Capahas suffer second loss

The Plaza Tire Capahas showed the effects of a 15-day layoff Saturday in the first round of the Valmeyer tournament in Valmeyer, Ill.

Millstadt (Ill.) ripped three Capahas pitchers for 20 hits and posted a 12-1 victory.

The loss was just the second of the season for the Capahas (11-2), who dropped into the consolation bracket of the eight-team tournament.

"I wasn't totally surprised since we hadn't played in a couple of weeks," Capahas manager Jess Bolen said. "We made four errors and didn't hit the ball that well. When you have that much of a layoff ... and they were a really good ballclub."

Capahas starter Brad LaBruyere retired the first nine batters he faced but ran into problems after the game was delayed for about 10 minutes at the start of the fourth inning when an umpire was treated for heat-related problems. Millstadt scored four runs when play resumed and added another run in the fifth for a 5-0 lead.

LaBruyere yielded 10 hits in 5 1/3 innings, but only one run was earned. Dustin Hunter and Kirk Boeller followed. Hunter was touched for three hits and two runs in 2 2/3 innings, while Boeller surrendered seven hits and five runs in the ninth.

The Capahas avoided the shutout on a sacrifice fly by Kenton Parmley in the ninth inning.

Blake Slattery accounted for three of the Capahas' eight hits, including a pair of doubles.

The Capahas will face Belleville (Ill.) at 11:30 a.m. today in consolation play.