Menu
Kettering crushing in Catfish’s 15-run matinee thrashing of Springfield
On the hunt for a last-ditch bid into the 2024 Prospect League playoffs, the Cape Catfish inched closer to a second-half South Division title with a merciless 16-1 trouncing of Springfield on Wednesday.
The first of a two-game set in light of a July 9 postponement, the Catfish made quick work of the Lucky Horseshoes with five, four and seven-run innings in the second, fourth and fifth respectively.
In total, the Catfish out-hit the Horseshoes 15-6 in the victory and used some timely hitting to put the over-.500 Springfield to bed early, taking a 5-1 lead in the second and never once looking back.
In a year that it’s been hard to get both sides clicking at the same time, Phil Butler was highly appreciative of a near-perfect performance from his side knee-deep in the playoff hunt.
Not only did the win mark one of the heftiest of the year for Cape, but it made five consecutive victories in a row as the side continues to pounce on both sides of the baseball when it matters most.
“No complaints here,” Butler said. “Anytime you can win five in a row, you’ve got to appreciate it, because it doesn't happen that often.”
Ahead of the second half of the doubleheader, however, Butler didn’t let the impact of the first game dictate his approach to the upcoming game, immediately switching gears to Game 2.
“It’s a good way to start the doubleheader,” Butler said. “It’s exactly how we wanted to start the day off, now we’ve just got to go finish it.”
On a day that everything just seemed to work for the Catfish offense, the top of the lineup generated the most success as the talented infield duo of Brooks Kettering and Lane Crowden couldn’t be stopped.
Crowden’s three hits tied Kettering for the team lead, driving in a run on a trio of singles, while Kettering made his name well-known amongst the Springfield pitching staff.
The rising Southeast Missouri State sophomore tattooed a ball over the right-field wall for a three-run jack in the fourth while also clubbing a double and a single, slashing for five RBIs in the victory.
Becoming one of the most infamous bats in the Prospect League, Kettering proved why he was the perfect addition to this mighty Catfish lineup on Wednesday as he bashed his way to the green jacket honors.
“He hit a home run in his first game out here,” Butler said. “We know he's capable of that. It’s just something you come to expect from a guy like that.”
For Kettering, however, he’s just focused on the process, and it’s been working as the Catfish are hot on the trail for a playoff berth.
Now 11-9 after the doubleheader opener, the Catfish sit a full game in front of O’Fallon, holding the head-to-head tiebreaker, and are poised to continue their hot streak.
“The vibes are great right now, we've won a few in a row,” Kettering said. “We've got a little streak going on.
“Whenever you've got that going, the vibes are light, and that's how you win baseball games – by having fun and staying light. Whenever you get hard on yourself and get agitated, baseball is a lot harder.”