BASEBALL: Goreville downs Du Quoin - again

Du Quoin's Junior American Legion Baseball team last saw the field on July 1 at Goreville where they suffered their first defeat of the season. Thanks to rain-outs and some opponents having to cancel due to not having enough players to take the field, Post 647 had to sit for a dozen days before Monday's game against the same bunch of Blackcats.

The rust was evident, as Du Quoin committed errors - both physical and mental - and didn't get their first hit until the fifth inning, falling 8-4 at home.

Goreville (14-5) took control of the game early, scoring four times in the top of the second inning against Post 647 starter Jordan Edwards on three base hits, two walks and a hit batter. The Blackcats got two more in the third after an error, a walk and a single, ending Edwards' day and making the score 6-0.

Hank Stewart took over on the mound and was solid in two scoreless innings before Goreville scraped an unearned run across in the sixth to go up 7-0.

Du Quoin finally got their bats going in the bottom of the sixth when Caleb Vogel was hit by a pitch, Stewart singled, and Ashton Smith delivered an RBI double. A wild pitch and an error led to two more runs coming in, and Post 647 had crept to within 7-3.

But the Blackcats tacked on an insurance run in the top of the seventh against Bryce Clarry, and a diving grab by the right fielder sucked the life out of a potential rally for Du Quoin in the bottom half after Tevin Lee had singled and scored.

Stewart (1-3), Smith (1-3, RBI, 2B) and Lee (2-3, R) had Post 647's four hits.

Du Quoin (13-2) will travel to Pinckneyville on Tuesday night before the 25th District Tournament begins later this week. Post 647 will play their first postseason game on Friday night at 7:30 p.m. in Chester.