CAPAHAS CONFIDENT GOING INTO WICHITA

Cape Girardeau's Kohlfeld Capahas are brimming with confidence as they gear up for another trip to the National Baseball Congress World Series in Wichita, Kan.

The Capahas had their final pre-tournament workout in Cape Girardeau Tuesday night, taking part in a session at Capaha Field.

The Capahas are scheduled to depart for Wichita late tonight. They'll see their first action in the 32-team, double-elimination tournament at 10 p.m. Friday against the Iowa Regional champion. Kohlfeld will play again Sunday, either at 10 a.m. or 1 p.m., before returning back to Cape Girardeau.

If the Capahas win at least one game this weekend, then they'll return to Wichita for further action the following weekend.

The Capahas will carry a 30-5 record to the NBC World Series. But, unlike the last two years -- when they received an at-large berth -- the Capahas are entering the meet with added momentum after earning an automatic bid by winning the NBC Mid-South Regional.

"We're very confident," said center fielder Steve Kress, one of the squad's offensive and defensive leaders this year and also one of the team's veteran players. "All the teams are good out there, but I think this is the best team I've been on in the six year's I've gone to Wichita.

"I think we have the talent to win the whole thing. But it's whoever gets hot at the right time. And so much of it depends on the pitching and defense. But I think we have the offense to do it."

Said veteran first baseman Tom Breuer, "I think we're doing real well. We know how to win and we never give up as far as scoring runs. We have a lot of veteran players who know how to get it done. We've been behind in games quite a bit this year, but we always seem to be able to come back.

"A big key is always how you do the first weekend. If we do well, that will set the tempo for the entire tournament."

Catcher Shawn Pemberton said he also likes the Capahas' chances, although they will have to adjust to playing without veteran second baseman Darrick Smith, who was hit on the nose by a bad hop during a recent game and had to undergo surgery.

"It's tough for Darrick to go down because he's such a vocal point of our infield," said Pemberton. "But we're confident. I feel better about our chances this year than last year.

"Last year we went in with an at-large bid. This year we're going in as the regional champions and that always helps. We played well in that environment and seemed to step up to a higher level. That should help us in Wichita."

The Capahas went 2-2 in last year's NBC World Series.