Rain denies Caps chance for win

Despite moving the start time up two hours to 5 p.m., the Plaza Tire Capahas could not dodge the rain Monday night, as the third game of their three-game series with the Wichita Broncos was called after three innings.

The Capahas had just taken a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the third with two two-out runs when the rain started to pick up. Both managers met at home plate and the game was called before the start of the fourth inning.

Matt Stroup pitched three hitless innings before the rain came, and Lance Seasor was 2-for-2 with both RBIs.

The rain left Plaza Tire (14-6) at 0-2 in the series against the Broncos. Wichita (27-10) defeated the Capahas 10-2 on Sunday.

Capahas manager Jess Bolen said while his team did not play as well against the Broncos as he would have liked, he liked playing a team he believes could be the NBC World Series champions this year.

"You can shove this away," Bolen said of his team's two losses to the Broncos. "If we go to Wichita, we could make the final five or six [in the NBC World Series]."

In Sunday's loss, the Capahas were hurt by an uncharacteristically poor fielding night. Plaza Tire committed five errors that led to three unearned runs.

Derek Herbig took the loss, lasting just four-plus innings. Herbig allowed eight hits, struck out one and walked two. Of his seven runs allowed, four were earned.

Josh Eftink had an RBI double in the first, and Levi Olson provided the only other offensive highlight with a home run in the fifth.

The Capahas will play Wednesday at Fairview Heights, Ill., before hosting the NBC Mid-South Regional Tournament, which begins Friday.