Capahas rout Toros; 'Dogs lose big

Both games ended early due to the 10-run rule.

The Plaza Tire Capahas have not captured the title in their own National Baseball Congress Mid-South Regional since 2001.

If Friday night's first-round game is any indication, they might be well on their way to finally getting back in the winner's circle after three straight second-place finishes.

The Capahas clicked on all cylinders in routing the St. Louis Toros 10-0. The contest was stopped in the bottom of the eighth inning by the 10-run rule.

"It was a good game for us, and a good way to start the tournament," Capahas manager Jess Bolen said.

Friday's other opening-round game of the four-team event at Capaha Field also ended early as the Pine Bluff (Ark.) Braves blistered the Cape Girardeau Riverdogs 11-0 in seven innings.

Three games are the scheduled for today, beginning at 2 p.m. when the Riverdogs and the Toros square off in an elimination contest. The Capahas and the Braves play at 5 p.m. in the winners bracket final, followed by another elimination game at 8 p.m. The tournament concludes Sunday, with the champion earning a berth in the NBC World Series.

The Capahas (16-6) entered play Friday just 4-4 in their last eight games. But they had little trouble with the Toros -- consisting primarily of junior college age players -- after jumping out to a 3-0, first-inning lead.

"We haven't been playing that well lately, but tonight we finally played Capahas baseball again," left fielder Seth Hudson said. "We have some unfinished business in this tournament after not winning it the last few years."

Hudson led Plaza Tire's 12-hit attack -- which included four doubles, a home run and a triple -- by going 4-for-4 with a triple, two runs batted in and three runs scored.

Third baseman Josh Eftink had three hits, including the day's only homer. He added a double while driving in two runs and scoring twice.

Shortstop Robby Moore had two hits, including a double, and scored two runs. Second baseman Lance Seasor added three RBIs and two runs scored.

Right-hander Jason Chavez was in command, pitching all eight innings and allowing just three hits, two of them infield singles and the other a clean double by Mike Costa, who had two hits. Chavez struck out 12 and walked two.

"I didn't have my best velocity, but I think I threw pretty well," Chavez said. "We've lost this tournament the last few years and we definitely want to win it this year."

The Capahas, who struggled defensively in recent games, had no errors Friday.

"I think it was more like the Capahas are used to playing," Bolen said. "We jumped on them early. They're very young, you can tell, but they don't have a bad ballclub. They didn't kick it around or anything."

After going ahead 3-0 in the first inning, the Capahas made it 4-0 in the second before hiting something of an offensive lull against left-hander John Coleman.

But the Capahas scored four times in the sixth -- getting a two-run homer to left field by Eftink and a two-run double by Seasor -- to go ahead 8-0. They ended things by scoring twice in the eighth.

Coleman allowed seven hits and six runs in 5 1/3 innings to take the loss.

"It's a good start for us and now we have to keep it going," Hudson said.

The Capahas will next try to keep it going against the Pine Bluff Braves, who have struggled over the years in the tournament but were just as impressive as Plaza Tire in posting a surprisingly lopsided win against the Riverdogs (5-11).

Pine Bluff banged out 17 hits -- many of them extremely loud -- and did not commit an error in advancing to the winner's bracket final.

"We played a really good game," said Pine Bluff player/coach Winfrid Smith.

Smith had three hits, including a double, and drove in two runs. Corey McCoy also had three hits, including a triple. He delivered three RBIs and scored three times.

Sebastian Stargell, Jerry Bruce, Christian Kidd and Marcus Davis added two hits apiece.

Stargell pitched a five-hit shutout, with three strikeouts and one walk.

Steve Fowler, the Riverdogs' ace, was tagged for 14 hits in 4 1/3 innings. He was charged with 10 runs, seven of them earned. Tyler Nelson allowed three hits and an unearned run in 2 2/3 innings.

"Steve didn't have his stuff, but you have to give Pine Bluff credit. They played great," Riverdogs co-coach Robin Minner said.

Chris Bradshaw and Tyler Schlosser both had two hits for the Riverdogs. Bradshaw had their only extra-base hit, a double.

The Braves broke a scoreless tie with five third-inning runs and never looked back. They added two in the fourth, three in the fifth and one in the seventh.

"We've got enough pitching," said Minner in assessing the Riverdogs' prospects of coming through the losers bracket. "We'll be all right."