BOLEN NETS 1,000th WIN; CAPAHAS NAB TWO WILD VICTORIES OVER O.B. CLARK

Cape Girardeau Kohlfeld Capahas' manager Jess Bolen had everything set up just the way he wanted for his 1,000th career win in the first game of a doubleheader Sunday at Capaha Field.

The Capahas were playing one of their biggest rivals, St. Louis O.B. Clark. The Caps were in front of a hearty gathering of home fans and they battled back from a seven-run deficit for a 14-13 victory to earn Bolen victory No. 1,000.

"I couldn't have picked a better type of win," said Bolen following the monumental victory. "This is typical of the way the Capahas play ball."

The Capahas trailed 13-6 after the top of the sixth and 13-11 entering the final frame before scoring three runs with two outs for the win.

Kohlfeld also won the nightcap 14-13 to remain perfect on the season at 15-0 and push Bolen's career record in 31 seasons to 1,001-337. O.B. Clark, the two-time defending National Baseball Congress State Champion, fell to 10-5 following the sweep.

The Capahas strung together three consecutive hits with two outs in the seventh inning off O.B. Clark ace Joe Pipes to complete their comeback in the first game. But two key mistakes by Clark center fielder Ed Ross helped the Caps battle back from 13-11 deficit.

With two outs and Darin Kinsolving on first with an infield single, Ross dropped a line drive off the bat of Cory Crosnoe that would have been the final out of the game. Tom Breuer and Steve Kress followed with RBI singles to tie the score 13-13.

With Kress on first, Julio Vega lofted a long drive to dead center field. Ross initially misplayed the ball, then fell down in front of the warning track as Vega's drive landed just in front of the fence to score Kress and end the game.

Even when the Capahas trailed 13-6 after a six-run sixth inning by Clark, Bolen still expected to win No. 1,000 in the first game.

"I don't ever give up and we preach to these guys to never give up," said Bolen, rattling off a list of miraculous Capaha comebacks over the years. "We've won games like this before, and this win is typical of our type of ballclub."

Capaha center fielder Steve Kress had a huge game, going 4-for-5 with seven RBIs. Kress slammed a two-run homer in the first to put the Caps up 3-0. In a five-run Kohlfeld sixth inning, Kress sliced a bases-loaded double down the line in left to score three runs and bring the Caps to within 13-10.

An RBI single by Vega scored Kress to make it 13-11. Vega went 3-for-5 with three RBIs and Capahas first baseman Breuer was 4-for-4 with a double. Both teams had 14 hits.

Garrett Dunning earned the win in relief of starter David Michel. Dunning pitched the final two innings, allowing only two runs in the slugfest.

With the pressure of Bolen's big victory out of the way, the Caps unloaded 19 hits on Clark in the second game -- jumping out to an early 13-3 lead -- before holding on for a one-run win. O.B. Clark ended with 18 hits.

Pipes took the loss for Clark again, being chased in the second inning with no outs and trailing 5-3. The Caps scored six runs in the second and six more in the third for a 13-3 lead.

Clark scored seven in the top of the fourth to make it 13-10. Capaha leadoff batter Lance Craft manufactured the eventual winning run when he walked and stole two bases to get to third base. Crosnoe scored him with a one-out hit to put the Caps on top 14-10.

After consecutive 1-2-3 innings in the fifth and sixth, Clark threatened in the seventh with three runs off of Capaha starter Chad Bogenpohl. But with the tying run at second base, Bogenpohl struck out the final batter to secure the sweep.

Craft and Kress both had three hits in the nightcap. Getting two hits for the Caps were Darrick Smith, Crosnoe, Breuer, Vega, Kinsolving and George White. Breuer had five RBIs, including a three-run homer off the scoreboard in left.