Caps squeeze by; 'Dogs tumble

If their first game of the National Baseball Congress Mid-South Regional is any indication, the Cape Girardeau Craftsman Union Capahas will not have an easy time defending their title.

The host Capahas, after winning all three of their tournament games last year by the 10-run rule, had a mighty struggle Saturday before holding off the Fulton (Mo.) Bandits 4-3 at Capaha Field.

"It was an excellent game and Fulton has a good team," Capahas manager Jess Bolen said. "I thought it would be like this. I didn't expect us to have an easy time. We have some good teams in this tournament."

After heavy rain Friday during the opening day of the tournament forced two games to be postponed and one to be suspended in the sixth inning, sunny skies and close encounters were the order of the day Saturday.

In fact, the first three contests were all decided by one run. In the completion of Friday's suspended game, the Springfield (Mo.) Slashers rallied to defeat the Southern Illinois Merchants 5-4.

The Slashers, who had been no-hit through five innings by the Merchants' Bobby Coomer on Friday and trailed 4-1 when play was suspended, did not have to face Coomer Saturday. Springfield scored a run in the bottom of the ninth inning to prevail.

Then the Pine Bluff (Ark.) Braves, who have struggled annually in the regional, pulled off a surprise by holding off the Cape Girardeau Riverdogs 5-4.

The Capahas followed with their win over Fulton, then Springfield (16-9) improved to 2-0 in the tournament with a 13-6 victory over Pine Bluff behind an 11-hit attack and the solid relief pitching of Aaron Bowler.

Late Saturday night, the Riverdogs and Fulton met in an elimination game that was still going on as the Southeast Missourian went to press.

Four more games are scheduled today, starting at 10 a.m. The final contest will be played at about 7 p.m. and it's likely that, because of Friday's rain, the championship game will have to be played later in the week.

Capahas 4, Fulton 3

Although outhit 9-6, the Capahas were able to hold on after building a 4-0 lead.

"With the wood, it's a completely different story," Capahas catcher Tristen McDonald said of the tournament format that requires all teams to hit with wood bats. "It was a tough game. They played well."

The Capahas (23-6) rode the strong pitching of Richie Phillips and Mark Frazier and some timely hitting to victory.

Phillips (5-0) carried a shutout into the eighth inning before tiring. In 7 1/3 innings, he allowed eight hits and three runs, with eight strikeouts and no walks.

Frazier earned a save with 1 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing one hit while fanning two and walking one. He forced Fulton to strand the tying run at third in the eighth inning and the Bandits left runners on first and second in the ninth.

"Richie gave us all he had but he just ran out of gas," Bolen said. "It was good to have a Frazier there."

Chris Sledge, who had two hits, homered for the Capahas, a solo shot in the fourth that made it 1-0. Zach Borowiak's RBI single in the fifth made it 2-0 and McDonald had a key two-run single in the seventh for a 4-0 lead.

Tyrone Roberson, Todd Vodnansky and Clint Rowden all drove in runs in the eighth as the Bandits (16-6) rallied. Fulton's Butch Briscoe and Greg Scott both had two hits.

Zac Lamb took the loss, allowing five hits and two runs in six innings.

Pine Bluff 5, Riverdogs 4

The Riverdogs (10-15) dug themselves an early hole as four errors in the top of the first inning allowed the Braves to score three unearned runs.

Backed by a strong pitching performance by Michael Tindall, the Braves held on. Tindall scattered 11 hits and allowed just one earned run in going the distance. He fanned five and walked one.

Billy Puckett was strong in relief of starter and loser Chris Reeves, who has been bothered by arm problems and lasted just one inning. Puckett allowed four hits and two runs in eight innings. He fanned 10 and walked three.

Marcus Davis had two of the Braves' six hits. Makeiko Morgan scored three runs.

Josh West led the Riverdogs with three hits. Chris Bradshaw had two hits and Shane Gibson added two RBIs.

The game ended in thrilling fashion in the bottom of the ninth as Todd Friend was thrown out at the plate trying to score all the way from first base on a two-out single by West.