Catfish lock up playoff spot by winning first half

The success keeps on coming for the Cape Catfish in 2023.

The Catfish recently clinched a playoff spot by winning the Prairie Land Division first half, which ends on Sunday, July 2, with a road game at Thrillville.

“It’s very exciting,” Catfish outfielder Chris Hall said. “We didn’t get a chance to do it last year but we started off really strong and I was just really excited that we did it.”

After starting the season 12-0, it looked as if the Catfish would cruise to a playoff berth, but a recent four-game losing streak made things a little tougher.

“That’s unlike us,” Catfish infielder/pitcher Caden Bogenpohl said. “But, that’s just baseball. You might win five, you might lose five.”

After a loss by the O’Fallon Hoots on Wednesday, the Catfish clinched their spot despite losing to the Thrillville Thrillbillies.

“We’ve been having so much fun playing so far,” Catfish outfielder Brody Chrisman said. “To officially get it done, it feels amazing.”

On Thursday, the Catfish snapped their four-game losing streak with an 8-5 win over the Thrillbillies at Capaha Field.

“We just had grit,” Hall said. “We trusted each other that if one guy didn’t get it done then the next guy will.”

Chrisman said recently it felt like the Catfish had been one big hit away from breaking a game open.

“I guess the baseball gods were on our side today,” Chrisman said. “We’ve just been one hit away or one thing away and that seems to be how most games are decided. So, fortunately, we could come together and get it done.”

The next challenge for the Catfish will be avoiding complacency now that they have locked up a playoff spot.

“At the end of the day we all still want to play baseball,” Chrisman said. “It’s the same game we’ve been playing so we’re just going to keep coming out here and enjoying it.”

Hall said avoiding that complacency comes down to their mindset.

“We just have to stay locked in,” Hall said. “We have to come in every day and know we’re supposed to do our jobs to win.”

The Catfish wrap up the Battle for the Border series with the Thrillville Thrillbillies at 6:45 tonight, June 30, in Marion, Illinois.

The Catfish will hit the road this weekend to take on the Alton River Dragons on Saturday and the Thrillville Thrillbillies on Sunday.

Cape won’t return to Capaha Field until July 5 when the Catfish host the Jackson Rockabillys at 6:35 p.m.