Capahas roll to victory against Charleston Riverdogs

Longtime Capahas manager Jess Bolen gathered what he called "one of the youngest teams I've ever had in my life," before their game against the Charleston Riverdogs on Thursday night and outlined what he expected for them.

"The thing I wanted to do in this game was to concentrate on the game," Bolen said. "Summer baseball is whatever you make it, and I've always tried to make it special, tried to make it good, organized baseball with a purpose in mind, and I wanted to make sure that they understood that."

Bolen was satisfied with what he got from his team in its 8-2 victory over the Riverdogs at Capaha Field.

The Capahas faced an early deficit against Charleston. The Riverdogs got a couple of base hits to start the game and a walk loaded the bases with no outs.

Brett Quigley, who led off with a hit up the middle, scored on a sacrifice fly to put Charleston up 1-0 before a double play stranded a pair of runners.

Jackson graduate Avery Whiteside started on the mound for the Capahas for the first time, and after struggling with command in the first inning, he did not allow a run over his next two innings of work.

"During college I was more of a reliever, so it was kind of a different deal," Whiteside said. "I haven't started since Legion last year, so it was kind of a different pace."

The Capahas tied the game in the bottom of the second. Drew Morecraft and Cody Heisserer hit back-to-back, one-out singles before Kyle James hit an RBI single to center to even the score at 1-1.

Capahas starting pitcher Avery Whiteside delivers a pitch during his team's 8-2 win against the Charleston Riverdogs at Capaha Field on Thursday night. (Wayne McPherson)

Whiteside allowed two one-out hits but stranded both runners to maintain the tie game in the top of the third, and the Capahas took their first lead of the game in their half of the inning.

Oran graduate Alex Heuring launched one into the gap in right-center for a two-out triple, and former Southeast Missouri State shortstop Kenton Parmley ripped a single to left to score him and make it 2-1.

"Those are big, and those are what I really was talking about," Bolen said about his team's two-out hits. "That's concentration. ... That's kind of what we wanted -- a little bit more concentration."

The lead was short-lived.

Riverdogs designated hitter Ian Householder led off with a single to center against reliever and Central graduate Calvin Lovig. Householder scored to tie it on a two-out double by Josh Hampton, who was thrown out trying to stretch it into a triple to end the inning.

Capahas third baseman Adam Connor led off the bottom of the frame with a double to left-center and scored to put the Capahas up 3-2 when a ball off the bat of Heisserer took a difficult hop and deflected off the shortstop.

Heisserer led off a big inning for the Capahas when they put up five runs in the bottom of the seventh for the final score.

Heisserer singled off the glove of the third baseman, advanced to second on a wild pitch and scored on a two-out single up the middle from Cody Gilbert.

Jackson graduate Laban Petzoldt followed with an RBI single to give the Capahas a three-run lead, and back-to-back walks loaded the bases.

A bases-loaded walk made it 6-2, and the final two runs were driven in on a base hit by Connor.

"We put a bunch of hits together," Heisserer said about what he was most impressed with. "I think last game we struggled hitting the ball and scoring runs."

The Capahas relievers shut out the Riverdogs over the final five innings. They allowed just one hit in that stretch, which was a slow-rolling infield single in the sixth.

Lovig, Notre Dame graduate Ross James and Southeast pitcher Brady Wright each pitched two innings of relief.

"I wanted to get these pitchers some work because, let's face it, they've been out here backing up people," Bolen said. "So I told them the other day, 'This game is going to belong to you guys.'"

Whiteside, whose start was only his second appearance this season, was impressed with the bullpen.

"Everything that I expected," Whiteside said with a smile.

The Capahas return to action with a double header against the St. Louis Printers at Capaha Field on Saturday. First pitch of Game 1 is set for 1:30 p.m.

"I thought we came out, played hard, with some direction, and I expect that same look Saturday," Bolen said.

Riverdogs 100 100 000 -- 2 8 0

Capahas 011 100 50x -- 8 12 0

WP -- Calvin Lovig. LP -- Brad Potts. 3B -- Alex Heuring (CA). 2B -- Josh Hampton (CH), Adam Connor (CA). Multiple hits: Charleston -- Brett Quigley 2-4, Spencer Sander 2-4. Capahas -- Laban Petzoldt 2-4, Connor 2-4, Cody Heisserer 3-4.