CAPAHAS TRY TO STICK TO OLD WINNING WAYS UNDER NEW SPONSOR

Their sponsor has changed, but one thing should stay the same regarding the Capahas, Cape Girardeau's highest-level summer baseball team.

The Capahas figure to have another successful season.

Now under the sponsorship of Craftsman Union, the Capahas will open the 2001 campaign Friday when Valmeyer, Ill., comes to town for an 8 p.m. first pitch. The squads will also have a 1 p.m. doubleheader Saturday at Capaha Field.

"We're really excited about our partnership with Craftsman Union," said Capahas veteran manager Jess Bolen.

And likewise, Fred "Nook" Kelley of Craftsman Union is excited about joining forces with the Capahas.

"We're happy to be involved with the Capahas. I've known Jess all my life. We were raised together. He's a good man," Kelley said. "The Capahas are a tradition for Cape. It's Cape's team and the community should support it."

Bolen, entering his 34th season as the Capaha skipper, has compiled a glittering 1,107-374 record as his team has made 15 consecutive appearances in the prestigious National Baseball Congress World Series.

Last summer, the Capahas went 33-10. Bolen figures they'll have a chance to approach that kind of record this year, although he believes they could have their work cut out for them.

"On paper, I just don't think we'll be the powerhouse ballclub offensively as in the past. Maybe we'll be a big surprise with the bats, you never know, but I think we're going to have to scratch and claw for runs," Bolen said. "But on the mound, I think we could be as good as a lot of clubs I've had."

The Capahas will feature something of a new-look squad, with only seven returning players on their 20-man roster.

"I'm kind of looking forward to it," said Bolen. "We're going to have so many new faces, it's going to be interesting."

Returning players are outfielders Steve Kress -- who has been one of the squad's top players for a number of years -- Kevin Meyer, and Tommy Bolen; infielder Chris Sledge; and pitchers Lanson Debrock, Richie Phillips and Brent Self.

Debrock has been one of the squad's mound aces the past several seasons while Phillips is a longtime Capaha ace who missed most of last year with an injury.

Newcomers around the field are infielder/catcher Tristen McDonald, catchers Dan Berry and Scott Reinagel, infielders Jody Gajewski, Dave Lawson and Denver Stuckey, and outfielder Josh Eftink.

Stuckey, a Kelly High product, batted better than .300 while playing third base for Southeast Missouri State University this year and McDonald hit nearly .290 as an outfielder for the Indians.

Berry played at Southeast a couple of years ago; Reinagel is a Notre Dame graduate who has not played any college ball; Eftink, the area's premier prep slugger two years ago at Notre Dame, redshirted this year at Southeast; and Gajewski and Lawson both play for Southwest Missouri State.

First-year Capaha pitchers will be Brad Purcell, Craig Ringwald, Jake Alley, Aaron Gurley, Kyle Perry and James Beever.

Purcell was Southeast's No. 2 starter this year; Cape Central graduate Ringwald was the Three Rivers Community College ace; and Anna-Jonesboro (Ill.) product Alley, a hard thrower, was Southern Illinois University's ace two years ago.

Gurley pitches for Three Rivers, Perry hurls for Murray State and Beever, a backup catcher at Southeast two years ago, plays for Olney (Ill.) Junior College.

"With people like Lanson Debrock, Richie Phillips and Jake Alley, along with some of those other guys, we could be pretty tough on the mound," Bolen said.

As usual, said Bolen, the Capahas' ultimate goal this year will be to make yet another trip to the NBC World Series in Wichita, Kan.

"That's always the goal, to finish up in the big tournament," he said.