CAPAHAS, PRINTERS BATTLE TO A SPLIT

The newest member of the Craftsman Union Capahas baseball team is already paying major dividends.

Shawn Yarbrough, who had three hits in his Capahas debut Thursday, had five more hits Saturday night during a doubleheader split with the visiting St. Louis Printers.

And Yarbrough had one of the big blows of Saturday's twin bill as far as the Capahas were concerned -- a three-run home run in the nightcap that helped spark a 9-7 victory after the Printers had won the opener 3-2.

"I think he'll really add a lot to our ballclub," said Capahas manager Jess Bolen, whose squad is 8-4. "He had a great season for John A. Logan Junior College, hitting something like 18 homers. He's already gotten some big hits for us."

The Capahas and Printers have already split four games this season, with the squads scheduled to have another doubleheader today at noon at Capaha Field. They will also have a twin bill next week in St. Louis.

"They've got a good ballclub," Bolen said. "We've had four good games with them already and I anticipate us having some more."

After the Printers (6-4) had squeezed out the first-game victory, Yarbrough belted a three-run homer in the fourth inning of the nightcap to give the Capahas a 5-3 lead. The blast flew over the left-center field fence near the 380-foot mark.

St. Louis rallied off Capahas starter Brent Self with two runs in the sixth to tie the contest.

But the Capahas regained the lead for good with a four-run sixth. Denver Stuckey had the tie-breaking hit, a two-out single that scored Jody Gajewski, who had singled and been sacrificed to second.

The Capahas added some insurance as Yarbrough ripped an RBI double and Steve Kress belted a two-run homer to make it 9-5. Those additional runs were necessary when the Printers rallied with two in the seventh. They had runners on second and third with two outs before James Beever struck out John Bridges to end the contest.

Beever was the winning pitcher despite being touched for the two seventh-inning runs. He allowed four hits in 1 1/3 innings, with two strikeouts.

Self gave up nine hits and five runs (four earned) in 5 2/3 innings. He fanned three and walked three.

Yarbrough had three of the Capahas' 10 hits and he had four RBIs. Kress and Tristen McDonald each added two hits, McDonald finishing with four on the night.

Lance Wilson had three of the Printers' 13 hits, including a pair of doubles. Scott Luczak, Jesse Walter and Justin Dawson all added two hits, with Rick Mundy homering.

Jake Tippee, who had earned a save in the opener, suffered the loss as he allowed all four runs in the sixth, which was his only inning of work.

In the opener, Kevin Meyer and Tippee stymied the Capahas. In six innings, Meyer allowed two runs (one earned) on five hits. He fanned one and walked one. Tippee then hurled a perfect seventh.

Craftsman Union reliever Kyle Perry had another strong outing after taking over for starter Richie Phillips, who had to leave in the third inning after suffering a knee injury while covering first base.

Phillips allowed five hits and two runs in two innings. Perry then gave up just one run and two hits in five innings, but he was the tough-luck loser. Perry fanned five and walked two.

The Printers broke a 2-2 tie in the sixth on an RBI double by Dawson. That hit scored Walter, who had been hit by a pitch.

Yarbrough and McDonald each had two of the Capahas' five hits. The other safety was a solo homer by Josh Eftink in the second inning.