Capahas toss two shutouts

Even though the Plaza Tire Capahas failed last weekend -- for the third year in a row -- to win the National Baseball Congress Mid-South Regional, nobody has ever questioned their pitching staff this season.

Saturday the Capahas flexed their mound muscles at the St. Louis Golden Spikes, as Chad Bogenpohl and Jamie McAlister both threw seven-inning shutouts to lead host Plaza Tire to a doubleheader sweep, 2-0 and 4-0.

The Capahas, who avenged a one-run loss to the Golden Spikes earlier this season, improved to 22-7. The St. Louis squad fell to 29-16.

"Once again it was our pitching," Capahas manager Jess Bolen said. "It's been really good all year, and it was very good today."

Plaza Tire uses wooden bats all season while the Golden Spikes used wood instead of aluminum for the first time Saturday -- and it showed as the visitors managed just six hits in the two games.

"It's a little different game with wood, a little tougher," Bolen said.

A veteran and a youngster dominated the Golden Spikes' hitters Saturday.

Bogenpohl, an Oak Ridge native who still lives in that small community, completed his eligibility at Southeast Missouri State University in 1999 and had not pitched competitively since 2000 prior to rejoining the Capahas this summer.

"I've had the itch to play again and Jess called me before the season," Bogenpohl, 27, said. "I'm glad I'm back with the team."

The right-hander, featuring an impressive changeup, allowed four hits and one walk while striking out six. He carried a two-hitter into the seventh inning, when the Golden Spikes threatened but left a pair of runners stranded.

"I had a pretty good outing," Bogenpohl said. "My changeup was working."

Bogenpohl has had a strong season for the Capahas so far, which he said is not all that surprising despite the three-year layoff.

"I'm not really surprised because my arm has felt fine over the years," he said.

As for his future with the Capahas, Bogenpohl is engaged to be married and said he's not looking too far ahead regarding his baseball career.

"I'll just take it year by year, but I've had a lot of fun," he said.

A bases-loaded walk by Lance Seasor in the third inning and Seth Hudson's RBI single in the fourth was all the offense Bogenpohl needed. The Capahas had seven first-game hits, led by Levi Olson with two.

Completing the sweep

McAlister, who this year completed a standout career at Jefferson College and recently signed to pitch for Southeast, fired a two-hitter in the second game. He struck out six, walked two and hit two batters. He also aided his cause by picking off three runners.

"We have so much pitching on this team, and I've learned a lot just being around all these guys," said the right-handed McAlister, a product of Clearwater High School. "I just try to throw strikes and let my defense do it for me."

The defense did it for McAlister in the sixth inning as the Golden Spikes, trailing by four runs, threatened to tie the contest. They loaded the bases with two outs, and cleanup batter Gabe Corchado sent a fly ball to deep left field that Bryan Kurt caught high against the wall.

Plaza Tire had nine hits to back McAlister, led by Robbie Moore with three, including a double. Tom Bolen and Eric Horstman each added two hits, with Bolen having a double.

Moore finished the day with four hits and Bolen added three.

The Capahas scored an unearned run in the first inning and scored their final three runs in the fourth, getting RBI hits from Moore and Horstman.

Plaza Tire returns to action today with two games as part of a three-team tripleheader at Capaha Field. The Capahas play the Cape Girardeau Riverdogs at 1 p.m. and the Evansville (Ind.) Outlaws at about 3:15 p.m. The Riverdogs and Outlaws square off at around 5:30 p.m.