Capahas' LaBruyere snuffs out Printers' bats

Brad LaBruyere has been among the Plaza Tire Capahas' top pitchers the past two seasons.

But LaBruyere has taken his game to another level in the National Baseball Congress Mid-South Regional.

LaBruyere fired a three-hit shutout in the regional for the second straight year as the Capahas beat the St. Louis Printers 4-0 on Saturday afternoon in the winners bracket final of the three-team, wood-bat event at Capaha Field.

LaBruyere's gem last summer came in the opening round of the tournament as the Capahas went on to claim their fifth straight regional title and garner their 28th consecutive NBC World Series berth.

"It's a good tournament to play in," said LaBruyere, a Central High School graduate who will be entering his senior year at Southeast Missouri State. "It's always fun and it's a little more incentive knowing this is what we play for all year, to have the chance to go to Wichita [for the NBC World Series]. You have to bring your best."

LaBruyere, a right-hander, allowed just a walk through four innings as he faced the minimum 12 batters.

The Printers finally broke through against LaBruyere for two singles in the fifth inning, although the first runner was erased on a double play.

LaBruyere gave up just one more single. The first time the Printers had two runners on at the same time came in the ninth inning as a walk and error put men on first and second with nobody out.

A strikeout, ground ball and strikeout closed out the victory.

"Brad was really on," Daryl Graham said.

LaBruyere's performance featured eight strikeouts and one walk. He faced just 31 batters, four over the minimum.

"Brad threw a tremendous game," Capahas manager Jess Bolen said. "He pitches really good in the summer time. I think Brad is the kind of guy that needs consistent innings."

Said LaBruyere: "I had a good feel for all my pitches, but mainly my curveball. I felt I could throw it at any time for strikes. And my defense played well behind me."

After pounding out 14 hits in Friday's tournament opener, an 11-3 win over the Pine Bluff (Ark.) Braves, the Capahas managed just five hits. But they received 12 walks, with two of those scoring during a three-run third inning.

"I knew the guys were going to score some runs. I didn't know how many," LaBruyere said. "As a pitcher, you just want to keep putting up zeros."

Kody Campbell had the game's key hit, a two-run single in the third inning that gave the Capahas a 2-0 lead. Clint Cashen added a sacrifice fly in the frame.

The Capahas rounded out the scoring in the eighth inning as Blake Gaddis tripled -- the only extra-base hit of the contest -- and came home on a passed ball.

Graham was on base all five times, with a single and four walks. Gaddis walked twice in addition to his triple.

Capahas 003 000 010 -- 4 5 2

Printers 000 000 000 -- 0 3 2

WP -- Brad LaBruyere. LP -- Bo Bunton. 3B -- Blake Gaddis (C). Records -- Capahas 18-8.