Barrow bounces back at plate in Catfish W

Cape Catfish hitter Ben Barrow readies to swing at a pitch in a recent game at Capaha Field.

Tony Capobianco ~ Tcapobianco@semoball.com

First-year Cape Catfish catcher Ben Barrow spent his freshman season competing with one of the best junior college baseball programs in the country, so when he came to Cape Girardeau and struggled offensively, it was a tad surprising to the Catfish coaching staff.

“I’m sure he’ll come around and bat well,” Catfish assistant coach Nolan Davenport said of Barrow recently.

That patience and support paid dividends on Friday, as Barrow cranked out three hits in as many at-bats and led Cape to a 7-4 road win at Clinton.

Barrow helped St. John's River State College in Palatka, Fla. to the National Junior College World Series Final Four this spring and hit nearly .290 in doing so. However, in his first 19 at-bats in the Prospect League, he struggled with just one hit.

In the win, the Catfish (10-11) took advantage of a pair of errors by the LumberKings (11-7) in the sixth inning and took a 3-0 lead. However, the hosts came right back and tied the game in the bottom of the inning.

Clinton committed two more defensive miscues in the seventh inning and the Catfish scored four runs to seal the victory in that inning.

“My goal coming (to the Prospect League) was to see some better pitching,” Barrow said of his offensive game, “and get used to that.”

Former Jackson High standout Lane Crowden had a pair of hits to go with two RBI and a run scored while Corbin Mallott (one run, two walks), former Jackson High player Henley Parker (one walk), Southeast Missouri State player Brooks Kettering (one run, one hit, one RBI), JJ Williams (one hit, two runs, one walk), and Bryce Cannon (one hit, two runs, two RBI) also contributed.

Mallott, Cannon, Williams, and Crowden each stole a base in the win.

Catfish starter Owen Clark was magnificent on the mound in the win.

He threw five innings and gave up just three hits, no runs, no walks, and struck out seven hitters.

Korey Bunselmeyer got the win with two innings of relief work while Walker Brodt earned the save while pitching the final two innings.