CAPAHAS PREP FOR WICHITA, WHIP STE. GEN; MCDOWELL ROLLS TO 14-3 WIN

The way McDowell Capahas manager Jess Bolen sees it, even a lopsided victory over an outmanned opponent beats practice.

So Bolen figures Friday night's 14-3 drubbing of the Ste. Genevieve Yankees at Capaha Field was still worth the effort, even though the Capahas had their way in a game that ended after the top of the seventh inning by the 10-run rule."It was a lopsided game, but it's still better than practice," Bolen said. "We got to face a live pitcher with an umpire, which is something you can't get in practice."The Capahas improved to 26-6 as they tune up for the National Baseball Congress World Series that begins Tuesday in Wichita, Kan.

McDowell will play its final regular-season games today when St. Louis O.B. Clark comes to Capaha Field for a 5 p.m. doubleheader."Were just trying to get ready for Wichita," said Bolen, whose team will play the Norman (Okla.) Boomerangs at 5 p.m. Tuesday in the opening game of the NBC World Series.

The Capahas were not even threatened Friday by a Ste. Genevieve team that had only nine players in uniform."Its the end of the year and a lot of teams don't have much to play for," said Bolen. "We're getting ready for a big tournament, but if you don't have that, Im sure it's hard to really keep playing."McDowell banged out 14 hits, including the game's only home run as Shawn Pemberton sent a three-run shot over the right-field fence in the fourth inning. Pemberton finished the evening with five runs batted in.

Jeff Bourbon led the Capahas' offense with four hits and he added two RBIs. Darin Kinsolving had three hits while Craig Ringe and Cory Crosnoe both added two hits. Crosnoe also had three RBIs.

Starter Todd Pennington was the winning pitcher. He worked five shutout innings, allowing just one hit while striking out six and walking two."I thought Todd threw really well," said Bolen.

Jerry Wolsey and Matt Palmer each worked an inning. Wolsey allowed two hits and an unearned run while Palmer gave up one hit and two unearned runs.

A disappointment for the Capahas was their defense as they made six errors."We can't have that in Wichita or we'll be going home with two losses," Bolen said. "We definitely have to tighten up our defense."Wade Guemmer suffered the loss, allowing nine hits and nine runs (seven earned) in four innings.

The Capahas scored single runs in each of the first two innings, then got two in the third and began to pull away with a five-run fourth that featured Pemberton's long homer to right.

McDowell made it 10-0 in the fifth, then closed out the scoring with a four-run sixth.