Semoball

Catfish 'walk' away with home win vs. 'Kings

Cape Catfish hitter Christopher Hall connects with a pitch against Springfield earlier this season at Capaha Field.
Tom Davis ~ Tdavis@semoball.com

It was ironic that the Cape Catfish utilized a base on balls to win their Prospect League game on Wednesday at Capaha Field, 5-3, over Clinton. That is because Catfish manager Steve Larkin actually wants his players “being aggressive” at the plate, rather than sit back and hope for a walk.

“It’s not really (about) drawing a walk,” Larkin said following the win. “It’s about being aggressive at the plate and being aggressive on strikes.”

The Catfish (10-16) won for the second straight game, and third in five games, by drawing three walks in the seventh inning against the LumberKings (11-15) and rallying from a 3-2 deficit.

Cape’s three-run rally was started, as it often is, with a walk drawn by leadoff hitter Christopher Hall.

“I just try to know who I am as a player,” Hall said. “I’m not going to hit four or five bombs a year. I’m supposed to get on base and I’m supposed to steal (bases).”

Which is exactly what Hall did in that critical inning.

Hall reached base, then stole second, which was followed by a walk drawn by J.D. Ortiz.

Southeast Missouri State junior Ty Stauss singled home Hall with a single to centerfield, which tied the game at three.

Dante Zamudio reached on a fielder’s choice, which put him and Ortiz at the corners.

Kolten Poorman then drew a base on balls to load the bases, while another Redhawk, Danny Sperling, reached after getting hit by a pitch, which brought home Ortiz for the winning run.

Blake Barton sealed the deal with a fantastic at-bat, in which he looped a single just in front of the right fielder to score Zamudio.

“The walks will come,” Larkin said, “but we’re not worried about trying to draw walks.”

That is for certain.

Cape ranks 12th in the category among the 16 Prospect League teams this season.

“We want to be aggressive,” Larkin continued, “but we want to be aggressive on strikes.”

Hall ranks fifth in the league with 20 base on balls and had two on Wednesday, and he takes a different approach individually, than his team does, as a whole.

“My thing is to try and draw a walk,” Hall said. “I’ll try and get on base and make the defense make a play.”

Barton paced the Catfish with two hits and as many RBI on Wednesday, while Ortiz (one hit, one run, one RBI, one walk), Stauss (one hit, one RBI), Zamudio (one hit, one run), Poorman (one walk), Sperling (one hit, one run, one RBI), and Hall (one hit, two runs, two walks) also contributed.

Southeast Missouri State senior Hunter Ralls threw well in his start on the mound.

The Anna, Ill. native worked 6 1/3 innings and allowed just two earned runs, six hits, one walk, and struck out five in the no-decision.

Reliever Mark Eddie threw the final 2 2/3 innings and gave up no earned runs and struck out four.

The two teams will meet again on Thursday at Capaha Field at 6:35 p.m.

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