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CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (July 21st, 2024)

What a week for the Cape Catfish. They had Monday off and then rain cancelled their Tuesday game. That meant they had to then play seven games in five days, including back to back double headers vs the Thrillbillies. With their backs up against the wall and -4.5 games out of 1st place, they had to win 5 of 7 and hope for a little help if they wanted to have a chance in their final week of the summer at making the playoffs.

Game one was at the Terre Haute REX who’ve been the leagues hottest team the last three weeks. The REX had won 10 straight at home so it wasn’t going to be easy. Jorge Romero (Western Illinois) threw a gem, holding the Rex to two runs over five innings, striking out eight and walking one. The Fish rallied with a six run 6th inning and the bullpen of Riley (Butte College) and Butts (Spring Hill) allowed one run over the final four frames for a 7-3 Catfish win.

Thursday night Thrillville strolled in and smacked the Fish around 8-0 in game one of the double header. Ray Ochoa (Spring Hill) gave up seven earned through three innings for his 3rd loss. In game two, a must win, the Fish bounced back with a 6-0 shutout behind Dylan Peck ( who has now throw 12 straight scoreless innings in his last two starts. JJ Williams (Lee University) and Moises Rosario (Oakland City) had two hits each to lead the offense.

Friday the Fish rolled into Thrillville for another twin bill. The Thrill took game one 2-1. Tough loss as the Catfish couldn’t do anything offensively. The pitching was superb as Owen Clark gave up two in 3.2 innings and Bunselmeyer (University of Illinois) was unhittable in his 2+ innings out of the bullpen. Do or die for the Catfish in game two and the Fish rallied for an 11-8 extra inning thriller. Henne (Seton Hill College) and Doyle (SEMO) led the offense for the Catfish. Doyle was 3-6 with three rbi’s and Henne had two hits including a 3 run bomb and four rbi’s. Walker Brodt (Winthrop) came in and pitched two scoreless for the win.

In came the Hoots with the lead in the division and this did become a must win game. It was all Hoots through 6 innings as Markell Dixon carved up the Fish and the Catfish were down 3-0 headed into the bottom of the 7th. Markell gave up a one out walk and a single to Owen Mandler (Seton Hill College), only the 2nd hit he gave up the entire night. In walked ex Catfish Alex Esker and he walked a few guys, an error on a pop fly and before you could grab another beer the Catfish had scored 6 unearned runs on 0 hits and took the led 6-3. The bullpen of Riley (Butte College) and Brodt (Winthrop) shut down the Hoots and the Fish won 6-3 on just two hits.

In the final game of the week on Sunday, the Catfish honored their host families. That ceremony took place in the top of the 5th. By the time the host families took the field, the Fish were down 9-1 and it wasn’t pretty. Five unearned runs because of wild pitches by the Catfish pen was the culprit. But credit the Fish, no one ever thought they were out of it. The Fish kept chipping away and they scored three in the 5th, two in the 6th on a bomb by Lane Crowden (SIU-E), that made it 9-6 after six innings. Crowden ended the day 4-5 with three rbi’s. After Bryce Kemper (FSCJ) shut down the Billys in the 7th the Fish clawed within on run at 9-8. Kemper was lights out in the 8th and the Fish scored five more to take a 13-9 lead and in came Mr. reliable JR (Jordan Riley). He set the Billys down one-two-three and just like that the catfish moved to 9-9 for the second half and a half game behind the Hoots for 1st place.

The Fish have nine games left and every one of them matter but as crazy as this season has been, 13 one run losses, the team never lost faith. 15 players have come and gone for numerous reasons but through it all they still have a great chance of making the playoffs again this year. Next home game is Wednesday night when the Fish play a double header vs Springfield that starts at 5pm.