Caps post a tidy win over Pirates

Plaza Tire was efficient on all fronts in a 7-3 victory over Tradewater.

It's far from the same Tradewater Pirates team that won last year's National Baseball Congress Mid-South Regional in Cape Girardeau.

Still, the Plaza Tire Capahas -- who had to watch the squad from Dawson Springs, Ky., celebrate a championship on their field last summer -- are more than happy to have already beaten the Pirates twice in 2005.

Plaza Tire made it two for two against the Pirates this year with Friday night's 7-3 victory at Capaha Field. The Capahas improved to 11-2 and dropped Tradewater to 6-13.

"They don't have a lot of the same players, but they're still a pretty good team and it's always good to beat them," Capahas manager Jess Bolen said.

Said Plaza Tire right fielder Tom Bolen: "It's always nice to beat the regional champs. They don't have very many of the same players, but they're still good."

The Capahas probably played one of their better all-around games of the season: They banged out 11 hits, committed no errors and received strong work from four pitchers.

"I thought we played pretty well," Jess Bolen said. "Defensively, we made some very good plays."

Lance Seasor, Robby Moore, Bryan Kurt and Derek Herbig -- one of the Capahas' top pitchers who was pressed into the designated hitter role because several regulars were not on hand -- all had two hits. Seasor and Kurt both drove in two runs, while Moore and Herbig each scored twice.

"Derek hasn't swung a bat all year, but he looked pretty good up there," Jess Bolen said.

Lanson Debrock pitched the first four innings and received credit for the victory. He allowed three runs, but just two hits, while striking out four and walking four.

Three hurlers followed Debrock to the mound and combined to blank the Pirates the rest of the way.

Matt Stroup allowed two hits in two innings, with four strikeouts and no walks. Dusty Renfrow allowed three hits in two innings, with four strikeouts and no walks. Josh Parham finished up in the ninth, allowing one hit while fanning two and walking none.

The Capahas made several stellar plays in the field: Center fielder Kurt made a diving catch; shortstop Moore made a dazzling play deep in the hole; and second baseman Seasor snared a line drive on a diving play with two on and two outs in the seventh inning.

Tradewater scored a run in the first inning for its only lead of the night. The Capahas tied it in the bottom of the first, then went ahead for good with three in the second.

The Capahas have four more games this weekend. Today they visit the St. Louis Printers in a 1 p.m. doubleheader, and Sunday they host Springfield (Ill.) in a 1 p.m. twin bill.