The Catfish Reel.
Your Catfish Baseball News.

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO (July 20th, 2024)

On a wild night where the new local headwear company MAKE MY CAP gave away 500 bucket hats to fans, the Catfish were playing for their playoff lives vs the O’Fallon Hoots. The Hoots have been leading the division the entire second half and had led by as many a 5 1/2 games a week ago over the Fish. The teams were also playing for bragging rights. These are the only two Missouri teams in the Prospect League and MRV Banks had sponsored an MRV Banks SHOW ME SLUGFEST between these two rivals. The Fish had taken three of the first four in the best of seven and were one win away from the belt.

Blake Kincaid (Midland Univeristy) got the start for the Fish. Kincaid has been as steady as any Catfish pitcher on the mound this season and in 6 starts was 2-1 with an era under 4.00 and a WHIP of 1.30. Through four innings he and fellow Hoots pitcher Markell Dixon (John A Logan) were throwing up zeros waiting to see who flinched. In the top of the 5th it was the Hoots that drew first blood. A leadoff walk, a single, a double and a wild pitch plated three runs for the Hoots. Meanwhile Dixon was carving up the Catfish through six innings only allowing an infield single to Alex Kowalski. The only positive is that Dixon’s pitch count was high enough that he wouldn’t be able to pitch all nine.

Isaac Vedder (3 Rivers CC) relieved Kincaid in the 6th and pitched 1 1/3 scoreless. Jordan Riley would shut the door in the 7th to keep it a 3-0 game. In the top of the 7th, Dixon gave up a one out walk to Moises Rosario (Oakland City College) and then Owen Mandler (Seton Hill) laced a single into left giving the Catfish their first threat of the evening. The Hoots head coach had seen enough and thankfully for the Catfish Dixon’s night was over. In came Alex Esker (MAC), a young amn who played for the Catfish last summer came in to shut down the threat. Unfortunately for him his controll this night was not spot on. he walked Kowalski loading the bases. He got Ben Barrow (St. John’s River) to pop up and Esker was an out from keeping it 3-0 Hoots. This is where it gets fun for the Catfish.

Alex Ramirez (SEMO) from California who will play for SEMO in the fall drew a four pitch walk to bring home the first run, Wes Gingerich (Purdue Univeristy) worked an eight pitch at bat into a walk to make it 3-2. In stepped Freshman All American Brooks Kettering (SEMO) and the Catfish crowd was buzzing. On a 1-2 pitch Kettering sent a very high pop fly into shallow left center. With both outfielders playing deep the shortstop had to go out to make the play and he dropped the ball. All three runners scored, kettering took 3rd on a throw home and the catfish crowd went bananas!! Two pitches later a wild pitch brought home Kettering and when the dust settled on the 7th inning, the Catfish had scored six runs on one hit in the inning.

From there it was bullpen time and Jordan Riley (Butte College) had a perfect 8th on 10 pitches to get the win and Walker Brodt (Winthrop) gave up a walk but struck out the side to get the save. Just like that the Catfish, on their first ever bucket hat giveaway, pulled within a game and a half of the 1st place Hoots with 10 games left. The claim the first ever MRV Show Me Slugfest and they celebrated on the field after the game.

Next game Sunday afternoon at 4:05pm vs the Jackson Rockabillys. The Rockabillys have owned the Catfish as they lead the season series seven games to two.