It's all about attitude.
It's the first year for the Capital City Cavaliers baseball program and that youth and inexperience can add up to some ugly days. So staying positive while going through the growing pains is important.
"Some of our attitudes are fine, others are not," Cavaliers coach Brett Skinner said after Tuesday night's 16-1 loss in five innings to the Rock Bridge Bruins in Central Missouri Activities Conference action at Capital City High School.
"I understand to come out and get beat like this is tough, but we're working hard on staying up and staying positive. We still have a lot of growing to do."
It was the first game in more than a week for the Cavaliers, who have had four games rained out in recent days. That didn't help Tuesday.
"We're rusty again after all that time off," Skinner said. "I could see it."
Five batters into the game, Rock Bridge led 4-0.
Braedyn Boatright led off with a double before Austin Stewart laid down a sacrifice bunt. As Boatright made his way to third, the throw to first was wild and he came around to score and Stewart advanced to second.
Toby Scheidt then walked before a double steal moved the Bruins runners to second and third. Kaiden Stoffer doubled down the line in left to make it 3-0. Stoffer then stole third and scored on a wild throw.
Capital City had a chance to get one of those runs back in the bottom of the inning. Noah Nicklas led off with a walk and two outs later, Brock Miles doubled to left field. Nicklas tried to score on the play, but was thrown out on a bang-bang play at the plate.
The Bruins then blew the game open with an eight-run second inning. Rock Bridge sent 12 batters to plate, totaling six hits and drawing four walks. After the first batter struck out, the next 10 Bruins reached base before a double play ended the inning.
Each team scored a run in the fourth.
Miles led off Capital City's half of the inning with a single. One out later, he advanced to second on a wild pitch before Carlos Ayala walked. A groundout moved the runners up to second and third before Xaine Henderson walked to load the bases. Miles then scored on a passed ball to make it 13-1.
"We just struggled offensively," Skinner said. "I know they didn't throw their best pitcher, so I was hoping we could come out and score a few runs. But we didn't."
But one is better than none.
"I don't like getting shut out," Skinner said.
The Bruins scored their final three runs in the top of the fifth.
Rock Bridge finished with nine hits, none after the second inning. But the Bruins did draw 12 walks as the Cavaliers used five pitchers. Capital City committed six errors.
Miles had two of Capital City's three hits in the game.
"All around, we just have to be better," Skinner said.
Rock Bridge is now 9-4 overall, 2-0 in the conference.
Capital City (0-6, 0-3) is back in action Friday when it hosts Iberia. The Rangers were No. 2 in the initial Class 2 state rankings this season by the Missouri High School Baseball Coaches Association.
"That will be another good test," Skinner said.
Game time is 5 p.m.