Capahas stay alive at NBC World Series

~ Plaza Tire gets offense going, eliminates Moreno Valley 10-2.

The Plaza Tire Capahas broke open a tied game with a five-run sixth and avoided elimination with a 10-2 victory over Moreno Valley (Calif.) on Monday at the NBC World Series in Wichita, Kan.

Plaza Tire improved to 30-7 and will play the Nevada (Mo.) Griffons at 8 a.m. today.

Anthony Maupin turned in a strong start, retiring the first 11 batters and pitching eight innings. He allowed six hits, two runs, struck out eight and did not walk a batter. Adam Patterson followed with an inning of hitless relief.

The Capahas' offense got rolling after scoring just four runs in its first two games -- a 3-1 victory over Junction City (Kan.) and a 15-1 loss to Havasu (Ariz.).

The loss to Havasu came a day earlier and was marred by poor pitching and defense. The Capahas played errorless ball behind Maupin on Monday.

"I thought we would come out and play a good ballgame today," Capahas manager Jess Bolen said. "The guys have a lot of pride, and we really embarrassed ourselves yesterday."

The Capahas collected five of their 12 hits in the sixth, which was capped by a bases-loaded, two-run single by Jerry Hodges.

"We haven't been scoring very much -- three runs and one -- and I was asking for six before the game," Bolen said. "We had five in one inning, so it worked out real good.

"If we can continue to swing the bats like we did today, who knows ... You have to give your pitcher something to work with, especially against this kind of competition."

Daryl Graham staked Maupin to a 1-0 lead with a two-out single in the top of the first that scored Zach Blemker, who opened the game with a single and advanced to second on Omar Padilla's single.

Moreno Valley pulled even in the fourth inning on a two-out double by Jason Klug.

Chad Mercado opened the decisive sixth with a single to right field and quickly came around to score on a bunt single by Blemker and a two-base throwing error by losing pitcher Dane Delfs, who overthrew the second baseman covering first.

"That was the ballgame," Bolen said of the play.

Padilla and Jordan Payne followed with back-to-back RBI doubles for a 4-1 lead.

After Asif Shah was retired on a groundout, Graham was hit by a pitch. Levi Olsen flied out to center, but Delfs loaded the bases by hitting Dustin Pritchett. Delfs then paid for his wildness as Hodges delivered a two-run single to right field.

Moreno Valley countered with a run in the bottom half of the inning, but the Capahas tacked on two runs in both the seventh and ninth innings.

In the seventh, Shah had an RBI single and Graham had a sacrifice fly.

Olsen singled home both runs in the ninth.

The top four batters in the Capahas lineup accounted for eight hits. Blemker went 3-for-4 from the leadoff spot; Padilla was 2-for-4 in the No. 2 spot; Payne had a double at No. 3; and Shah was 2-for-5 at No. 4.

The Capahas could guarantee themselves at least ninth place in the tournament with a win today over Nevada, which plays in the Jayhawk League. Nevada opened the tournament with a loss to Junction City, a team the Capahas beat behind a complete-game one-hitter from Phillip Riley.

Bolen is not sure who will get the starting assignment today. Riley is on five days rest but threw 130 pitches against Junction City.

"I was going to go with Phillip Riley, but his arm still wasn't coming around today, so we may start Jamie McAlister or Asif Shah, and we have Chad Bogenpohl," Bolen said. "We'll be OK. Our pitching actually is in pretty good shape."

CAPAHAS 10, MORENO VALLEY (Calif.) 2

Capahas 100 005 202 -- 10 12 0

Moreno 000 101 000 -- 2 6 2

WP -- Anthony Maupin. LP -- Dane Delfs. 2B -- Omar Padilla (C), Jordan Payne (C), Jason Klug (MV). Multiple hits -- Capahas, Zack Blemker 3-4, Padilla 2-4, Asif Shah 2-5; Moreno Valley, Klug 2-4. Records -- Capahas 30-7.