF The Neelyville Lady Tigers overcame three errors and held on to beat Greenville 6-5 on Thursday. The Lady Tigers scored half of their runs in the third inning and added the final three in the sixth. "We hit the ball well," Neelyville coach Bill Alexander said...

Neelyville settles down, beats Greenville (03/28/08) By ALEX ABATE ~ DAR Sports Writer NEELYVILLE -- After Greenville scored four runs in the top of the first inning, it looked like the Neelyville Tigers were in for a long game Thursday afternoon. However, the Tigers battled back and took the lead in the second inning before adding six runs in the third on their way to a 16-6 win...

Chaffee's late rally tops Poplar Bluff (03/28/08) By BRIAN ROSENER ~ DAR Sports Editor Chaffee's Josh Steger found the holes in Poplar Bluff's defense while the Mules kept finding nothing but leather Thursday. Steger tied the game with a two-out single in the fifth, and drove in two more runs in the seventh with a single past a drawn-in infield to beat Poplar Bluff 3-1...

Dexter keeps Kelly reeling (03/27/08) Scott delivers for Dexter with two down in the fifth

Eagles soar in opener vs. Leopold (03/27/08) Staff Reports ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com ORAN -- The Oran Eagles took the field against the Leopold Wildcats on Wednesday afternoon for their first game of the season as the Eagles handled the Wildcats 12-2 in just six innings. Oran scored three runs in their half of the first inning to capture the early lead. The Eagles held the Wildcats scoreless through the first five innings, then added three more runs of their own by the end of the fifth to go up 6-0 heading into the top of the sixth...

Sikeston bats come alive in first win (03/27/08) Ferrell hits game-winning single in bottom of seventh

ROUNDUP: Bloomfield gets early lead, beats Advance (03/27/08) By DAR STAFF ADVANCE -- The Bloomfield Wildcats got off to a strong start Wednesday against Advance and improved to 2-1 on the season with a 10-5 win. The Wildcats scored three times in the first inning and tacked on four more runs in the fifth to put the game out of reach...

Scott delivers in Dexter win over Kelly Hawks (03/27/08) Tyler Scott's two-out single with the bases loaded plated three runs and Eric Windham picked up his second win of the season on the mound as the Dexter Bearcats defeated the Kelly Hawks, 4-1, at home Wednesday in SEMO Conference baseball action. Windham and Kelly pitcher Craig Irvin were locked in a pitcher's duel through four innings before Ethan Lee's RBI single in the fifth broke the scoreless battle and pushed the Hawks a head 1-0...

ROUNDUP: Greenville holds off Bell City 2-1 in baseball (03/26/08) By DAR STAFF The Greenville Bears picked up a pair of runs in the first inning and held on for a 2-1 road win Tuesday at Bell City. Leadoff man Nick Wren reached on an error to start the and came around to score game on a double by Robert Abernathy. Jacob Wood then drove Abernathy home with a single...

Mules baseball edges Kelly 4-2 (03/26/08) By DAR STAFF BENTON -- Brennen Moore's two-out, two-run single in the third inning gave Poplar Bluff a lead and a trio of Mules combined to pitch a three hitter Tuesday in a 4-2 season-opening win at Kelly. Cameron Pickard threw three innings for the win allowing one unearned run, while Todd Bullington and Taylor Boles each tossed two innings...

Eagles expect a return to state playoffs in 2008 (03/26/08) Oran looks for younger players to step up this year

Sikeston drops opener at Scott City (03/26/08) Rams use timely hitting, good pitching in 9-0 win

Walkaway: Tribe draws 16 walks to roll past Hayti (03/25/08) HAYTI, Mo. -- The Kennett Indians needed just a little patience -- almost literally -- to defeat Hayti on Monday. The Tribe managed just seven hits but drew 16 walks off of Hayti pitchers to roll to a 19-3 win here in a Bootheel Conference contest. "Getting baserunners is part of our offense," Kennett coach Aaron New said afterwards. "Today we were able to get quite a few baserunners."...

ROUNDUP: Mules win title by two strokes (03/25/08) By DAR STAFF JACKSON -- Poplar Bluff defended its title Monday at the Notre Dame Invitational beating the host by two strokes. Trent Hillis tied for second to lead the Mules at Bent Creek Golf Course while Corey Poteet tied for eighth as Poplar Bluff edged Notre Dame 338-340...

Chaffee's hitting grounds Kelly (03/25/08) Barber pitches another complete game for Charleston

Cooter baseball picks up season-opening win (03/24/08) Staff Reports ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com OSCEOLA, Ark. -- Cooter opened the 2008 season with an 18-2 five-inning win over Osceola. Cooter (1-0) scored two runs in the first and eight in the second and while coasting in their season opener against the Seminoles (3-7)...

Clearwater softball field destroyed by flooding (03/23/08) Doniphan will probably go on the road for a while due to the flooding.

Charleston baseball wins season opener (03/19/08) Junior Jamie Barber throws a complete game five-hitter for Bluejays

ROUNDUP: Naylor's Lane perfect in opener (03/18/08) By DAR STAFF Chelsea Lane and the Naylor Lady Eagles couldn't have gotten off to a better start this spring than a 15-0 win Monday over Risco. Lane pitched a perfect game for the Lady Eagles, striking out 10 hitters in four innings. Courtney Sullivan picked up a pair of hits and scored three times for the Lady Eagles. She was one of several players who contributed offensively for Naylor...

Greenville opens season with seven-run rally (03/18/08) By BRAD HURT ~ DAR Sports Writer GREENVILLE -- The Greenville Bears didn't have to look hard to find their offense Monday very as they opened the season with an 11-1 win over visiting Bloomfield. The Bears scored seven times in the first inning of the season and later got three more on a third-inning home run by Tim Hill that cleared the left-center field wall with plenty of room to spare...

Dexter defeats Campbell in season opener (03/18/08) Five Dexter pitchers combined to limit Campbell to four hits over six innings as the Bearcats opened the 2008 baseball season with a 12-2 win over the Camels Monday at the East City Park ball field. Dexter banged out eight hits and scored in each of the first four innings before pushing across three in the sixth to bring the 10-run rule into play and end the game...

Expectations high for baseball Bulldogs (03/10/08) Sikeston has nine seniors back from last season's district champs

Greer battles pain, taller players (03/06/08) Notre Dame junior Austin Greer is described by teammate Ryan Willen as being straightforward -- something Willen received a first-hand glimpse of early this season when he returned to practice after missing five games with an ankle injury. "My first day back to practice we came into the locker room, and I sat down and [Greer asked], 'Are you ever going to play any defense?'" Willen said. ...

Weather is major obstacle for spring teams early on (03/03/08) By Josh Mills ~ sd_sports@yahoo.com SIKESTON -- Spring sports are now underway, as the week of try-outs are now over and teams will begin forming their identities as they go about their routines. For many teams, however, the bitter cold has limited the ability to practice in the great outdoors, as the winter chill has forced things inside...

Get caught drinking, and prepare to sit (02/17/08) Scott City High School student-athletes caught possessing or consuming alcohol for the first time are punished with a two-week suspension, preventing them from participating in games. Still, two Rams athletes, who play both football and basketball and pleaded guilty to misdemeanor alcohol charges in between the fall and winter sports seasons, were able to continue participating without having to miss a single contest...

Redhawks eager to erase memory of subpar 2007 (02/14/08) After a resurgent 2006 season, Southeast Missouri State softball coach Lana Richmond thought the Redhawks were primed for even better things in 2007. But an early-season pitching injury foiled those plans as the Redhawks dipped to 20-29, finished eighth in the Ohio Valley Conference and failed to make the OVC tournament for the first time...

Clemens takes the Hill today (02/13/08) WASHINGTON -- The sun is always shining, or so it seems, when baseball teams gather in Florida and Arizona to begin spring training, as they're doing this week. Everyone is undefeated; hope abounds. And sometime today, a player here or there might just flip on a TV and tune in to see the spotlight shine on the sport's seamy side, to watch while celebrated pitcher Roger Clemens and the man who accused him of using steroids sit in a wood-paneled hearing room in the cold nation's capital to testify to Congress.. ...

Redhawks encounter peak, valley in same week (02/04/08) What a roller coaster of an Ohio Valley Conference season it has been for the Southeast Missouri State men's basketball team. Last week, which consisted of two games at the Show Me Center, was a perfect example. After Tuesday's thrilling triple-overtime win over Austin Peay, the Redhawks again seemed to be on top of the ride...

Southeast graduate hired as organist at Blues games (01/28/08) Fans who attend St. Louis Blues games are now hearing the sounds of a Southeast Missouri State product. Jeremy Boyer, a 2004 Southeast graduate, was recently hired as the Blues' organist. Boyer has for the past several years played the organ during Southeast basketball games at the Show Me Center and during Southeast baseball games at Capaha Field...

New Madrid's Harris will play baseball at MAC (01/27/08) Dylan Harris, a senior at New Madrid County Central High School, signed a National Junior College Athletic Association letter of intent to play baseball for Mineral Area College in Desloge. This is a full athletic scholarship which includes tuition, housing, meals and books for the next two years...

Charleston's Johnson signs with Jefferson College (01/21/08) Paul Johnson, a senior at Charleston High School, signed a letter of intent Friday, to play baseball at Jefferson College in Hillsboro. In the 2007 season for the Bluejays, Johnson played in 25 games, hitting .524 in 82 at bats, with an on-base percentage of .660. ...

Ishee adds two post players (11/15/07) With premier inside player Missy Whitney being a senior, Southeast Missouri State women's basketball coach John Ishee knows he needs to replenish the Redhawks' post position for next year and beyond. Ishee believes he took a major step in that direction Wednesday after receiving three national letters of intent as the week-long early signing period began...

Crusader on the run (10/27/07) Max Wieser, a four-sport athlete at Saxony Lutheran as a junior last year, was intrigued when his school added a soccer program to its fall sports schedule. But because he hadn't played since the third grade, he decided to volunteer his services rather than go out for a starting position...

Poplar Bluff's Blalock wins at Notre Dame Invitational (10/01/07) By DAR STAFF CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Hannah Blalock broke up West Plains' bid for a perfect team score Saturday by winning the Notre Dame Invitational. The Poplar Bluff freshman won with a time of 19 minutes, 27.80 seconds, beating defending Class 3 champion Brittani Johnson and her four West Plains teammates. The Lady Mules finished fourth, 13 points behind the host...

Southeast: NCAA graduation report fails to tell whole story (10/06/07) Southeast Missouri State received the kind of unflattering national publicity that it doesn't target when the NCAA released graduation rates Wednesday. But Southeast athletic director Don Kaverman said the public should not come to the conclusion that the university's academic situation is in disarray...

Clearwater grabs third place in OFC tournament (10/05/07) By BRAD HURT ~ Sports Writer Clearwater ended the Ozark Foothills Conference tournament with a win, although it didn't come in the game the Tigers had hoped. Instead of taking home the conference title, the tournament's top seed claimed third place with an 8-4 win over sixth-seeded Naylor, which finished third last year...

Triple crown for Twin Rivers: Third straight baseball title (10/05/07) The Royals beat Doniphan 6-1.

Doniphan knocks off top-seeded Clearwater with late rally (10/03/07) By BRAD HURT ~ DAR Sports Writer Doniphan rallied in the top of the seventh inning and held off Clearwater to advance to the Ozark Foothills Conference championship game with a 5-4 win Tuesday afternoon at Raider Field. "It's a big win," Dons head coach John Mark Merriman said, "but we have to get ready for tomorrow."...

Wild, wacky OFC openers: Naylor upsets Bears; Dons edge Tigers (10/02/07) By BRAD HURT ~ DAR Sports Writer Last year's surprise team in the Ozark Foothills Conference Tournament has a few more tricks up its sleeve. The No. 6 seed Naylor Eagles have come to this year's tournament eager to prove that they are better than their three wins might suggest, upsetting third-seeded Greenville 12-7 in the first round Monday...

Twin Rivers volleyball rallies past Poplar Bluff (10/02/07) By DAR STAFF BROSELEY -- The Poplar Bluff Lady Mules took a two-game lead against Twin Rivers before the Lady Royals won three straight games to take the match, 24-26, 11-25, 25-15, 25-21, 15-13. "Really, it was emotionally and physically draining," Twin Rivers coach Kelly Null said. "We went through some high points and low points and I know this morning they are tired -- ending with the win makes it a whole lot better."...

Horvath lifts Senath-Hornersville to fall title (10/02/07) SENATH, Mo. -- Heath Horvath did it again. Less than three months after Horvath hit a two-run homer to give Dunklin County's Junior American Legion baseball team a district title, he hit a three-run blast Monday to lift the Senath-Hornersville Lions to a 6-5 victory over the Campbell Camels here Monday in the finals of the Fall Baseball Tournament...

Rockies rally for wild wild-card berth (10/02/07) By ARNIE STAPLETON The Associated Press DENVER -- Matt Holliday raced home on Jamey Carroll's shallow fly ball, capping a stunning, three-run rally in the 13th inning against Trevor Hoffman and leading the Colorado Rockies over the San Diego Padres 9-8 on Monday night for the NL wild card...

Kennett shuts out Lady Tigers (09/19/07) It may be cliché, but it's still true: practice makes perfect. That is the case for the Kennett Lady Indians girls' tennis team, which took a 9-0 shutout victory over Caruthersville Tuesday, its second shutout in as many days. In other area sports, Kennett was shut out 9-0 by Anna-Jonesboro in boys soccer, while Gideon took a 25-14, 25-13 win over Cooter in volleyball and Senath-Hornersville rallied past Twin Rivers 10-9 in baseball...

West's inside-the-park homer highlights Poplar Bluff's softball win (09/18/07) By DAR STAFF KENNETT -- Poplar Bluff's Alex West did what Kennett coach Laurie Vaughan would like to see her Lady Indians do. West drove a hit into the gap and used her speed to turn it into an inside-the-park home run Monday capping a three-run third inning as the Lady Mules took a 9-1 win...

Clearwater shakes off slow start to beat Neelyville in baseball (09/18/07) By ALEX ABATE ~ Sports Writer PIEDMONT -- Clearwater's Jake Hime got off to a rough start but was able to shrug it off Monday afternoon against visiting Neelyville. After giving up two runs in the first inning, Hime settled in and allowed just one run in the final six innings as the Tigers offense flourished in an 8-3 win...

Holcomb outscores Risco 14-2 in baseball (09/18/07) Josh Mills ~ Standard Democrat RISCO -- The Risco Tigers played host to the Holcomb Hornets on Monday afternoon on the baseball diamond, falling by a score of 14-2, in five innings due to the 10-run mercy rule. "We just got outplayed today," Risco coach Brandon Blankenship said. "We're young, and this fall league is a good preparation for the spring season."...

Lady Indians win at Doniphan, get back to .500 (09/12/07) DONIPHAN, Mo. -- Laurel Scales struck out 13 batters and the Kennett Lady Indians softball team bounced back from back-to-back losses with a 5-3 win against the Doniphan Donettes here Tuesday. In Tuesday's other area games, Gideon defeated Delta C7 25-11, 25-9 in volleyball, while Southland got past Campbell. In baseball, Cooter took a 10-0 win over North Pemiscot, while Bernie shut out Holcomb by the same score...

Campbell baseball shuts out South Pemiscot (09/12/07) DAR Staff Cole Harralston delivered a gem on the mound as he allowed only one hit in an 8-0 win against South Pemiscot. Dylan Lynn drove in three runs and Kyle Matthews drove in a pair in support of Harralston, who found the strike zone with 57 of his 77 pitches and struck out eight...

Bernie blanks Holcomb (09/12/07) BERNIE -- Silas Dill and Jake Owens combined for a perfect game on the mound as the Bernie Mules defeated Holcomb, 10-0, Tuesday at home. Dill started the game and worked four perfect innings before Owens finished the game, working a perfect inning, in a game called by the 10-run rule after five...

Clearwater edges Twin Rivers 8-6 in baseball (09/11/07) By BRAD HURT ~ Sports Writer BROSELEY -- Whenever rivals clash, it's sure to be an intense battle. Monday was no exception for Clearwater and Twin Rivers. The two teams put on a hitting display, each putting 10 baseknocks in the book, as the Tigers maintained their spot at the top of the OFC and knocked the Royals from the ranks of the unbeatens with an 8-6 victory...

Twin Rivers softball pounds Neelyville 12-0 (09/07/07) By DAR STAFF Carlee Vancil struck out 14 of the 18 batters she faced in five innings to record her second no-hitter of the season as Twin Rivers won 12-0 at Neelyville Vancil helped herself by going 3-for-3 at the plate with two triples and a single and driving in four runs. Samantha Leutert and Kayla Cunningham each scored twice for the Lady Royals. Senior catcher Kelci Scott crossed the plate three times and also drove in three runs...

Scales handed tough-luck loss as Lady Tribe suffers seventh-inning meltdown (09/05/07) It would be hard to blame Laurel Scales for feeling unlucky. The Kennett hurler allowed just two hits and no earned runs while retiring 16 batters in a row at one point, but found herself on the short end of a 3-0 loss to the Naylor Lady Eagles Tuesday at Indian Park after a seventh-inning collapse by the Lady Indians' defense led to three unearned runs...

Doniphan racks up 25-0 baseball win against Van Buren (09/05/07) Doniphan scored eight times in the first inning and rolled Tuesday to a 25-0 victory against Van Buren. Dalton Pennington drove in runs with an RBI single in the first inning and an RBI triple in the third. The Dons also scored runs on two wild pitches, a hit batter and a bases-loaded walk...

Clearwater baseball edges Doniphan 9-8 in 13 innings (09/04/07) DAR staff Clearwater and Doniphan were having so much fun Thursday they decided to keep right on playing. The teams battled it out for 13 innings in a game that lasted just over four hours before Clearwater came out on top, 9-8. "We were trying to see who could last the longest," said Doniphan coach John Mark Merriman. "I couldn't ask for more out of any more out of my guys."...

Charleston tennis team beats Dexter (09/04/07) Staff reports ~ Standard-Democrat CHARLESTON -- With four victories in singles competition and two more wins in doubles, the Charleston High School girls tennis team defeated Dexter 6-3 Tuesday. Lindsay Burke (No. 3), Mary Kate Renaud (No. 4), Kayla McKenzie (No. 5) and Chelsea Stallings (No. 6) won their matches for the Lady Bluejays. Burke was an 8-3 victor over Emily Vines, Renaud topped Catherine Kinchen 8-3, McKenzie knocked off Kristyn Lemons 8-2 and Stalling upset Kendra Rinehard 8-3...

Twin Rivers baseball stomps East Carter (08/31/07) DAR staff Freshman Cole McBroom went 3-for-3 at the plate in his Twin Rivers debut as the Royals trounced East Carter 26-1 on Thursday. McBroom hit a grand slam in his first at-bat and added a two-run double and a three-run home run for a total of nine RBI...

Bernie baseball beats Risco (08/31/07) BERNIE -- Pitching problems bit the Risco Tigers during a 10-run, five-inning loss Thursday at Bernie. The Risco pitching staff allowed a total combination of 11 free passes in the walk and hit-by-pitch categories. The Mules cashed in their scoring chances behind Jake Welch (2-for-3, double, two RBI) and Silas Dill (2-for-2, three runs scored and three RBI). Justin Earnheart blasted a three-run homer in Risco's first inning. He scored twice for the Tigers (0-6 overall)...

Lady Tribe shuts out East Prairie (08/29/07) EAST PRAIRIE, Mo. -- Laurel Scales tossed seven innings of three-hit softball as the Kennett Lady Indians improved to 2-2 on the season with a 1-0 win over the East Prairie Lady Eagles Tuesday. In other area sports, Cooter defeated Delta C7, 15-0, in baseball, while in volleyball, it was Gideon downing New Madrid County Central by the scores of 25-13, 25-9...

Bernie baseball falls to Senath-Hornersville (08/24/07) Senath 9, Bernie 7 Senath had two players pick up three hits each as they outlasted the visitors from Bernie. The Mules were led by Silas Dill, who went 2-for-3 and Jake Welch who finished the game 2-for-4. "We made three mistakes in the first inning that were crucial," Mules coach Brad Botsch said. "The kids woke up a little bit after the first inning and really battled for the rest of the game, but we didn't get the job done."...

Campbell baseball blanks Holcomb (08/24/07) Campbell 10, Holcomb 0 The Camels jumped on Holcomb early and never let up, putting seven runs on the scoreboard on just five hits in the first inning en route to the shutout. Dylan Lynn picked up the win on the mound and was 2-for-3 for Campbell. Joe Campbell pitched the final two innings. The pair allowed just three hits...

Clarkton baseball defeats Naylor (08/24/07) Josh Simpson pitched 5 1/3 innings and Jake Lamunion had a good day at the plate, going 3-for-4 in the Reindeer victory. "We played really well," said Reindeer coach Scott Blackburn. "It was a good all-around game."

Risco baseball drops first two games (08/23/07) Staff Reports ~ Standard Democrat RISCO -- The Risco High School varsity baseball team began its season this week with a pair of losses on Monday and Tuesday. During its opener Monday, the Tigers dropped a 16-2 decision at home against Bernie. Risco returned to its home diamond Tuesday, but was beaten 18-8 by Clarkton. Both games were stopped after five innings, when the 10-run rule was enforced...

Lady Indians down Naylor for first win; Charleston rolls past Kennett in tennis (08/22/07) NAYLOR, Mo. -- The Kennett Lady Indians erupted for 10 runs in the top of the seventh inning, then held off a furious Naylor rally in the bottom of the inning to take a 12-9 win in high school softball here Tuesday. "It's always nice to get that first win," Kennett coach Laurie Vaughan said afterwards. "We would have liked to have got it (Monday), but they stepped up today, fought hard and showed their desire to win."...

Twin Rivers rallies in seventh to win opener (08/22/07) By BRAD HURT ~ Sports Writer BROSELEY -- Through five innings Tuesday afternoon, the Twin Rivers Royals seemed to have a win safely in their pocket but it wasn't just the heat that caused them to sweat in a 5-4 victory over Campbell. The Camels' bats, which Royals starter Ryan Tompkins had silenced over the first five frames, came alive against reliever Dylan Stockton, only to come up short...

Blemker's play at World Series earns him honor (08/16/07) Zak Blemker saw limited opportunities at the plate during the Southeast Missouri State baseball season. All Blemker needed was a chance to show his ability. Blemker finished fifth in hitting at the National Baseball Congress World Series in Wichita, Kan., posting a .417 average for the Plaza Tire Capahas. He was rewarded for his play with a spot as the first baseman on the NBC all-American team...

Post 303 runs out of miracles in zone final (08/07/07) JACKSON, Mo. -- In the end, Dunklin County Post 303 just ran out of miracles. After winning three straight games in the final inning to make it to a winner-take-all Zone IV championship game -- including a pair of extra-inning wins on Saturday -- Post 303 came up just a hair short against with Anheuser-Busch Post 299, dropping a 6-5 decision in 12 innings here Sunday...

Dunklin County forces decisive game (08/05/07) Dunklin County will take on Anheuser-Busch of St. Louis at 1 p.m. today in the deciding game of the American Legion Zone 4 baseball tournament at Jackson. Dunklin County came back through the losers bracket and forced a winner-take-all game in the double-elimination tournament with two extra-inning victories Saturday...

Capahas open NBC tournament today (08/02/07) The Plaza Tire Capahas head into this year's National Baseball Congress World Series in Wichita, Kan., with greater expectations than last year. But the 2006 Capahas will be a hard act to follow with three straight wins that led to a 13th-place finish in the amateur wood bat baseball tournament that traces its roots back to the 1930s...

Host is at top of Jackson resume (08/01/07) Mark Lewis is just happy his Jackson American Legion baseball team is playing this week. "Right now, were're one of 20 teams left in Missouri playing Legion baseball. To me, that's exciting," Lewis said. "It's a great opportunity for our program and our players."...

Area digest (07/29/07) Cape all-stars earn win in Nebraska The Cape Girardeau 10-year old all-star Cal Ripken baseball team beat the Kansas state champions Friday. Cape won 13-3 in four innings at the tournament in Scottsbluff, Neb. Scott County baseball team wins The Scott County 11-year old all-star Cal Ripken baseball team beat the North Dakota state champions Saturday afternoon...

How sweep it is! Post 303 blasts Scott County to win District XIV title (07/29/07) CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. -- Dunklin County struggled for much of the American Legion baseball season, particularly against District 14's better teams. But Post 303 turned it on when things counted the most. Dunklin County completed an undefeated run through the District 14 tournament with Friday night's 20-3 mauling of top-seeded Scott County...