Dooley dominant on mound

Steven Dooley was excited for his first home appearance with the Plaza Tire Capahas.

The Oran High School graduate didn't disappoint his family members and friends who attended Friday night's game against the St. Louis Raging Bulls at Capaha Field.

Dooley, who recently joined the Capahas after finishing a record-setting, All-American pitching career at Division III Webster University in St. Louis, continued his summer dominance.

Dooley struck out 16 -- for the second straight start -- and walked three during a one-hit shutout as he went the nine-inning distance in a 4-0 Plaza Tire victory.

"I definitely was excited. I had quite a bit of family here and a few friends," Dooley said. "It was definitely nice to get to throw in front of them. Most of them, except for my parents, haven't gotten to see me throw since high school."

Steven Dooley, an Oran High School graduate, fanned 16 in his win over the St. Louis Bulls on Friday at Capaha Park.

Dooley has been a virtual strikeout machine in his brief Capahas career after he pitched the past few summers for various collegiate leagues. He spent last summer in New York and 2011 in Kentucky.

Dooley's only other start for the Capahas was June 11, when he fanned 16 over nine innings during a five-hit shutout of the St. Louis Printers. He fanned four and gave up two hits during three shutout innings of relief against the Bulls on June 7.

So Dooley has still not allowed a run while striking out 36 in 21 innings for the Capahas.

"Every outing he's had he's dominated. He's really helped us in an area where we needed it," Plaza Tire assistant manager Tom Bolen said. "He has great arm extension on his pitches and he mixes it up well."

Dooley, by his own admission, is not overpowering. He says his fastball was effective Friday partly because he was also able to mix in a changeup that kept the Bulls off balance.

Five of Dooley's strikeouts Friday were looking and the Bulls' lone hit was a clean, line-drive single to left field by Dan Wollberg in the first inning. Wollberg was the only batter in the Bulls' lineup who did not strike out.

"My changeup was really good. I think that's what helped my fastball. It's very straight and I'm not going to overpower anybody," Dooley said. "As the game went on I was hitting my spots better. I'm used to going late in games. Usually my arm doesn't hurt."

Dooley has picked up where he left off following a brilliant three-year career for Webster's Gorloks after he played one year at Florissant Valley Community College in St. Louis.

Dooley was named to the ABCA/Rawlings All-American third team this year. He was also the ABCA/Rawlings Central Region pitcher of the year and the St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference pitcher of the year as Webster made its second straight NCAA Division III World Series appearance. The Gorloks finished ranked sixth nationally, the school's highest-ever ranking in any sport.

Dooley went 10-3 with a 2.69 earned run average as the ace of Webster's staff this season. He set the school single-season record for wins while finishing his career at Webster first on the all-time list in appearances (58), second in wins (21) and strikeouts (209), and fourth in ERA (3.02).

"Definitely my senior year was my best one," Dooley said. "It was nice to end up on a good note. The awards ... All-American came as a surprise. It was a good senior year."

Dooley recently graduated from Webster and he's about to put his degree in information systems to good use. Monday he starts a job at a company in the St. Louis suburb of Chesterfield, where he lives.

"So I won't be able to pitch during the week any more," said Dooley, who does still plan to take the mound for the Capahas on weekends.

The Capahas had seven hits, including a triple and four doubles. They benefited from several misplays by Bulls outfielders that fell for hits.

Christian Cavaness went 3 for 4 with a triple, two doubles, two runs scored and an RBI. He ended the night batting a team-high .500 (22 of 44).

Cavaness displayed his impressive speed when he legged out a double in the fifth inning on a pop fly that fell only a few feet into the outfield grass to the left of second base.

"Christian continues to exceed expectations," said Bolen of the Capahas' rookie center fielder and 2012 Central High School graduate who is having a stellar summer offensively, defensively and on the bases. "He's really been doing a great job."

Cavaness helped give the Capahas a 1-0 lead in the first inning when he ripped a one-out triple that bounced off the right-field wall and scored on Kenton Parmley's RBI double that was misplayed in left field.

Things remained 1-0 until the Capahas gave Dooley some breathing room with a three-run fifth inning that featured four hits and completed the night's scoring.

John Logan Zink led off with a single and Jesse Schott, trying to sacrifice, laid down a perfect bunt that went for a hit as the Bulls had no play.

Jordan Kimball sacrificed, then Cavaness legged out his RBI double. Kody Campbell capped the uprising with a two-out, two-RBI double on a ball that was misplayed in center field.

"They helped us out some," Bolen said.

While Dooley was stellar on the mound, the Bulls also received a solid start from left-hander Billy Price, who did not receive much defensive help even though the visitors were not officially charged with any errors.

Price went the eight-inning distance. He struck out five and walked two while allowing seven hits.

"He didn't do bad. It seems like lefties historically give us fits," Bolen said.

Bulls 000 000 000 -- 0 1 0

Capahas 100 030 00x -- 4 7 2

WP -- Steven Dooley. LP -- Billy Price. 3B -- Christian Cavaness (C). 2B -- Cavaness (C) 2, Kenton Parmley (C), Kody Campbell (C). Multiple hits -- Capahas: Cavaness 3-4. Records -- Capahas 11-1.