Jackson alums lead Catfish to first win of 2024

A baseball team is only as good as its last game, and for the Cape Catfish, that means they are pretty good.

The Catfish finally found some semblance of offense and turned eight hits into seven runs in beating rival Thrillville 7-4 on Friday at Capaha Field in front of 726 fans.

The victory was the first of the 2024 summer season for Cape, as well as first-year manager Phil Butler.

"It's never comfortable to not have a win," Butler said following the win. "But at the same time, I wasn't worried about it.

Butler "wasn't worried" about his team, which entered Friday's game ranked 16th of 18 Prospect League teams in hits and runs, and first-year second baseman Henley Parker wasn't overly concerned about the start to his summer either.

The former Jackson High School standout put a four-strikeout performance in the season-opening game on Wednesday behind him and had a tremendous night, both defensively and offensively.

"You can't overthink things in baseball," Parker said. "You have to trust your process and whatever happens, happens."

What "happened" on Friday was that he made great contact with the Thrillbilly pitching and he connected for a pair of hits while scoring three runs.

"We play every day," Butler said of keeping his player's minds focused on the future, not the past. "So, there really is no other way to go about it."

Cape hitter Henry Hayman singled in the second inning and moved up a bag when Easton Moore drew a walk.

Hayman then put the Catfish (1-2) up 1-0 on a Thrillville balk.

In the third inning, Parker led off the inning with a single before scoring on an RBI triple by former Jackson High teammate Lane Crowden for a 2-0 margin.

Crowden made it 3-0 on an RBI single by Hayman.

"I knew these guys are capable," Butler said of his team's performance.

Thrillville (2-1) tied the game at three runs apiece, but Parker put Cape back on top 4-3 in the seventh inning when he singled to centerfield and then came home on a sacrifice by Alex Kowalski.

"You always have to stay confident," Parker said. "That is my thing. I always step up (to the plate) knowing that I am going to get a hit."

Ty Allen also singled in that pivotal inning before stealing second base.

Crowden drew a walk, and both he and Allen moved up a base on a Thrillville wild pitch, which was followed by Hayman loading the bases with a walk.

Moore drew a walk, which brought home Allen for a 5-3 score.

The Thrillbillies made it 5-4 in the eighth inning and tried to tie the game at five, but a fantastic throw from Cape centerfielder Steven Schneider, another Jackson High product, to Parker, to Catfish catcher Carson McCaleb got the Thrillville runner out at home plate to preserve the lead.

Cape then added a couple of runs in the eighth to seal the win.

Hayman finished with two hits, one run, one RBI, and a walk while Allen (one hit, one

run, one walk), Kowalski (two hits, three RBI), Crowden (one hit, one RBI, one run, two walks), Moore (one RBI, two walks), and McCaleb (one run, one walk) also contributed. Allen, Crowden, and Parker each added a stolen base.

On the mound, former Notre Dame High School pitcher Kam Dohogne worked five innings in the start and allowed two earned runs on five hits while walking one and striking out three.

Winthrop University pitcher Walker Brodt pitched two innings and gave up two hits, no runs, no walks, and struck out six.

Arkansas State pitcher Arlon Butts, who just joined the Catfish on Thursday, earned the save with two innings of work. He gave up just two hits and one earned run while walking none and striking out three.

The Catfish will visit Jackson (Tenn.) Rockabillys (2-1) today at 7 p.m., followed by a return to Capaha Field on Sunday at 4:05 p.m. against the Rockabillys.