CAPAHAS DISPOSE OF D'BACKS IN TOURNEY

After two days of the National Baseball Congress Mid-South Regional Tournament, the host McDowell Capahas are sitting in the best spot after claiming a seven-inning victory Saturday night 6-0 over the Southern Illinois Diamondbacks and advancing to the winners' bracket finals which will be played Friday at 8 p.m.

The other team from Cape Girardeau was eliminated from the double-elimination tournament, however, as the Riverdogs (2-7) fell victim to the seventh-inning, five-run-rule 7-2 to Murphysboro.

In NBC tournament play, games are called after there is an eight-run deficit in the fifth inning and a five-run deficit in the seventh.

In other games Saturday, Fulton (6-2) knocked off Pine Bluff (Ark.) 9-3 in seven innings and O.B. Clark fought off Fairview Heights (Ill.) 5-0.

In the Capahas' game, Lanson DeBrock dominated the Diamondbacks. He went seven full innings and allowed just four hits while walking none and fanning six.

"I thought Lanson DeBrock was real sharp," said Capahas manager Jess Bolen. "It's the best game he's pitched for us by far. He pitched some great games for Southeast in the spring, but he had been struggling a bit this summer for us. I just wanted him to know that I still had confidence in him. They've got a good ballclub."

Offensively, Darin Kinsolving ripped two pitches -- one over the left-field foul pole for a home run and another over the center fielder's head for a triple. He had two RBIs.

"We were talking about that home run," said Bolen. "That was with a wooden bat. Can you imagine how far that would've went with an aluminum bat?"

The Caps, who scored one in the first, two in the second, one in the third and two in the sixth, banged out nine hits total. Cory Crosnoe singled and doubled.

The Capahas will play the winner of the O.B. Clark-Fulton winners' bracket semifinal game which will be played today at 4:30 p.m.

In the Riverdogs' game, the Cape squad managed just four hits, but had plenty of opportunities. The Riverdogs scored both their runs in the first inning.

But they had the bases loaded with one out in both the third and fourth innings and failed to score both times.

"We just couldn't get the big hit," said Riverdogs manager Robin Minner.

Chris Bradshaw led the way with a pair of hits, an RBI and a run scored. Ross Bennett doubled and scored a run.

Steve Fowler suffered the loss.

"He pitched a good ball game, he just pitched into some tough luck," Minner said.

In Fulton's win over Pine Bluff, the Bandits scored five runs in the sixth to put away the Braves. Pine Bluff arrived for the game at 4:55 for the 4:30 game and made it just in time as the half-hour grace period was about to expire. The Braves didn't have time to take infield and, because only eight players showed up, they had to borrow Southeast Missouri State outfield coach Mark Lewis to play right field. Lewis is a groundskeeper at Capaha Field.

Murphysboro will play the Diamondbacks today at 10 a.m. and Fairview Heights will play Poplar Bluff at 8 p.m. in losers' bracket games.