Catfish rally hard, but drop first of 2023 season

How quickly did the best start in Prospect League history come to an end?

In less than three seconds.

With the Cape Catfish rallying feverishly for its 13th consecutive win to start the 2023 season, having broken the league record of nine victories on Sunday, the O’Fallon Hoots (mostly) ended that threat in a blink of an eye on Wednesday at Capaha Field with a 3-2 victory.

“We were never going to win every game,” first-year Catfish manager Scott Little said. “There was a point where I needed to give those top four guys a day off, and we just didn’t respond.”

But the Catfish (12-1) nearly did.

With Cape’s top of the lineup (Chris Hall, Jeff Clarke, Justin Carinci, and Brody Chrisman) all resting, the Catfish, which were averaging nearly 11 runs per game entering Wednesday’s game, were held scoreless through eight innings, as O’Fallon took a 3-0 lead into the bottom of the ninth.

However, those regulars almost saved the day for Cape anyway.

Hall pinch-hit off of Southeast Missouri State pitcher Tanner Mueller, who walked the three batters that he faced in the game, in the final at-bat and drew a lead-off walk.

He moved onto second base on a Hoot error, before stealing third.

Dante Zamudio also drew a walk, and then Chrisman loaded the bases with another base on balls, and the nearly 400 fans in attendance were rising in their seats smelling a dramatic – and successful – ending.

Carinci came to the plate and was able to smoke a pitch off the O’Fallon reliever, but as luck would have it, the ball scorched right back to the mound, where it was immediately caught for the first out, and the Hoot pitcher gunned down Hall, who had begun to bolt for home (that is how hard Carinci drove the pitch), for the second out.

“We had a situation right there to come back,” Little said. “We’ve caught a lot of breaks this year, and that one didn’t go our way.”

For the final out, Clarke struck out, and the Catfish dugout sat forlornly, not so much in frustration or disappointment, but more in silent astonishment that they couldn’t pull out the win.

The loss wasted a very solid outing on the mound by Cape right-hander Eddie White, who throws for Southeast Missouri State during the college season.

White worked 4 1/3 innings and allowed just three hits and one earned run while walking one and striking out eight.

“We always talk about commanding the zones,” Cape pitching coach Jason Chavez said, “and that is what (White) does. He is super effortless. He doesn’t look like he is laboring at all on the mound.”

Former Notre Dame thrower Noah Gadberry did labor through his relief outing for the Catfish.

He threw 1 1/3 innings and gave up four hits and two earned runs while walking none and striking out two.

Jorge Romero was very impressive over the final 3 1/3 innings to close the game for the Catfish, as he gave up one hit, no earned runs, one walk, and struck out four.

Catfish catcher Landon Godsey paced the offense with two hits and a couple of RBI, while Jude Putz (one hit, one run), Kevin McCarthy (one hit), Kolten Poorman (one walk), Hall (one walk), Zamudio (one walk), Curry Sutherland (one walk), Chrisman (one walk), and Cole Yearsley (one hit, one run, one walk) also contributed.

The Catfish will travel to Burlington (Iowa) on Friday at 6:30 p.m.

The next home game for Cape will be Monday at 6:35 p.m. against Thrillville.