Sikeston All-Stars outlast Lexington, Ky.

Tuesday, August 14, 2007
Sikeston's Tyler Anderson leaps before hitting home plate Sunday during Sikeston's 3-2 loss to Emmorton, Md.

ABERDEEN, MD -- The Sikeston 12-year-old All-Stars baseball team took home a victory on Monday at the Cal Ripken World Series, defeating Lexington, Ky., 8-7 in eight innings. Sikeston's record in the series improved to 1-2, while Lexington fell to 2-1.

Sikeston's Tyler Anderson stole the show with his display of the long-ball against Lexington. Anderson hit two home runs on the day, one of which proved to be the game-winner in the eighth inning. He has connected for three homers at the Cal Ripken World Series.

Sikeston pulled out to a slight lead in the first inning, but as youth baseball typically goes, that would not be enough. With two outs in the book, Tyler Neal doubled down the right field line, and made second his temporary home. That was until Drew Harper hit a ground-rule double to score Neal.

Anderson lead off the third inning with a double, and then advanced to third on a wild pitch. A strikeout would have put Neal on the bench, but the catcher missed the ball and he hurried to first base. Neal stole second base, and, then, Harper drew a walk. With the bases loaded, Lucas Houchin singled through the left side of the infield, and advanced to second base on an error. Houchin recorded two RBIs on the play. Then, Joshua Hampton laid down a sacrifice bunt to score a run. Cord Sheehy singled up the middle, plating two runs and giving Sikeston a five-run inning, and a 6-0 lead.

In the fourth inning, Anderson hit his first home run of the game to right-

center field, scoring Sikeston's only run of the inning.

Over the fifth and sixth innings though, Sikeston saw its lead dwindling right before its eyes. Lexington plated three runs in the fifth, and added four more in the sixth to tie the game, with a combined 12 hits in the two innings. Lexington had a total of 15 hits.

Anderson came in to pitch in the sixth inning. After a wild pitch, he settled down to close the door slowly on the Lexington squad. He improved to 1-1 in the series by throwing three innings, allowing three hits, three walks (one intentional) and recording five strikeouts. Anderson did not yield a run.

In the eighth inning, with a tie-game on the line, Trey Tigart flew out to right field, followed by Brandon Goodwin, who grounded out to the shortstop. With the pressure building, Anderson came to the plate, and once again came through for the Sikeston squad, hitting his second home run of the game to left-center, giving Sikeston the lead.

With two outs in the bottom of the eighth, Anderson recorded two outs, then allowed a single. He retired the fourth batter of the inning on a pop-up to second to end the game.

Sikeston's leading hitters were Anderson ( 3-for-5, two home runs, three runs scored, and two RBIs), Neal (2-for-5, two hits, two runs scored), Harper (1-for-3, one run scored and a RBI), Houchin (1-for-2, one run scored, one walk, and two RBIs) and Sheehy (1-for-3, and two RBIs).

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