Capahas' pitching veteran sparks opening-day win

Richie Phillips hadn't pitched in a game since last August.

But the right-hander looked to be in mid-season form Friday night as the Craftsman Union Capahas opened their season with a 12-7 win over the visiting Southern Illinois Merchants.

Phillips, who starred for Southeast Missouri State University in the early 1990s, is the veteran of the Capahas' pitching staff.

While Phillips long ago gave up his dreams of a professional career and has moved on with his life, he still enjoys playing summer baseball. And he can still perform well, which he's shown by being one of the Capahas' top hurlers for quite some time.

Friday night, Phillips, 32, allowed just two hits and one unearned run over the first four innings. He struck out seven and did not issue a walk.

"I threw better than I expected," said Phillips, smiling. "It was hard to believe."

What pleased Phillips the most is that it was totally pain-free outing. He missed the 2000 season with a serious shoulder injury that required surgery but bounced back to reclaim his spot as one of the Capahas' pitching leaders last year.

"I felt good. I had no pain," he said. "I threw strikes and that's all I was trying to do."

Phillips was glad to have his former mound mate back. Ricky Pecaut, a fellow right-hander who played with the Capahas for much of the 1990s, returned to the squad for the first time since 1998.

Pecaut followed Phillips to the mound Friday and worked two impressive innings, allowing two hits and one unearned run. He struck out three and walked none.

"It's good to have Ricky back," Phillips said.

Craftsman Union manager Jess Bolen said he was generally pleased with the opener, even though the Capahas let the Merchants back in the game despite leading 12-1 after five innings.

Wanting to take a look at several new young pitchers, Bolen trotted five hurlers to the mound. Of the three newcomers who followed Phillips and Pecaut, Justin Holmes had the most success, working 1 1/3 hitless and scoreless innings.

"I was trying to get a lot of guys in the game," Bolen said. "Some of these kids haven't thrown a pitch in a month."

The Capahas had 13 hits, 12 coming in the first five innings. Brian Hopkins, a first-year Capaha who was one of Southeast Missouri State University's top players this spring, went 3-for-4, with two runs batted in and two runs scored.

Tristen McDonald and Brad Simmons, two more Southeast products, each went 2-for-3. Simmons, another first-year Capaha, had two RBIs and scored two runs.

Veteran Steve Kress added two RBIs as eight of the Capahas' nine starters hit safely.

Kyle Rinella had two of the Merchants' eight hits.

The Capahas will host the St. Louis Printers at Capaha Field for a 5 p.m. doubleheader today.

mmishow@semissourian.com

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