Staff photo by Mike Buhler Dunklin County's Logan Dollins (right) successfully steals second base during the first game of Tuesday's Junior American Legion District XIV doubleheader against Cape Girardeau at Indian Park. [Click to enlarge]

The Dunklin County Redbirds used a mixture of clutch pitching and timely hitting to sweep a District XIV doubleheader from Cape Girardeau, 11-10 and 2-0, Tuesday night at Indian Park.

In game one, Dunklin County (30-6, 5-1) had to use some late-game heroics to pull off the win after squandering an 8-1 lead.

The Redbirds got on the board first in the bottom of the first inning when they posted three runs against Cape starter Ron Scott.

Staff photo by Mike Buhler Dunklin County's Gage Blue connects for a RBI single during the first game of Tuesday's Junior American Legion District XIV doubleheader against Cape Girardeau at Indian Park. [Click to enlarge]

Cameron Wallace led off with a walk for Dunklin County and stole second before taking third on a fielder's choice off the bat of Andy Lack. Wallace then scored on an errant throw for Dunklin County's first run. Gage Blue walked and stole second and took third base on Adam Grantham's fielder's choice before scoring on a wild pitch. Grantham stole second and third and scored on an infield single by Trey Bazzell to give the Redbirds a 3-0 cushion.

Cape responded in the top of the second when Brandon Peters reached on a walk and advanced to third on an errant throw from the catcher before scoring on Sam Schneider's single to narrow the gap to 3-1. Cape threatened to score more after loading the bases, but a double play thwarted their hopes of a big inning.

"[Starting pitcher] Grantham did a good job of settling down and throwing strikes to hold them to just one run," said Dunklin County head coach Aaron New. "That could've been the ballgame right there."

Dunklin County countered with three more runs in the bottom of the second and two more in the third to build an 8-1 lead before going hitless in the next three innings.

Cape took advantage of the Redbirds' suddenly-cold bats by chasing Grantham in the fourth inning with three runs to draw within four at 8-4. Grantham went 3 1/3 innings and gave up four runs -- two earned -- on one hit and six walks before being relieved by Wallace.

In the fifth, Wallace was touched for four runs after retiring the first batter of the inning. The righty walked Jacob Conklin and Tyler Buelow and gave up a single to Peters before Eric Hayes drilled a two-run double to right-center to pull Cape within two. Andrew Williams followed up with a two-run single to tie the game at eight.

Wallace pitched out of the fifth, but he ran into more trouble in the sixth inning. After Austin Davis reached on an error, Conklin deposited an 0-2 offering well beyond the center field fence to give Cape its first lead of the game, 10-8.

The Redbirds went quietly in the sixth inning, but made some noise in the seventh.

Bazzell led off the inning with a single up the middle, and Logan Dollins and Dylan Lynn were hit by pitches to load the bases with nobody out. The next two batters were fanned, but Lack came through with an infield single to score Bazzell and keep the bases loaded. Campbell followed with a walk to drive in Dollins to tie the game and bring up Gage Blue.

Blue stepped up to the plate and laced the eighth pitch of the at-bat down the left field line to give the Redbirds sole possession of first place in the District XIV standings.

New had mixed feelings about the win, but he was hopeful about what this win can teach his team.

"We didn't play well in the third through the sixth innings, and we were lucky tonight to come away with a win," New said. "Hopefully, we learned a valuable lesson about taking the middle innings off and we won't put ourselves in that situation again."

Lynn picked up the win in relief of Wallace, tossing a perfect seventh inning with a strikeout.

"Lynn did a great job for us, and he's done that all year," New said. "He came in during a tough spot and put up a zero when we had to have it."

Blue and Bazzell led the Redbirds offensively, each recording 2-4 performances with two RBIs and a run scored. Lack and Campbell drove in two runs a piece, and Wallace chipped in with an RBI as well.

In game two, Dunklin County used five pitchers to limit Cape to no runs on two hits. Dollins picked up the win by throwing the fourth and fifth innings, walking three and giving up one hit. Billy Fender started the game and threw two innings, giving up a hit and striking out two.

Bazzell relieved him in the fifth and struck out two in an inning of work before Dollins took over. Lack tossed a perfect sixth, and Campbell recorded the save with a perfect seventh.

New was pleased with the way his team played in the nightcap.

"The defense in the second game was outstanding, and the pitching was, too," New said. "Our pitchers threw strikes, and when our pitchers throw lots of strikes with our defense, we're going to have a chance to win."

Alex Bohnert provided all the offense the Redbirds needed with a two-run double in the fourth inning to score Seth Littrell and Chris Smith.

Bohnert led the offense, going 2-4 with two RBIs. Andrew Hooper went 2-3, and Daniel Lockert, Smith and Lynn also recorded hits in the game.

The Redbirds will take on Dexter tonight in a doubleheader starting at 5:30 at Indian Park before meeting up with Jackson in a District XIV doubleheader on Thursday in Kennett.