Tigers barely stay perfect in conference play

By MATT KING / Daily Journal Sports Writer

CALEDONIA - Arcadia Valley saw its first conference loss appear imminent after squandering an 8-0 lead on Thursday, but a four-run outburst in the sixth propelled the Tigers to a 12-10 win at Valley.

Back-to-back home runs by Ryan Esselman and Logan Smith to start the game signaled a huge opening frame for Arcadia Valley (12-3). The duo also collected consecutive RBI doubles later in the eight-run inning.

Valley (4-6) answered with six runs in the third inning, and four more in the fifth to surge ahead 10-8 before falling behind for good when the Tigers came back to the plate.

Smith slammed the door on another possible comeback by the Vikings, tossing three scoreless innings of relief with three strikeouts. He also finished 2-for-4 at the plate with three RBI.

Esselman drove in four runs and scored three more while going 3-for-5 to lead the Tigers. Jake Yarbrough and Luch Laird were each 2-for-4 with two RBI, while Walter Spitzmiller and Spencer Helms added two singles each.

Kody Martin delivered from the lead-off spot for Valley by going 3-for-4 with a double. Ryan Forbes crushed a three-run homer in the third to go 2-for-3, and Joe Fahland chipped in two singles.

Arcadia Valley is scheduled to play four games next week, starting with Clearwater on Monday. A win over Valle on Tuesday would clinch the MAAA Small-School regular season title.

Valley will travel to Lesterville on Monday before heading to Bismarck on Tuesday.

Arcadia Valley 800 004 0 - 12 16 1

Valley 006 040 x - 10 11 1

WP - Smith 3i 0r 2h 3k 1bb.

LP - Dodd 5 1/3i 12r 10er 2k.

Hitting:

Arcadia Valley - Esselman 3, Smith 2, Yarbrough 2, Helms 2, L Laird 2, Spitzmiller 2, T Laird, Benz, Wilson. 2b - Esselman, Smith, T Laird. 3b - Wilson. HR - Smith (2), Esselman (1).

Valley - Martin 3, Forbes 2, Fahland 2, Dodd, Smith, Hagerty, Akers. 2b - Martin. HR - Forbes (1).

Sikeston 14, Fredericktown 9

FREDERICKTOWN - The Fredericktown Blackcats nearly climbed out of a huge hole on Thursday afternoon, but ultimately dropped a 14-9 decision at home to Sikeston.

Sikeston scored eight quick runs in the first inning, and blasted three home runs to build an 11-0 cushion at one point, but Fredericktown countered with five tallies in the second and four more in the fourth to only trail by two. The Bulldogs committed the lone error of the contest.

Ryan Thompson took the loss on the mound for the Blackcats, but had a good offensive effort, going 2-for-4 with a home run and four RBI. Taylor Fall finished 2-for-3 and Logan Stevens went 2-for-4 with a double.

Fredericktown (3-9) will face another district opponent today when Notre Dame visits.

Sikeston 830 003 0 - 14 13 1

Fredericktown 050 400 0 - 9 10 0

WP - Scott LP - Thompson

Hitting:

Fredericktown - Thompson 2, Stevens 2, Fall 2, Bess, Sikes, Smallen, Forister. 2b - Stevens. HR - Thompson (1).