Capahas pound out sweep of Pally's

Plaza Tire outscored the visiting Springfield team 23-0.

A visit from the Springfield (Ill.) Pally's was all it took to wake up the Plaza Tire Capahas' slumbering offense.

One day after having just eight hits and scoring only three runs during a doubleheader loss to the St. Louis Printers, the Capahas piled up 24 hits in blistering the Pally's 13-0 and 10-0.

Both ends of Sunday's doubleheader at steamy Capaha Field ended in the bottom of the fifth inning because of the 10-run rule. Plaza Tire improved to 13-4.

"The pitching we faced wasn't very good, but at least we got some good wood bat hits," Capahas manager Jess Bolen said. "A lot of guys put some pretty good wood on the ball.

"To be honest, the pitching today wasn't that much worse than a few of the pitchers we faced Saturday, other than [Cape Girardeau native] Billy Huston, who is very good. This team is hard to figure. We swing the bats good one game, then we struggle another game."

Plaza Tire's pitching also had its way with the overmatched Pally's, who suffered shutouts in all four games against the Capahas this season.

On June 19 in Springfield, the Capahas swept a doubleheader 13-0 and 2-0, getting a no-hitter from Jamie McAlister and a combined four-hitter from three pitchers.

Sunday, the Pally's had only four hits against three Plaza Tire hurlers.

"They usually have a pretty decent team," Bolen said. "This is the worst team I've seen them have.

"But I've always said I'm not responsible for what kind of product the other team puts on the field. I'm just responsible for what we put on the field."

Among the many highlights for Plaza Tire Sunday were its first two home runs of the season at Capaha Field, including a grand slam by Lance Seasor in the bottom of the fifth inning that ended the opener.

Seasor, who went 4-for-5 in the doubleheader -- he tripled and doubled to go along with the home run, while driving in four runs in each game -- was glad to finally hit a ball out of the park.

While playing for Morehead (Ky.) State this season, Seasor homered 15 times on his way to Ohio Valley Conference player of the year honors. But he acknowledged that swinging with wood instead of metal is totally different.

"It felt good to finally get one," Seasor said, smiling. "The sweet spot with wood is just so much smaller. It's harder to make good contact."

The Capahas' other homer Sunday was an inside-the-parker by Bryan Kurt, who hit a fly ball over the center fielder's head and was easily able to circle the bases. Plaza Tire has only three home runs total this year, the other coming on the road.

"You're just not going to hit many home runs with wood, especially in a big park like Capaha," Bolen said.

Kurt went 4-for-5 and had six RBIs, including four in the opener, while Robby Moore went 4-for-6.

Also, Josh Eftink added three hits; Josh Ford tripled and doubled in the nightcap; and Levi Olson doubled in each game. The Capahas had eight doubles and two triples, in addition to their two home runs.

"It's not the strongest team we've played, but it's still good to swing the bats well," Seasor said. "It puts us in a better frame of mind, that's for sure."

Matt Stroup pitched all five innings of the opener, allowing two hits while striking out eight and walking one. Chad Bogenpohl was the second-game winner, allowing one hit in four innings, with six strikeouts, no walks and a hit batter. Ryan Forsyth gave up a hit in the fifth.