Catfish finding their offense during recent surge

Cape Catfish hitter Brooks Kettering awaits a pitch in a recent game against Danville at Capaha Field.

Jacob Blassingame ~ Special to the Southeast Missourian

The Cape Catfish season – of late – has been difficult to follow.

The team recently endured a six-game losing streak in which its pitching staff gave up 60 runs, but Cape has bounced back by winning three of its last four games.

During the successful four-game tear, the Catfish scored 34 runs and its pitchers gave up just 12 runs.

After beating the Full Count Rhythm 1-0 on Thursday on the road, Cape (18-22 overall, 4-7 second half) traveled to Dubois County (an 11-2 victory on Friday) and O’Fallon (a 15-2 win on Saturday), before falling 8-7 to Jackson on Sunday at Capaha Field in front of 816 fans.

No Catfish hitter has been hotter this month than recently signed catcher Moises Rosario, who has connected with a pitch in eight of his 11 games since joining the team on July 1.

“I just want to get reps (at the plate) and get better at hitting,” Rosario said recently.

On Sunday, Rosario had a double and an RBI, as the Catfish failed to hold leads of 2-0 and 6-1.

Rosario has six hits in the past three games.

The Catfish led 6-1 before the Rockabillys (25-15, 8-5) scored five times in the sixth inning and added two more in their final at-bat.

Cape closer Arlon Butts worked the final two innings and allowed two earned runs on one hit, with one walk and four strikeouts.

Cape pitcher Jesse Komoroski had a solid start in throwing four innings, giving up just three hits, one earned run, no walks, and striking out one.

Another recent signee, infielder Owen Henne, paced the Cape offense with two hits, including a double, to go with his two runs scored and four RBI.

“He handles the bat well,” first-year Catfish manager Phil Butler said recently of Henne. “He is kind of a line drive, gap-to-gap guy.”

Southeast Missouri State player Brooks Kettering scored one run in the loss while former Jackson High standout Lane Crowden (one hit, three runs), Cordell Coburn (one RBI, one walk), Owen Mandler (one hit, one run), and Alex Kowalski (one hit) were also productive.

Crowden stole three bases while Henne and Mandler also nabbed a bag.

The Catfish will travel to Thrillville (23-16, 2-10) on Tuesday at 7 p.m. and REX Baseball (22-16, 7-3) on Wednesday at 5:30 p.m. (Central).

Cape will host Thrillville on Thursday at 6:35 p.m. in a doubleheader.