Capahas suffer 10-inning defeat

The Plaza Tire Capahas suffered a 3-2, 10-inning loss Wednesday night to the host Waterloo (Ill.) Buds.

But fill-in pitcher Cory Johnson gave the Capahas quite a performance.

With the National Baseball Congress Mid-South Regional beginning Friday in Cape Girardeau, Plaza Tire manager Jess Bolen did not want any of his hurlers to work very long against Waterloo.

That's where Johnson -- a Southeast Missouri State basketball player in the late 1990s who is the brother of current Plaza Tire outfielder Zach Johnson -- came in.

Cory Johnson, who played baseball at Three Rivers Community College before transferring to Southeast -- where he did not participate in the sport -- has been an area high school coach and has kept his arm in shape throwing batting practice.

Against Waterloo, Cory Johnson worked the first 4 1/3 innings, allowing just three hits and one run. He struck out three and did not issue a walk.

"He was outstanding," Bolen said. "It was unbelievable the way he pitched against a really good team."

But, using wood bats versus the aluminum of Waterloo, the Capahas (20-5) could not quite pull off the victory as the Buds pushed across the winning run in the bottom of the 10th inning.

"This close to the [regional] tournament, there was no way we could use aluminum," Bolen said. "But it was a very good game and probably a good game for us before the tournament."

Both teams had seven hits and made no errors.

Omar Padilla and Jordan Payne both had two hits for the Capahas, who scored both their runs in the sixth inning.

Trailing 2-1, Waterloo tied it with a run in the seventh and that's the way things stood until the 10th.

Anthony Maupin followed Johnson to the mound and pitched 1 2/3 scoreless frames.

Josh Parham allowed one run in two innings. Asif Shah worked the ninth and 10th. He was hit with the loss.

The four-team, wood-bat NBC Mid-South Regional begins at 4 p.m. on Friday at Capaha Field as the Charleston Riverdogs play the Pine Bluff (Ark.) Braves.

Plaza Tire plays the Springfield (Mo.) Generals at 7:30 p.m. on Friday.