CAPHAS OPEN UP WITH 12-3 VICTORY

Craftsman Union Capahas manager Jess Bolen said earlier this week that he questioned whether his team's offense would be particularly potent this year.

But if Friday night's season opener against Valmeyer, Ill., is any indication, the Capahas will be just fine with the bats.

Bolen's squad pounded out 13 hits as it rolled past the visiting Lakers 12-3 at Capaha Field.

"I was pleased with our play for the first game," said Bolen. "I thought we swung the bats well and we got good pitching."

The Capahas were paced offensively by first-year player Josh Eftink, who had three hits, including a home run that sailed well over the left-field fence.

Two years ago, Eftink was the area's premier high school slugger as a senior at Notre Dame. He redshirted this year as a freshman at Southeast Missouri State University.

Tom Bolen, the manager's son who is one of the veterans of a young Capaha team, also homered and had two hits to go along with three runs batted in.

"We've got a young team, but I think we're going to be all right," said Tom Bolen.

Chris Sledge doubled twice and had three RBIs while first-year Capahas Tristen McDonald and Scott Reinagel added two hits each. Reinagel was a teammate of Eftink's at Notre Dame two years ago.

Capaha rookie Brad Purcell, who like McDonald is an Australian who played for Southeast Missouri State this year, pitched eight strong inning for the victory.

Purcell allowed two runs on three hits in the first inning and gave up another hit in the second but surrendered no hits over his final six innings of work. Purcell, who allowed all three runs (two earned), struck out eight and walked three.

Kyle Perry hurled a hitless ninth, with two strikeouts and one walk.

Chris Landgraf and Brett Crawford belted consecutive two-out, solo homers in the opening inning as the Lakers (5-2) got off to a 2-0 lead.

The Capahas quickly erased that with a six-run bottom of the first, the big blows being a two-run double by Sledge and Bolen's three-run homer to left.

Valmeyer got its final run in the fifth, but the Capahas pulled away with two in the fifth, three in the seventh and one in the eighth, the finally tally coming on Eftink's leadoff homer.

The two teams will square off in a 1 p.m. doubleheader today at Capaha Field.