Caps dust off Elkhart 8-6, still unbeaten

WICHITA, Kan. -- The Craftsman Union Capahas entered the National Baseball Congress World Series not playing all that well.

But they're sure playing well now.

The unseeded Capahas raised their NBC World Series record to 2-0 Saturday by beating the fourth-seeded Elkhart (Kan.) Dusters 8-6.

Craftsman Union, which improved to 29-9 overall, will play again at 5 p.m. Tuesday against either the Wichita (Kan.) Braves or Seattle (Wash.) Studs. Those squads squared off late Saturday night.

"It feels good to be 2-0 in the tournament and I feel really good about the way we're playing," Capahas manager Jess Bolen said. "We've really picked it up."

The bats are back

Particularly offensively. The Capahas were in a serious team batting slump entering the NBC World Series but they have 30 hits in the tournament, including 13 Saturday.

"We were in that hitting funk, but we talked about how we could come out of it at any time," Bolen said. "We've really come on with the bats."

Tom Bolen went 3-for-3 and scored two runs while Denver Stuckey went 3-for-5 with two doubles.

But the game's biggest blow came off the bat of Josh Eftink, who drilled a three-run home run in the bottom of the seventh inning to break a 5-5 tie. Brian Hopkins got a one-out double and Bolen drew a two-out walk to set the stage for Eftink's blast to left field.

"That was a huge hit, and we got some other really big hits," Jess Bolen said.

Richie Phillips recorded his second victory of the tournament. In seven innings, he allowed eight hits and five runs (four earned), with one strikeout and one walk.

Mark Frazier had his second solid relief appearance of the tourney as he earned a save by pitching the final two innings. Frazier allowed three hits and an unearned run while fanning one and walking none.

"Richie pitched a real good game again and Mark did his usual good relief job. He's a good guy to bring in," Bolen said.

The Capahas trailed much of the contest, including 3-1 after two innings.

In the bottom of the fifth, with two outs, Jake Tippee had an RBI double to tie the contest at 4-4 and Bolen's RBI single put the Capahas ahead 5-4.

Elkhart tied it with a run in the top of the seventh, setting the stage for Eftink's go-ahead homer in the bottom of the frame that stood up as the game-winner.

Jason Chavez, who has had a strong rookie season with the Capahas, will start Tuesday's game on the mound.

"I feel good about putting Jason out there," Bolen said.