Catfish bounce back vs. Jackson behind Crowden, pitching

For the second consecutive day, the Jackson (Tenn.) Rockabillys put together a BIG inning offensively against the Cape Catfish. The difference between Saturday’s Rockabilly win and Sunday’s victory by the Catfish was the timing.

Cape (2-3) methodically put together runs while getting nine innings of great pitching to prevail 8-4 in front of 457 fans at Capaha Field.

“I love the confidence that (our pitchers) have behind their pitches,” first-year Cape assistant coach Nolan Davenport said following the win.

The Rockabillys (4-2) scored four runs (three earned) off of Catfish starter Jorge Romero in the second inning but were held to five hits and no runs through the other eight innings.

“If our pitchers stay there,” Davenport said of his staff’s confidence, “it’s going to be hard for us to get beat unless we make errors in the field and whatnot. We hurt ourselves.”

That was the case on Saturday against Jackson.

The Catfish led 6-2 in the bottom of the ninth inning and allowed the host Rockabillys to score five runs to win 7-6.

On Sunday, Cape tallied nine hits and scored in five different innings to rally from a 4-1 deficit, led by a couple of hits, one run, one RBI, and a walk from Jackson High School graduate Lane Crowden.

“Lane is a natural-born leader,” Davenport said. “It’s as simple as that.”

First-year Cape player Alex Kowalski continued his strong summer with two hits, two runs scored, and two RBI. He is hitting .353 this season, thus far.

Former Jackson High standout Henley Parker added one hit, one run, and an RBI while Henry Hayman (one hit, one walk), Easton Moore (one hit, one run, one RBI), Camren Stratten (one hit, one run, two walks), Carson McCaleb (one run, one RBI, one walk), Cole Lemons (one hit), and Corbin Mallott (one run, one RBI, one walk) were also productive.

Parker and Hayman each had a double while Kowalski had a triple for the second straight game against Jackson pitching.

Crowden banged out a home run while Parker and Mallott each stole a base.

On the mound, Romero threw five innings and allowed four hits, three earned runs, two walks, and four strikeouts.

First-year, two-way Catfish player, Drew Wedgeworth earned the win by throwing two innings and giving up just one hit, no runs or walks, and striking out one.

First-year Cape thrower Walker Brodt pitched a couple of innings and gave up two hits, but no runs and no walks to earn the save.

The Catfish will hit the road back to Jackson on Tuesday at 7 p.m.

Cape will return to Capaha Field on Thursday against the DuBois County Bombers at 6:35 p.m.