Aluminum helps Plaza Tire offense sing

~ Bard has been on a hot streak since joining the Capahas this season.

Sean Bard has hit well since the start of his first season with the Plaza Tire Capahas.

Bard's hot offense continued Saturday, and this time he flashed plenty of power as well.

Bard hit his first two home runs in a Plaza Tire uniform as the Capahas split a doubleheader with the Waterloo (Ill.) Millers.

"It felt good to hit with some power," Bard said following Waterloo's 10-7 first-game win and Plaza Tire's 9-4 second-game victory.

Drew Pixley singles Saturday at Capaha Field. (Kit Doyle)

The Capahas swing wood bats most of the year, but they used aluminum Saturday because that's what Waterloo utilizes.

That switch made for plenty of pop up and down Plaza Tire's lineup. The Capahas banged out 29 hits, including 10 doubles, a triple and Bard's two homers.

Seven Plaza Tire players had at least three hits in the twin bill.

"It gives you that extra push," Bard said of aluminum bats compared to wood.

Bard, a Central High school graduate who recently completed an impressive two-year career at Division I Mississippi Valley State, pushed plenty Saturday.

Bard's first homer was a shot well beyond the left-center field wall at spacious Capaha Field, which measures 330 feet down the lines, 380 feet to the alleys and 400 feet to center.

That solo blast came in the fifth inning of the opener.

Bard's second homer, a two-run shot in the third inning of the nightcap, was a tape-measure bomb that sailed way over the scoreboard stationed just beyond the left-field wall.

"I pretty much got all of that one," Bard said. "It was a good feeling."

Bard also had two doubles in the doubleheader as he went 5-for-8 and drove in five runs.

Bard had three second-game hits, after he also had three hits in Friday's win over the Charleston Riverdogs. Bard has had four three-hit contests in a span of nine days.

"He's a tough out," Plaza Tire manager Jess Bolen said.

Bard is hitting better than .500 through the Capahas' first eight games of the season.

"I've been seeing the ball well and I feel comfortable," Bard said. "Things are going my way."

While Bard had the Capahas' only home runs Saturday, he was far from their lone offensive star.

Jamie McAlister, better known as a pitcher during his years with the Capahas -- he was strictly a pitcher at Southeast Missouri State -- matched Bard in going 5-for-8. McAlister had two doubles.

Drew Pixley and Kendal Deason both went 4-for-7 -- Pixley tripled -- while Josh Eftink had three doubles in the nightcap.

Matching Eftink with three hits on the day were Denver Stuckey and John Amschler.

"Everybody was hitting up and down the lineup," McAlister said.

Which is not surprising when aluminum is the bat of choice, Bolen pointed out.

"It makes a difference," Bolen said.