Caps post narrow win before rain hits

The Plaza Tire Capahas have steamrolled the opposition recently, winning five straight games by a combined score of 47-3.

Plaza Tire found itself in a tight contest for a change Saturday afternoon.

Despite managing just one hit, which did not figure into the scoring, the host Capahas squeezed out a 1-0 victory over the Springfield (Ill.) Pally's in the first game of a scheduled doubleheader.

The Capahas led 3-1 in the bottom of the second inning of the nightcap when heavy rain halted play and eventually washed away the game before it could become official.

Plaza Tire, winning for the 15th time in its last 16 games, improved to 20-4. The Pally's fell to 15-4.

"We haven't been challenged very much lately, so it's good to have a game like that," Plaza Tire's Asif Shah said.

The Capahas were particularly pleased to face a pitcher who could match up with them for the first time in several outings.

FRED LYNCH ~ flynch@semissourian.com The Capahas' Asif Shah watched his fifth-inning sacrifice fly Saturday against the Springfield (Ill.) Pally's at Capaha Field. The fly ball scored Omar Padilla (top photo) for the only run of Plaza Tire's 1-0 victory.

Plaza Tire manager Jess Bolen said he was told by Springfield skipper Troy Vilayhong befpre the contest that Brady Kuntzi threw close to 90 miles per hour.

"His coach told me he threw 88 to 90. I believe it. That kid was good," Bolen said. "The only way we scored was off his wildness.

"If he could have controlled that breaking ball, I don't know if we'd ever have scored."

Added Bolen: "I wish we'd face somebody like that the rest of the way. In Wichita [for the National Baseball Congress World Series], most of the guys out there will be really good."

FRED LYNCH ~ flynch@semissourian.com Omar Padilla scored for the Capahas on a tag up from third base after Asif Shah's sacrifice fly in the fifth inning against Pally's of Springfield, Ill. Saturday at Capaha Field.

Kuntzi pitched 4 1/3 innings, allowing the lone hit while striking out five, walking four and hitting three batters. He worked out of a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the first inning.

Kuntzi was charged with the run to take the loss, although the Capahas scored after he had left the mound.

"He wasn't bad. He had a sneaky delivery," Shah said. "To face a guy like that helps us. We could be in Wichita (Kan.) and get shut down like that and need to find a way to scrape together a run."

The Capahas found that way in the fifth inning.

Capahas reliever Phillip Riley delivered a pitch to a Pally's batter. Riley allowed just one hit over the final three innings to get the win.

Chad Mercado led off with a single for Plaza Tire's only hit, but Daniel Schuh -- courtesy running for Mercado, the catcher -- was thrown out trying to steal second base.

Omar Padilla was hit by a pitch, then stole second and third. Denver Stuckey was also hit by a pitch, and Jerry Hodges walked to load the bases.

Shah then delivered a sacrifice fly to right field off reliever Clark Pullen that scored Padilla.

While Kuntzi and Pullen were impressive, so were Plaza Tire's two hurlers.

FRED LYNCH ~ flynch@semissourian.com Capahas manager Jess Bolen talked with pitcher Phillip Riley in the seventh inning of the first game with Pally's Saturday at Capaha Field.

That wasn't surprising, since Anthony Maupin and Phillip Riley are the Capahas' aces.

Bolen went into the contest planning to have that duo share the load.

Maupin allowed six hits over the first four innings, with four strikeouts and one walk. He escaped a bases-loaded, no-out jam in the fourth.

Riley received credit for the victory, allowing one hit over the final three innings. He struck out four and walked two.

"As it turned out, I'm glad I went with those two guys," Bolen said. "We needed to keep them from scoring."

The Capahas' offense fared much better early in the nightcap before the rain came. Plaza Tire already had four hits and three runs through 1 2/3 innings before the contest was washed away.

"Springfield has a good team. They play good baseball," Bolen said. "You put a good guy on the mound and you've got a chance."

The Capahas return to action today with a 1:30 p.m. doubleheader at Evansville, Ind.

Noteworthy

• Bolen said first baseman Matt Wagner, all-Ohio Valley Conference as a junior at Southeast Missouri State this year, will miss the remainder of the Capahas' season.

Wagner, who has only played in a handful of Plaza Tire's games, recently broke a bone in his foot as he took a wrong step on the stairs in his residence.

Springfield 000 000 0 -- 0 7 2

Capahas 000 010 X -- 1 1 1

WP -- Phillip Riley. LP -- Brady Kuntzi. 2B -- Kevin Bryant (S), Mike Maziarz (S). Multiple hits -- Springfield, Bryant 2-4, Maziarz 2-3, Daniel Millhouse 2-3. Records -- Capahas 20-4, Springfield 15-4.