CAPS BUILD STEAM, SWEEP O.B. CLARK

The McDowell Capahas will certainly be taking a lot of momentum to Kansas this week.

McDowell swept a twi-night doubleheader from visiting St. Louis O.B. Clark Saturday, prevailing 5-3 and 10-6. Those two victories pushed the Capahas' winning streak to 12 games and improved their record to 29-6.

Capahas manager Jess Bolen and his players figure all of this bodes well for the team as it prepares for the National Baseball Congress World Series in Wichita. McDowell will play the Norman (Okla.) Boomerangs at 5 p.m. Tuesday in the tournament's's opening game.

"I like the way we're playing going into the tournament," said Bolen. "We're playing good baseball. I think this ballclub can go out there and make some noise."

Said right fielder Tommy Bolen, the manager's son, "Our bats are doing well and our pitching is coming together. I think we can go out there and do well."

Added pitcher Jerry Wolsey, "I think we've got the pitching to do it. I think we can go out there and surprise some people."

McDowell closed out the regular season Saturday by winning a pair of tightly contested games against rival O.B. Clark, which suffered a 25-2 loss to the Capahas during the championship game of the recent NBC Mid-South regional held at Capaha Field.

Things were much closer this time, with the Capahas leading all the way in the opener and then rallying from a 6-2 deficit to claim the nightcap.

"I think these are two good games for us to end the (regular) season with," said Jess Bolen.

The Capahas won the opener despite having just five hits to O.B. Clark's 10. But McDowell took advantage of three crucial errors to prevail.

Chad Bogenpohl, who will start the Capahas' NBC World Series contest Tuesday, pitching three shutout innings to begin Saturday's first game. He allowed four hits while striking out two and walking one.

Brent Self gave up two runs and four hits in three innings while Matt Palmer allowed one run and two hits in the seventh.

Jeff Bourbon's two-run double sparked a four-run third inning that gave the Capahas a 5-0 lead.

Brian Swift, Reed Hartman and Aaron Ontiberos all had two hits for O.B. Clark. Rick Mundy belted the opener's only home run, a solo shot in the seventh that accounted for the final score. O.B. Clark had the tying runs on base when the game ended.

In the nightcap, Capahas' starter Lanson Debrock allowed six hits and four runs over the first three innings, although all four runs were unearned.

Ronnie Lewallen gave up two runs and two hits over the next three innings and received credit for the victory when the Capahas rallied. Wolsey pitched a scoreless seventh to nail things down.

The Capahas had 10 second-game hits, led by Craig Ringe with three. Darin Kinsolving and Bourbon both added two, with Bourbon homering and driving in three runs.

Mundy and Dan Chinicci both had three of O.B. Clark's nine hits.

McDowell trailed 6-2 entering the bottom of the fifth, but the first five batters reached and all scored as the Capahas rallied. Kinsolving's two-run double made it 6-4, Bourbon's two-run homer tied it and Bolen's sacrifice fly scored Cory Crosnoe to put the Caps ahead for good at 7-6.

The Capahas scored three insurance runs in the sixth to pull away.