Capahas' hurlers sizzle in twin bill sweep

The Plaza Tire Capahas and Crestwood (Ill.) Panthers both boast rich traditions in the world of amateur baseball.

Saturday night those two storied programs squared off in a tight, pitching-dominated doubleheader at Capaha Field.

The teams were supposed to play a pair of seven-inning games but nearly went that long in the opener, which the Capahas won 4-3 in 12 innings.

No overtime was required in the nightcap as the Capahas won 2-0 to sweep despite having only 10 hits. The squads close out their three-game series at 1 p.m. today.

"They've got a good ballclub and we enjoy playing them," Plaza Tire manager Jess Bolen said. "We're struggling to score because we're missing a lot of guys, but our pitching has really been good and tonight it was outstanding.

Plaza Tire's Jason Chavez delivers to a Crestwood batter during the sixth inning of Saturday's first game at Capaha Field. (Laura Simon)

"I'm proud of these guys. We had 13 players here tonight and they were all scratching and clawing."

The Capahas (10-3) and Panthers (5-5) are playing a three-game set in Cape Girardeau for the third straight year. Crestwood took two of three last summer after the Capahas posted a sweep in 2008.

While the Capahas have made 28 straight appearances at the National Baseball Congress World Series in Wichita, Kan., the Panthers also are an annual fixture at that prestigious tournament.

Crestwood, a suburb of Chicago, has thrived recently at the NBC World Series, finishing fifth last year, second in 2008 and third in 2007.

"It's always fun to play a team like that," Plaza Tire's Sean Bard said.

Plaza Tire players congratulate teammate Sean Bard on his first of two home runs in Saturday's first game. (Laura Simon)

Plaza Tire managed just four hits in Saturday's opener, but three of them were solo home runs. Bard homered in his first two at-bats while Dustin Hunter also left the park.

Homering in spacious Capaha Field with wood bats, especially against a stout pitching staff like Crestwood's, is no small feat.

"Getting three home runs with wood doesn't happen very often," Bolen said.

It looked like the Capahas would post a routine victory, but Crestwood scored twice in the sixth inning and once in the seventh for a 3-3 tie.

That's the way things stood until an eventful 12th inning.

Josh Parham, who fired off five shutout innings in relief despite normally not pitching more than an inning or two at a time, allowed a 12th-inning leadoff single to Tim Storrs.

A passed ball and a wild pitch placed Storrs on third base with nobody out. With a 2-0 count on Brandon Howard, Kirk Boeller relieved Parham.

Boeller proceeded to strike out Howard, Tom Lally and Ryan Boss -- all looking -- as Storrs was stranded at third.

"You can't do any better than that," Bolen said. "I had a good feeling about Kirk when he came in."

Said Parham, who allowed three hits while striking out seven and walking two: "Usually I pitch two innings max. Somehow I was able to keep going. Kirk did great. He saved me. I put him in a bad situation."

Boeller was rewarded with the win when the Capahas finally ended the contest in the bottom of the 12th.

Hunter led off with a double, marking Plaza Tire's first hit since his fourth-inning homer that made it 3-0.

Brad LaBruyere sacrificed Hunter to third and Garrett Stevens' fly ball to center field was deep enough to score Hunter. Stevens came through despite having two strikes on him.

"I just shortened up my swing and tried to put the ball in play somewhere," Stevens said.

Plaza Tire starter Jason Chavez allowed seven hits and was charged with three runs in six innings. He struck out three and walked two.

Chavez walked the leadoff batter in the seventh and he came around to score the tying run after Parham relieved.

"Parham did a great job and so did Chavez. They gave us a chance," Bolen said.

While Plaza Tire's three pitchers combined to strike out 13, four Crestwood hurlers fanned 14. The Panthers finished with 10 hits.

Pitching also dominated the nightcap, especially Plaza Tire rookie Cody Hafeli. He worked all seven innings, scattering seven hits, striking out four and walking three.

"He was great. The big thing about him is he throws strikes," Bolen said.

Hafeli was intent on finishing what he started and notching the shutout.

"It's very exciting," said Hafeli, who is from Marion, Ill., and recently completed his freshman season at Kankakee (Ill.) Community College. "I felt pretty confident out there and I had great defense behind me."

The Capahas scored in the first inning. Blake Gaddis drew a one-out walk, moved to second on a ground out and came around on Drew Pixley's single.

Plaza Tire made it 2-0 in the fifth inning. Paul Johnson reached on a two-out bunt single and went to second on a throwing error. Gaddis followed with an RBI single.

Crestwood again outhit the Capahas, 7-6.

Game 1

Panthers 000 002 100 000 -- 3 10 2

Capahas 100 200 000 001 -- 4 4 3

WP -- Kirk Boeller. LP -- Ryan Westover. HR -- Sean Bard (C) 2, Dustin Hunter (C). 2B -- Bill Zein (P), Hunter (C. Multiple hits -- Panthers: Zein 2-5, Dan Sohill 2-4, Tim Storrs 2-5, Tom Lally 2-5. Capahas: Bard 2-4, Hunter 2-5. Records -- Panthers 5-4, Capahas 9-3.

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Game 2

Panthers 000 000 0 -- 0 7 2

Capahas 100 010 x -- 2 6 2

WP -- Cody Hafeli. LP -- Brian Lorenz. 2B -- Adam Nykiel (P), Matt Kucharski (P). Multiple hits -- Panthers: Nykiel 2-3, Ryan Boss 2-4. Records -- Panthers 5-5, Capahas 10-3.