Catfish legend starting to find it on the mound at the right time

Cape Catfish pitcher Korey Bunselmeyer throws against Springfield in a recent win at Capaha Field.

Tony Capobianco ~ Tcapobianco@semoball.com

There is no pitcher in Cape Catfish history who has the lore of right-hander Korey Bunselmeyer. So, it is a pretty positive thing that the former University of Illinois pitcher is finding his groove with the Prospect League playoffs nearing.

“It all boils down to strikes,” Bunselmeyer said following a great recent outing. “Earlier this summer, I was getting into a lot of bad counts, walking some guys, just making trouble whenever I filled up the zone.”

That hasn’t happened much of late.

Bunselmeyer, who was the winning pitcher in Cape’s lone Prospect League championship game (2021), allowed 15 earned runs in his initial nine appearances this season. However, in his last 9 1/3 innings, he has given up just eight hits and one earned run.

“The last couple of outings,” Bunselmeyer said, “I’ve done a really good job of getting strike one and not giving up from there.”

Bunselmeyer was a reliever over the past two seasons for the Fightin’ Illini after starting his career at Rend Lake Community College.

He is out of NCAA Division I eligibility but is allowed to throw one more season at a lower level and will join Cape Catfish teammates Raymond Ochoa and Arlon Butts at NCAA Division II Spring Hill College in Mobile, Ala., where his former coach at Rend Lake, Walker Bullington is now the head coach.

“He is one of my favorite coaches that I have ever played for,” Bunselmeyer said. “He’s a great dude and makes baseball fun.”

Bunselmeyer has served as a reliever throughout this summer and at Illinois but started “all last summer” in the Northwoods League.

Cape manager Phil Butler gave him the opportunity recently to start a game for the first time this summer.

Bunselmeyer allowed five hits and just one earned run while beating Springfield.

“I wasn’t really sure how to approach this game,” Bunselmeyer said. “But really, it is the same mentality. Just get ahead of guys. Pitching is a simple thing. Hitters aren’t that good. Just get ahead of them and let them get themselves out.”

The Catfish (29-24 overall, 15-9 second half) lead the Western Conference Southern Division with two regular season games remaining.

Cape will host O’Fallon (29-24, 12-13) on Tuesday at 6:35 p.m. for the final home game at Capaha Field this regular season, before visiting O’Fallon on Wednesday at 6:35 p.m. to close the regular season.