Capahas rout Riverdogs

The Plaza Tire Capahas do not have the services of all the key players they are counting on.

But the Capahas are steadily moving in that direction, and Friday night they added two more pieces to the puzzle.

Both paid major dividends in their 2008 debuts as the Capahas steamrolled the visiting Charleston Riverdogs 18-3.

The game at Capaha Park was stopped after 6 1/2 innings by way of the 10-run mercy rule. Plaza Tire improved to 3-2 while Charleston fell to 1-4.

"We got a little bit of a taste of what this team could look like in the future," Capahas manager Jess Bolen said.

Joining Plaza Tire for the first time this season were shortstop Zach Borowiak and third baseman Denver Stuckey, who are no strangers to patrolling the left side of the Capaha Park infield.

Borowiak and Stuckey are two of the premier players in Southeast Missouri State history, a pair of four-year starters who competed at the university from 2000 through 2003.

KIT DOYLE ~ kdoyle@semissourian.com The Capahas' Zach Borowiak was hit by an inside pitch in the sixth inning during Plaza Tire's win over the Riverdogs. Borowiak, a former Southeast Missouri State standout who played minor league baseball the last five seasons, made his Capahas debut Friday night.

Borowiak was selected in the 14th round of the 2003 amateur draft, the second-highest draft choice in Southeast history. He played the past five seasons in the Boston Red Sox organization, including a stint in Class AAA, before deciding to call it quits.

But Borowiak did not want to quit playing entirely, so he hooked up with the Capahas after last playing for them in 2002.

"I just wanted to come out here, run around, play with these guys and have some fun," said Borowiak, a native of Nashville, Ill., who is finishing up his undergraduate studies at Southeast.

Borowiak tripled, singled and doubled in his first three plate appearances Friday. He added a walk and was hit by a pitch to finish a 3-for-3 night that featured five runs scored.

KIT DOYLE ~ kdoyle@semissourian.com The Capahas' Jason Chavez delivered a pitch to a Riverdogs batter during Friday's game.

Asked if there is less pressure playing for the Capahas than there was trying to work his way up the Red Sox ladder, Borowiak laughed.

"Not quite as much," he said. "But baseball is baseball."

Stuckey played several years of independent professional baseball after leaving Southeast. The Kelly High School graduate has remained in the area as a high school coach and decided to rejoin the squad he last competed for in 2002.

"It's always fun to come out and play," said Stuckey, whose last pro season was in 2005.

Stuckey had two hits and scored three runs as the Capahas' leadoff batter. He and Borowiak also displayed the range and arms that made them among Southeast's all-time greats.

"They've kind of tightened up the infield," Bolen said. "They haven't missed a beat."

Stuckey doesn't know how many games he'll be able to play for the Capahas because he has to juggle that schedule around the slate of the Scott County American Legion team he coaches.

But he said it's going to be fun for however long it lasts, especially now that he's reunited with his old college teammate.

"Me and Zach, that's familiar territory," Stuckey said.

Borowiak and Stuckey weren't the only Capahas to have strong performances against the Riverdogs.

After struggling during their first two games using wood bats last Sunday -- in a doubleheader loss to the St. Louis Printers -- the Capahas exploded with 17 hits, including three triples, three doubles and a home run.

Asif Shah went 3-for-5, including a homer -- Plaza Tire's first with wood this year -- and triple. He drove in six runs.

Jerry Hodges tripled, doubled and had six RBIs.

Kendal Deason had three hits and Tom Bolen added two hits.

"We got some good at-bats," Jess Bolen said.

Winning pitcher Jason Chavez went the first six innings, allowing three hits and two unearned runs. He struck out three and walked two.

Tim Davis, who pitched the only win for the Riverdogs against the Capahas -- Plaza Tire leads the all-time series 32-1 -- took the loss. He allowed 10 hits and nine runs in 4 1/3 innings.

"He's a good pitcher. He usually pitches real well against us," Bolen said.

Davis, who completed his college eligibility in 2007, had thrown just 2 1/3 innings this year prior to Friday.

Riverdogs co-manager Robin Minner said Davis is still shaking off rust, as are many of Charleston's players.

"Most of our guys didn't play college ball this year," Minner said. "It's going to take some time."

Bolen feels the same way about the Capahas, no matter how impressive they were Friday.

"We still have a ways to go," he said.

The Capahas return to action Sunday, hosting the St. Louis Kings in a 2 p.m. doubleheader.

Capahas 18, Riverdogs 3, 6 1/2 inn.

Riverdogs 020 000 1 -- 3 4 3

Capahas 104 265 X -- 18 17 2

WP -- Jason Chavez. LP -- Tim Davis. HR -- Asif Shah (C). 3B -- Shah (C), Zach Borowiak (C), Jerry Hodges (C). 2B -- Borowiak (C), Hodges (C), Kendal Deason (C). Multiple hits -- Capahas, Borowiak 3-3, Shah 3-5, Deason 3-4, Hodges 2-4, Tom Bolen 2-4, Denver Stuckey 2-6. Records -- Capahas 3-2, Riverdogs 1-4.