Jerry Jarrell photo Dexter's Mason Noe looks in for the sign after taking over for starter Eric Windham during the Bearcats' 4-3 win over Fredericktown Monday in the first round of the Class 3, District 1 tournament in Cape Girardeau. As the scoreboard shows, the 'Cats trailed 3-1 in the sixth before storming back to take the win.

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Daviad Hessling broke for home with the pitch and Tyler Scott's bunt was perfect to score the winning run in Dexter's 4-3 come-from-behind victory over Fredericktown in the first round of the Class 3, District 1 tournament Monday at Notre Dame Regional High School in Cape Girardeau.

The perfectly executed squeeze play capped yet another improbable come-back win by the Bearcats, who will play No. 3 Kennett, a 9-5 winner over No. 6 Doniphan, today at 6:30 in one semifinal game. Number 5 Perryville defeated No. 4 Sikeston, 9-1, to earn a shot at No. 1 Notre Dame, an 18-1 winner over No. 8 New Madrid County Central.

"They did what they've been doing all year," Dexter coach Brian Becker said after yet another late-inning win. "They just keep battling and never give up and they always seem to find a way to win. I couldn't be more proud of them."

Dexter trailed 3-0 heading into the bottom of the fifth, as Fredericktown pitcher Eli Skaggs was working on a no-hitter threw four innings. Hessling, who finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBI, broke up the no-no with a ringing double over the left fielder's head. Jarrett Laird brought Hessling home with the Bearcats' first run with a two-out single.

Skaggs' defense let him down as he began to struggle in the sixth. An error by right fielder A. P. Lewandowski allowed Miller to take second base to lead off the bottom of the inning and Matt Banken drew a walk to put runners at first and second.

Eric Windham followed with a sacrifice bunt before Hessling delivered another shot to tie the game at 3-all. Designated hitter Sawyer Smith drew a walk, one of only two issued by the Blackcats, to load the bases and set the stage for the winning squeeze play.

Windham started on the mound for Dexter but was in trouble from the first inning The right-hander worked out of trouble in the first and second innings, but couldn't work out of a jam in the third as Tyler Thompson's RBI single scored Skaggs for the early lead. Windham had his best inning in the fourth, a 1-2-3 outing, but the Blackcats were back on the attack in the fifth. Two walks and a hit batsman loaded the bases before Thompson's sacrifice fly pushed the Blackcats out front, 2-0. Windham walked in another run to make it 3-0 before Becker elected to go with Mason Noe.

Noe threw one pitch and got Jonathan O'Neal to fly out to left to get out of the inning.

Noe held the Blackcats in check for his 2 1/3 innings of work to pick up the win.

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