Pine Bluff offers stiff test in regional

Despite being the Mid-South Regional runner-up the past two years, the Pine Bluff (Ark.) Braves really haven't been close to beating the Plaza Tire Capahas.

But after a 5-1 decision Saturday in which the Braves made the Capahas sweat a little, the Braves were drawing comparisons to another previously one-sided rivalry.

"When we step into Cape Girardeau, we know we're going to have to play good baseball," Braves pitcher Christian Kidd said. "It's almost like a little rivalry brewing, like the Yankees and Red Sox. It's something to get the crowd going."

The Capahas have done their best impression of the Yankees, with three straight Mid-South Regional titles and 26 consecutive appearances in the National Baseball Congress World Series.

The Braves, however, have been nothing more than a frequent victim in recent years. They are the team other than the Capahas that have been in the regional field faithfully over the last seven years, as the event dwindled to three teams in 2006 and this year. But since 2004, the Braves had lost five times to the Caps by a combined 62-11, including 10-run games. The closest of the five decisions before Saturday's was a 7-2 contest in 2006.

Pine Bluff coach Winfred Smith said there's more to the numbers.

"They've all been up here," he said Saturday. "When you look at the numbers, that's the difference. When the Lakers played the Celtics in the NBA finals, they did play some games in California, didn't they?

"They've been to Pine Bluff one time in the history of the club. We need to get them to come in the other direction."

"Is that supposed to make a difference?" asked longtime Capahas manager Jess Bolen.

Bolen recalled a trip to Pine Bluff for a game that ended up starting much later due to another game being played on the same field.

He acknowledged the Braves team that tested the Capahas on Saturday -- each team had five hits and committed one error -- was improved over previous editions.

"They have some good hitters in the lineup with the McCoys and [Jerome] McCullum," Bolen said. "And they didn't make an error until that last inning. They have a legitimate ballclub."

McCullum, who hit .408 this spring for Division I Arkansas-Pine Bluff, scored the Braves' lone run, but Capahas pitcher Anthony Maupin was able to limit Corey and Keenan McCoy to a combined 1-for-6.

"I was a little disappointed that we didn't hit the ball better," Bolen said, listing three potential run-scoring hits that were snared by the Braves defense. "You've got to give them credit."

Kidd said his approach was to keep the ball down and let his defense make the plays.

"They're a good-hitting ballclub," Kidd said. "If you get the ball up, they will hit the ball hard. They will lose it on you. As far as locating the ball, it was one of the best outings I've had."

While the Capahas can trace their history back to 1894, the Braves go back to 1952, with Smith's father, Burl, one of three men who started the team. He still serves as general manager.

"We follow his lead," Winfred Smith said.

Winfred Smith has been with the team for 40 years, including coaching for the last 35.

His team rebounded to win 12-11 late Saturday evening, beating the Charleston Riverdogs -- a team it beat 18-17 on Friday night -- for another shot at the Capahas today.

"We always accept the challenge," Smith said. "With all the change in the world of baseball, economics and gas, the numbers are declining [at the regional tournament]. We're down to three teams. There used to be eight or 12."