The Catfish Reel.
Your Catfish Baseball News.

JACKSON, TN (July 31) – This late in the season an ugly win is better than a pretty loss but the mistakes in the field and on the bases as well as all the men left on base are what Catfish skipper Scott Little is hoping to clean up. His team is headed into the playoffs against the hottest team in the Prospect League on Sunday, the Thrillville Thrillbillies. “You’re always happy getting a win,” said Little. “We’ll have to play much better Sunday if we want to advance in the playoffs.”

The Catfish won their 37th game of the season against just 17 losses, 20 games over .500 on the season which is good for the second best record in the league behind Chillicothe. It’s their 3rd straight win and they stay in Jackson, TN tonight and will play the Rockabillys again tomorrow night.

In the game tonight, Dante Zamudio (University of Cal Irvine) got the start for the Catfish. It was his 12th appearance and 4th start after coming to the team 10 games into the season. Zamudio had a solid outing but didn’t figure into the decision tonight as he left a tied ballgame after five innings of work. His line score read, 3 runs, 4 hits, 2 walks and 7 strike outs.

Offensively, the Catfish scored first in the top of the second when Kolten Poorman (Eastern Illinois) hit a two out double down the left field line scoring Lane Crowden (University of Southern Indiana) who had singled earlier in the inning making the score 1-0. The Catfish would add two more in the top of the 3rd. Cal Kilgore (University of Arkansas) hit a bomb to left center, his first of the season. Chris Hall (Lincoln Memorial University) then drew a two out walk, stole second, his 41st swipe of the season and scored on a single by Jeff Clarke (Belmont University) making it 3-0 Fish.

The lead would be short lived as the Rockabillys scored one in the 4th and two more in the 5th, all unearned as the Catfish made four errors tonight keeping the Rockabillys in the game.

The Catfish would take the lead back with two more in the 6th. Poorman got his second hit of the night, a single up the middle. He advanced to 3rd on a double by Kaden Jeffries (Metropolitan CC). Kilgore singled to drive in Poorman and Hall grounded out scoring Jeffries for a 5-3 Catfish lead.

Cam Dohogne (Columbia College) came in for Zamudio in the 6th and set the side down in order. In the 7th the wheels fell off. A one out double by Braden Becker and two out triple by Brett Blankenship made the score 5-4 Catfish. Dohogne got the next batter to ground to the shortstop but the 3rd error of the night opened the gates for two more runs. Three pitchers, three hits, an error and a walk later, the Catfish found themselves down 6-5 at the end of seven innings.

The Catfish would leave the bases loaded in the 8th when Clarke struck out to end the inning. The Catfish would leave 12 runners stranded tonight. Meanwhile, Jordan Riley, the young man from California, who will attend Crowder College, pitched very well. He pitched out of a jam in the 7th and a scoreless 8th giving the Catfish a chance to win it in the 9th.

In the top of the 9th, Justin Carinci (Eastern Kentucky), the spark plug for this team and the second best hitter in the entire league batting .386 coming into play, singled to start the inning. Chrisman (Purdue) then walked. Carinci stole 3rd base and Lane Crowden hit a sac fly to right scoring Carinci, his 38th rbi of the season and tying the game at six. Kevin McCarthy (Tennessee Southern) singled and Poorman was hit by a pitch to load the bases for Jeffries. Little lifted Jeffries for a pinch hitter, Caden Bogenpohl (MO State), the big lefty worked a 5 pitch walk and ended up getting the game winning rbi. The Catfish left the bases loaded for the second straight inning but turns out Jordan Riley wouldn’t need the insurance.

Riley set down the Rockabillys in order in the 9th to get his 2nd win of the season. Riley leads the team in appearances with 17 and the young freshman to be seems to be the guy Little trusts the most with a lead in the late innings. “I was setting my arms up all night to get to Jordan,” said Little. “He’s young but he’s proven there is no situation too big for him.”

It was ugly but it was a win! The Catfish will take those all the way to a championship if thats what it takes.

GAME NOTES: The Catfish will be on the road tomorrow again at 7pm ct against these same Rockabillys. Tune in on PLTV for all the action.

Playoff tickets are on sale at capecatfish.com. The playoff game is Sunday, August 6th vs Thrillville. General Admission tickets are $12 and Reserved seats are $15 excluding taxes and fees.