CAPE RIVERDOGS TO OPEN BASEBALL SEASON TONIGHT

The Cape Girardeau Riverdogs -- a baseball team comprised of local college-age players -- have beefed up their schedule considerably as they prepare to embark on their second season.

"We've put together a pretty good schedule and we'll see how it works out," said Robin Minner, who coaches the squad along with Ray Craft. "I don't know if we've bitten off more than we can chew, but we'll see."

The Riverdogs, who begin the 2000 campaign tonight with a 7:30 game at Waterloo, Ill., were formed primarily to allow local players who are too old for American Legion baseball and do not play for the McDowell Capahas the opportunity to compete during the summer months.

"That's the main reason for the team," said Minner. "The Capahas don't have any more room for anybody and there is just no other place for kids this age to play without leaving the area. It's a good opportunity for the local kids who are playing in college."

The Riverdogs have 13 regular-season games scheduled, and they also plan to compete in the National Baseball Congress Mid-South Regional that the Capahas will host in July.

"We're affiliated with the NBC and we're going to play some of the teams the Capahas have been playing, like Waterloo, Saline County (Ill.), Sauget (Ill.) and Goreville (Ill.)," Minner said.

Although the Riverdogs are likely to add some players as the season goes along, they will open the campaign with a 13-man roster, including seven players who graduated from Cape Central High School over the past few years.

Central products and the colleges they have been playing for are: Greg Craft (Missouri-Rolla), Chris Bradshaw (Mineral Area College), Adam Bertrand (Mineral Area College), Michael Minner (William Woods), Craig Ringwald (Three Rivers Community College), Shane Gibson (Webster) and Gabe Wunderlich, who has not been playing collegiately.

Five other players from William Woods, a Division III school in Fulton, are also on the roster: John Carenza from St. Louis, Justin Shy from Festus, Jason Decker from Kennett, Kenny Hohe from St. Charles and Brandon Talbot from Elsberry.

Also competing for the Riverdogs will be 2000 Chaffee High School graduate Tommy Stidham, who will be playing for Florissant Valley Community College.