After earning award from NBC World Series, Capahas manager Bolen reflected on tournament success, players' behavior

Jess Bolen won some kind of award from the National Baseball Congress. But he was not exactly certain of the official title.

No matter. Bolen is just proud of his Plaza Tire Capahas' seventh-place finish in the NBC World Series and his players' behavior during their week-plus stay in Wichita, Kan.

"Individual awards I don't care that much about," Bolen said Friday after returning home from the event. "I get my rewards from the game and from coaching the players. But it's a nice honor when someone is recognized on the national level."

Bolen said he was informed by tournament officials Friday as he traveled home that he had been selected as the recipient of an award -- the annual coaches' sportsmanship award, it turns out. It was among the honors presented Friday night at Lawrence-Dumont Stadium.

Bolen earlier this season picked up his 1,300th win as Capahas manager in his 41st season in the same game that the Caps earned a bid to the NBC World Series for the 26th consecutive year. He led the team to a 4-2 record and a seventh-place finish at the World Series. It was the team's best showing since 1995, when it placed fifth. The Capahas' all-time best showing was fourth in 1988.

They finished 32-8 for the year. Plaza Tire's losses at the NBC tourney came from the survivor of the winners bracket, the Havasu (Ariz.) Heat, and the defending champion Santa Barbara (Calif.) Foresters. The Caps were eliminated in an 11-1 loss Thursday night.

"It feels good to be home. but I would have like to have stayed another two or three days and won the whole thing," Bolen said. "I was really satisfied with this bunch. We represented our sponsor and Cape very well. I think we were thought well of out there in terms of sportsmanship."

Bolen, in fact, was hoping the entire Plaza Tire team might get honored for that. He said he was impressed that his players stayed on the field to applaud the Beatrice (Neb.) Bruins when they received the ninth-place trophy following the Capahas' tight win.

"One of my main concerns is to take a team out there that represents Cape and doesn't disappoint people with our behavior," he said. "I don't think it's a problem at all with this bunch."

Bolen said the team cut loose one night by going to a go-kart track, and that the players got quite a kick when "Josh Parham blew a tire and was riding around on three wheels."

On the field, the Capahas were pretty serious, scoring in double digits in two of their elimination-bracket wins and rallying past the Nevada (Mo.) Griffons in another elimination bracket game.

"I think the reason they played well is because they went to play ball and not to party," Bolen said.

Asif Shah finished the tournament with a .421 batting average, four doubles and seven RBIs.

Leadoff batter Zach Blemker hit .417 with a team-leading 10 hits. Chad Mercado hit .357 with four doubles; Daryl Graham hit .350 with five RBIs; and Jerry Hodges hit .348 with seven RBIs.

On the mound, Phillip Riley was 2-0 with a 2.25 ERA and 16 strikeouts in 16 innings pitched. Anthony Maupin had a 2.25 ERA from his eight-inning start, and Jamie McAlister had a 2.45 ERA in his 7 1/3-inning stint.

Mercado, a catcher, and Riley earned attention from scouts, Bolen said, as did pitcher Andrew Graham, who hit 93 mph on the radar gun.

"I'm proud of this bunch," Bolen said. "They can walk with their heads held high for finishing seventh in the United States."