Capahas stay hot with a lopsided home sweep

The Craftsman Union Capahas continued a sensational season Saturday by sweeping another lopsided home doubleheader.

After mauling Saline County (Ill.) twice Friday night by a combined 16 runs, the Capahas rolled past Springfield (Ill.) 10-0 and 9-2 at Capaha Field. The opener ended in the bottom of the fifth inning by way of the 10-run rule.

The Capahas improved to 21-1, while Springfield, made up mostly of players from Lincoln Land Junior College, fell to 12-10.

"That's a good record if it's Little League. It's hard to win 21 out of 22 games," Capahas manager Jess Bolen said. "And the only game we lost, a 5-4 game, we had two runners on with nobody out in the last inning. We very easily could be 22-0, but there are also several close games we could have lost.

"But 21-1, on paper I don't think we're that type of team, but we seem to be doing all the little things you need to do to win games. And every game we send a good pitcher out there."

That was the case again Saturday. After Matt Stroup and Nathan Baker both fired two-hitters Friday night, Jason Chavez and Kyle Perry each hurled one-hitters.

Chavez improved to 5-0 in the five-inning opener. He allowed just a third-inning single by Eric Pressler while striking out seven and walking one.

The Capahas had 12 first-game hits, led by Lance Seasor, Gary Gilbert and Ricky Pecaut with two each. Gilbert drove in three runs.

Craftsman Union put the contest out of reach right off the bat by scoring nine runs in the bottom of the first inning. The Capahas had eight hits in the frame, including two-run singles by Gilbert and Pecaut.

In the second game, Perry carried a no-hit shutout into the seventh and final inning, but Ken Braun spoiled the bid by getting a single with nobody out. Springfield went on to score both its runs, just one earned. Perry (2-1) struck out 10 and walked four.

The Capahas supported Perry with 11 hits, three coming from Josh Eftink, who singled, doubled and tripled. Jon Payne added two hits and Baker drove in two runs.

Bolen expects the competition to get much tougher today when the Capahas close out their six-game weekend homestand with a 1 p.m. doubleheader against Evansville (Ind.).

"Evansville always has a good ballclub," Bolen said. "It's going to be tough for us to sweep them."