Capahas win on heels of bitter NBC loss

It didn't quite ease the sting of failing to defend their National Baseball Congress Mid-South Regional title, but the Craftsman Union Capahas were at least able to bounce back with a victory Sunday afternoon.

Less than 24 hours after falling to Springfield (Mo.) 3-2 in Saturday's final round of the regional, Craftsman Union was back on the steamy Capaha Field diamond. While the Capahas weren't overly impressive, they were able to hold off the Evansville (Ind.) Outlaws 4-2.

The Capahas, playing their final home game of the season, improved to 27-8 while the Outlaws fell to 39-12.

"It was a typical ballgame I would expect after the tournament loss yesterday," Capahas manager Jess Bolen said. "I didn't want to be here and I don't think my players wanted to be here.

"But you commit to a schedule and you play it. I was pleased that, after a tough loss like we had, we could have had a lot of players beg off and not show up today. But the kids came out and played."

A sputtering offense plagued the Capahas in the regional -- they had just 24 hits in four games -- and, although they had 10 hits Sunday, all were singles and few were hard hit.

"I know we're better hitters than what we showed in the tournament and today," Bolen said.

Josh Eftink led the Capahas' offense by going 3-for-4. Denver Stuckey had two hits and drove in two runs while Zach Borowiak added two hits.

Dan Romain and Courtney Campbell both had two of the Outlaws' six hits.

Capahas pitchers Jason Chavez and Craig Ringwald both continued their strong seasons.

Chavez started and went the first five innings, allowing three hits and one run, with eight strikeouts and one walk.

Ringwald was the winner as he improved to 4-0. He worked the final four innings, allowing three hits and one run, with four strikeouts and two walks.

The Capahas scored an unearned run in the first inning and the Outlaws tied the contest with a run in the second. That's the way things stood until the seventh, when the Capahas went ahead for good on an RBI single by Stuckey.

Craftsman Union added two insurance runs in the eighth, which proved to be important after Evansville got one back in the ninth, but the Outlaws left runners on first and second as the game ended.

The Capahas have four road games remaining this week and they're hoping their season won't end after that. Bolen should learn in the next few days whether his team receives an at-large bid the NBC World Series in Wichita, Kan.

"Maybe we'll get a bid. I sure want one," Bolen said. "We're a well respected ballclub and I would think if there are some bids available, we'll get one. But there might not be any available."