CAPAHAS USE SMITH'S BAT TO GUN DOWN OUTLAWS 9-4

Darrick Smith may be something of an `old man' as far as the Kohlfeld Capahas are concerned, but he proved Friday night that he can still wield a pretty mean bat.

Smith, the Capahas' most experienced player -- he is in his 13th year with the team -- blasted a two-run homer and a three-run double to spark a 9-4 victory over the Evansville (Ind.) Outlaws at Capaha Field.

The Capahas are now 22-7 while the Outlaws fell to 25-5. The same teams will square off today in a noon doubleheader at Capaha Field.

"I started playing for the Capahas in 1984," said Smith with a grin. "I still love playing. For the last nine years, I've driven from St. Louis to play, so you know I love it."

Smith, who will turn 32 in August, is a Cape Girardeau native who played baseball at both Central High and Southeast Missouri State University. He's been a teacher and coach for the past nine years at Hazelwood Central High in St. Louis, but next year will return to the Cape Girardeau School District as a teacher and coach.

"I'm excited to be getting back to Cape," he said. "After nine years at Hazelwood Central, it was a tough decision. But there's no place to raise a family like Cape. Both my parents and my wife's parents are here and it will be a good place to raise our two children."

With Smith moving back to Cape, that means he won't have to commute from St. Louis to play for the Capahas next year -- if he continues to compete for the team.

"I just take it year by year," he said, laughing. "Jess (manager Jess Bolen) calls me every year and sees if I want to play. I guess I'll see how I feel next year."

Another Capaha veteran, pitcher Richie Phillips, also sparkled Friday. The righthander hurled all nine innings. He allowed nine hits and three walks while striking out 11.

Smith gave the Capahas a 2-0 lead with a first-inning home run that also scored Steve Kress, who had tripled. The ball didn't clear the 330-foot mark in left field by all that much.

"I didn't think it was going out," Smith said. "It was a pleasant surprise."

The Capahas trailed 3-2 before scoring three runs in the sixth. They broke a 3-3 tie on a two-run Ryan Murphy double when his fly ball to left was misplayed.

Tim Ellis and Shawn Pemberton joined Smith in getting two of the Capahas' nine hits.

Josh Heldt, Don Kelley, Tim Turpin and Mark Flatten all had two hits for the Outlaws. Dale Schmitler was the losing pitcher.

"It was a good ballgame," said Bolen. "Evansville had a good team."