Capahas move to 2-0 in Florida tournament

~ Plaza tire stretched its winning streak to 11 games with a 14-4 triumph

The Plaza Tire Capahas got off to a rocky start during their second game at the Union Printers tournament in Daytona Beach, Fla.

No sweat for the Capahas, who fell behind 3-0 after one inning Monday before rolling past a squad from Boston 14-4. The contest ended after seven innings because of the 10-run mercy rule.

The Capahas improved to 2-0 in the five-team tournament . It was their 11th straight victory, which push their record to 22-3.

Manager Jess Bolen's club will play again at 10 a.m. today against a team from Jacksonville, Fla., in the 103rd annual event that is billed as the oldest amateur baseball tournament in the United States.

"They jumped on us pretty quick," said Bolen, whose squad opened the tournament Sunday by routing a team from Chicago 20-1 behind a 27-hit attack. "They hit the ball really well in the first inning."

The defending tournament champion Capahas had little trouble after Boston scored three first-inning runs on four hits off Cody Hafeli.

Boston also got two hits to start the second inning and had the bases loaded with one out, but Hafeli was able to avoid damage.

Hafeli settled down after that, allowing two hits and a run over his final four innings. He struck out six and walked one.

"He got off to a rough start. It looked like we might have to go to the bullpen," Bolen said. "But after he got out of that bases-loaded jam in the second inning, he got in a pretty good groove. He ended up pitching well."

Bryan Waldrop worked a perfect seventh inning to finish the win.

The Capahas had 19 more hits Monday, including a 4 for 5 performance from Kody Campbell. He tripled and drove in five runs.

Campbell is 8 for 12 with seven RBIs in the tournament so far.

Michael Troth, Bolen's grandson who doesn't play with the Capahas much during the regular season, had three hits and four RBIs. He also has seven RBIs in the first two tournament games.

Clint Cashen had three hits. Kenton Parmley, Sean Bard, Ky Burgess and Dustin Hunter all added two hits. Jordan Kimball contributed two RBIs.

"We're hitting the ball up and down the lineup," Bolen said. "A lot of guys are doing a lot of hitting."

The Capahas still trailed 3-0 through two innings before scoring twice in the top of the third inning.

Then came a seven-run fourth inning that featured eight hits. The Capahas broke things open with a four-run fifth and added their final tally in the seventh.

Bolen expects the Capahas' first real test of the tournament today against the team from Jacksonville, Fla.

"I've been told they're pretty good and that we'll have a tough game against them," Bolen said.