Issue of Ks no longer perplexing rolling Catfish in rout of 'Dragons

Cape Catfish hitter Lane Crowden connects with a pitch on Friday against Alton at Capaha Field. Crowden had two hits in the 12-2 romp of the River Dragons.

Tony Capobianco ~ Tcapobianco@semoball.com

At the start of this month, the Cape Catfish were floundering at the plate regarding the number of times Cape hitters whiffed.

The Catfish had amassed nearly 40 more strikeouts than any other team in the Prospect League, and nobody was more aware of that than third-year Catfish player Lane Crowden, who ranked second on the team at the time in Ks.

“That is the downfall of getting deep into counts,” Crowden said at the time of striking out. “There is the chance of striking out, but also there is the chance of walking.”

Missing at the plate wasn’t an issue on Cape’s 12-2 rout of Alton on Friday at Capaha Field in front of 868 fans, and it wasn’t an issue for Crowden either.

The Catfish won their eighth consecutive game by converting 13 hits – and only one strikeout – into 12 runs. As far as Crowden was concerned, he had two hits and a couple of runs scored and hasn’t struck out in five games.

Throughout this month, Cape has gone from having 39 more strikeouts than any other team to being 20 better than bottom-feeder Springfield.

The Catfish (28-24 overall, 14-9 second half) stretched their Western Conference South Division lead with the win.

The River Dragons (23-28, 10-15) took a 1-0 lead in the second inning, but the Catfish rallied to score 10 runs in their next four at-bats.

Clean-up hitter Moises Rosario paced the Cape offense with four hits while scoring twice and driving in a pair of runs while Southeast Missouri State player Brooks Kettering (one run, one walk), Owen Henne (two hits, three runs, three RBI, one walk), Owen Mandler (two hits, three runs, two RBI, one walk), Gunnar Doyle (two hits, two RBI), Cordell Coburn (one RBI, two walks), former Cooter High standout Hayden Nazerenus (two walks), and Wes Gingerich (one hit, one run, one RBI) were also productive.

Mandler and Doyle each hit doubles while Mandler added a triple.

Crowden, who leads the Prospect League with 46 stolen bases had two thefts, as did Mandler while Henne and Rosario also stole bases.

On the mound, Cape starter Jesse Komoroski earned his first win of the season by throwing six innings and allowing three hits and two earned runs.

Reliever Isaac Vedder closed the victory with one inning of work.