Sierra College player-coach Scott McConahay had only one available pitcher to throw against the Capitols Friday night at Carson High School in what was scheduled to be a doubleheader. Although McConahay was short on pitchers, he saved Eric Brooks, one of the team's best to try and shut down the Caps.
Brooks struck out nine batters and only had one walk but even his best stuff wasn't good enough to tame the Capitol's bats, as they beat Sierra College 10-3.
The Capitols (29-4) have a two-day rest before they open up play in the 22nd annual Capitol Classic Monday night against the St. Louis, Mo. Eagles at Carson High.
McConahay told Ron McNutt prior to Friday night's game that his team couldn't play both games because his team was missing too many players. Instead, both coaches agreed to play one nine inning game, which forced McConahay to forfeit the second game.
Capitols starting pitcher Will Quaglieri got into trouble in the second inning. With the bases loaded, Quaglieri hit Scott Brown to score the game's first run. He then struck out the next two batters before giving up a two-run single to Louie Sanchez that gave Sierra College a 3-0 lead.
Brooks, who pitched four scoreless innings, appeared in control of the game until the fifth, when Brian Kleidosty hit a RBI single in the fifth that scored Dan Gubbels. Then Joe Mercer, who had been in a slump, hit a RBI double that scored Kleidosty, and brought the Caps to within one run at 3-2.
"I felt real good today. I was more confident at the plate and got some pitches to hit," Mercer said about breaking out of his hitting slump.
Then after Dustin Hahn's three-run homer in the seventh, the Caps led 5-3 .
"I felt like I was throwing good out there but I just made one mistake and they took advantage, Brooks said about Hahn's home run.
In the eighth, the Caps poured on five more runs, highlighted by Kleidosty's RBI single and Joe Jacobitz's two-run home run. Sierra College had two errors in the inning that scored two more Capitol runs.
"We came out with more intensity tonight but we just fell apart," McConahay said.
The Capitols will take their good fortunes and big bats into next week's 12-team Capitol Classic.
"This tournament coming up is probably one of the best tournaments on the West Coast," said McNutt, who will look to win the tournament for the first time since 1993.
