Capahas fall short of crown

The Craftsman Union Capahas played well enough to force a long Sunday of baseball in Cape Girardeau.

But the Capahas didn't play nearly well enough to climb all the way out of the loser's bracket and capture the National Baseball Congress Mid-South Regional title at Capaha Field.

After handing the Tradewater (Ky.) Pirates their first tournament loss, 10-3 in the afternoon, the Capahas fell to the Pirates 7-0 at night in the winner-take-all championship game.

So the Pirates (26-9-1), competing in the NBC Mid-South Regional for the first time, earn an automatic bid to the NBC World Series.

The Capahas (28-4), who also lost to the Pirates in Saturday's winner's bracket final of the double-elimination event, must now await a possible at-large bid to the NBC World Series. Three of the Capahas' four defeats this season have been to the Pirates.

"It's disappointing we weren't able to win this thing again," said Capahas manager Jess Bolen, whose squad also finished second last year. "But you've got to give Tradewater credit. They've got a nice ballclub.

"But I'm proud of my team. We've lost one player after another this year, but we kept battling. You don't win 28 games if you don't battle."

Jeremy King, a highly-touted left-hander who began his career at Southeast Missouri State University in 2001 but transferred after taking a redshirt season, shut down the Capahas in the championship game.

King, who has already been selected once in the baseball draft, worked all nine innings and allowed just six hits while striking out eight and walking three. He was named the tournament's outstanding pitcher.

"Jeremy King pitched a fine game," Bolen said.

Justin Simpher (5-1) suffered his first loss of the season. In 4-plus innings, he allowed six hits and seven runs (five earned). Nathan Baker finished up, allowing two hits in four shutout innings.

Steve Kress led the Capahas with two hits. Tyler Pittman and Kelly Davis both had two hits for the Pirates.

Tradewater jumped on top 2-0 in the bottom of the first inning on Jason Massey's two-run home run. Curtis Pitt's two-run single in the fourth made it 4-0 and a three-run fifth opened up a 7-0 bulge.

Pittman, who went 8-for-14 in the tournament, was selected as the regional MVP.

Earlier Sunday, Jon Nourie (6-0) was dominant on the mound and the Capahas' bats came to life as they rolled past the Pirates to force one final game.

Nourie, a left-hander who has also been drafted once, worked all nine innings, allowing five hits and two earned runs. He struck out 15 and walked five.

The Capahas banged out 12 hits, including two doubles from Jon Payne.

Justin Welker had two hits, including a double, and drove in three runs. Lance Seasor added two hits, one a triple, while Josh Eftink and Wade Hansford also had two hits apiece.