Capahas open season with a 14-12 victory

The Plaza Tire Capahas were missing some of their key players.

And they fell behind 8-0 after 1 1/2 innings.

But none of that prevented them from enjoying a successful season opener.

The Capahas used a seven-run third inning as the springboard to a 14-12 victory over the visiting Valmeyer (Ill.) Lakers on Friday night.

Plaza Tire and Valmeyer will be back at it today with a 1 p.m. doubleheader at Capaha Field.

"It was a very, very sloppy first game," said Jess Bolen, in his 42nd season as the Capahas' manager. "But I saw a lot of good things."

Many of the players Bolen is counting on have not yet joined the squad.

That showed up on the defensive side as several of the Capahas played out of position. Plaza Tire made six errors, which led to six unearned runs.

But it did little to slow down the Capahas' bats.

The Capahas use wood bats the majority of the season, but went with aluminum to match what the Lakers used.

Plaza Tire banged out 12 hits, including two home runs, two triples and a double.

"We had some really good hits," Bolen said.

Jerry Hodges, who has played with the Capahas in recent National Baseball Congress World Series but not during the regular season, homered and had two hits.

"As a team, we swung the bats real well," Hodges said. "We've got a bunch of guys who can hit."

Levi Olson also homered, while Asif Shah and Capahas rookie Kendal Deason both had two hits.

Shah and Zach Johnson tripled. Deason doubled.

"It was a sloppy game," Olson said. "But it's a good win after being down by eight runs. A lot of teams would have just given up."

Ivan Nails notched the pitching victory, working the final seven innings in relief. He allowed four hits and four runs, two earned, while striking out seven and walking four.

"Ivan did a really good job," Bolen said.

Valmeyer scored four unearned runs in the top of the first inning off Plaza Tire starter Jason Chavez.

The Lakers made it 8-0 with another four-run outburst in the second. This time all the runs were earned.

Chavez was lifted after two innings. He allowed six hits, struck out three, walked one and hit a batter.

But Nails came on to go the rest of the way and hold the Lakers down.

Meanwhile, Plaza Tire's offense got going, scoring twice in the second and seven times in the third to forge a 9-9 tie. The big blow of the third inning was Hodges' two-run homer.

The Capahas went ahead for good with a four-run fifth. Deason's RBI double broke the deadlock.

"With the sticks we have, I knew we'd come back," Hodges said.

Valmeyer made things interesting, pulling within 13-12, before Olson's solo homer in the eighth added insurance.

Scott Sittel had three of Valmeyer's 10 hits. Matt Stuckmeyer added two hits.

Gurdine Acklin suffered the loss, but was solid in relief. He worked the final 5 1/3 innings, allowing just three hits but five runs. He struck out seven and walked four.

"Give them credit for coming back after we took the lead," Olson said.

Valmeyer 441 002 100 — 12 10 1

Capahas 027 040 01X — 14 12 6

WP — Ivan Nails. LP — Gurdine Acklin. HR — Jerry Hodges (C), Levi Olson (C). 3B — Zach Johnson (C), Asif Shah (C). 2B — Scott Sittel (V), Matt Stuckmeyer (V), Kendal Deason (C). Multiple hits — Valmeyer: Sittel 3-5, Stuckmeyer 2-5; Capahas: Hodges 2-4, Shah 2-4, Deason 2-4.