Catfish lose 2 at O’Fallon
O’Fallon Missouri (July 20) – Let’s hope the Catfish don’t have to play anymore 7 inning games because they are now 0-4 in double headers this season. The Catfish who have owned O’Fallon this season winning 5 of 6 games lost both ends of a scheduled double header and now hold only a 1/2 game lead over Chillicothe, who beat the REX 5-2, for the best record in the Prospect League.
Dylan Peck (FSCJ), one of the leagues best pitchers in the league this season, came into tonight’s action with a 6-0 record and an era under 3.00. Tonight he wouldn’t be able to keep that perfect record in tact. The Catfish struck first as Chris Hall (Lincoln Memorial University) walked to lead off the game came home to score on a rbi by Brody Chrisman (Purdue) making the score 1-0 in favor of the Catfish. The lead was short lived as Peck would walk the first batter of the game, Heaghney (MO State) who would later score on an rbi single by Nick Harms (Case Western Reserve Univeristy).
The game would take a turn for the worse in the bottom of the second when Peck gave a one out single to John Stallcup (SIU_E). Tucker Platt (IU Kokomo) promptly doubled on the very next pitch and then Zach Beatty (North Arkansas College) doubled home both runs making it 3-1 Hoots. Heaghney reached on a fielding error by McCarthy (University of Tennessee Southern) that should have ended the inning. As happens often in baseball when you give teams four outs, the next batter, Jack Meyer, hit a three run homer to right center making it 6-1 in favor of the Hoots.
From there it was all zeros for both sides pitching staffs as the starter for O’Fallon, Noah Arras, pitched a gem. He went 6 2/3 innings giving up one run on four hits, walking three and striking out four. Peck took the loss giving up three earned on eight hits and one walk. His record drops to 6-1. The only bright spot for the Fish is that reliever Breven Yarbro who has been knocked around a little in his last two outings pitched three scoreless innings only giving up one hit and striking out six.
GAME 2:
The night cap was a back and forth contest, the Catfish most reliable arms, Dante Zamudio and Jordan Riley were roughed up in game two. The Catfish had eight games this week and that may have been why both pitchers stayed in even though neither had their best stuff. In the end, the Hoots swept the best team in the league.
Dante Zamudio (Los Angeles Pierce College) who was appearing in his 10th game but only his second start, had a rough day. Zamudio went five innings giving up seven runs on nine hits, walking one and striking out three but giving up two bombs in the short park in O’Fallon. His record moves to 1-2 on the season.
Give the Catfish credit as they never gave up. They battled back all night and scored three in the top of the seventh to tie the game at 9. Jordan Riley who committed to Crowder this summer has been the Catfish stopper and closer and almost untouchable this season. Knowing his team needed a win, Little brought Riley in for Zamudio with the Catfish trailing in the 6th but Riley couldn’t keep the score at 7-6 as he gave up two earned on a homer and an rbi single making it a 9-6 Hoots lead heading into the Catfish last at bat.
The Catfish scored three to get Zamudio off the hook and Little sent Riley back out in the bottom of the 7th trying to send the game into extra innings. Riley never recorder an out in the inning giving up a double, single and then the game winning single to Ferguson (MO Southern State University). The Hoots win a wild one in the night cap 10-9 and sweep the Cape Catfish in O’Fallon.
Offensively Hall (Lincoln Memorial University) was 3-4 with a double and an rbi, nice to see him heating back up. Carinci (eastern Kentucky) who has been maybe the Catfish most consistent hitter went 3-5 with 2 runs, a double and an rbi. Curry Sutherland (MO State) hit his 3rd homer of the season as he went 1-2 with 2 runs scored and an rbi. Kaden Jeffries (Metropolitan CC) who has been heating up as of late went 2-3 with his 3rd homer and an rbi. All in all 8 of the 9 Catfish starters had a hit in game two as they pounded out 13 hits. For one of the very few times, the pitching didn’t hold up.
The Catfish get some home cooking as they are back in Cape this weekend for games Friday vs Alton and Saturday and Sunday vs the Cornbelters. There is a lot going on this weekend so come out and root on your Catfish!
As always, tickets are available on the website at capecatfish.com.