Catfish 'can't replace a guy like Lane Crowden,' as his storied career ends in playoffs

Cape Catfish infielder Lane Crowden hits a fly ball against the Thrillville Thrillbillies in the South Division Championship on Thursday, Aug. 1, in Marion, Illinois.

Tony Capobianco ~ tcapobianco@semobll.com

Lane Crowden's Cape Catfish career has come to an end after the team fell to the Thrillville Thrillbillies 13-6 in the South Division Championship on Thursday, Aug. 1, in Marion, Illinois.

Looking back, his impact on the local summer baseball team has been indelible.

“Everybody sees (Lane’s) baserunning,” Catfish manager Phil Butler said recently of Crowden. “Lane does so many little things for this team defensively and offensively for this club. You just can’t replace a guy like him.”

The former Jackson High School standout was inducted into the Catfish Hall of Fame during the final home game of the season on Tuesday, July 30. Crowden went 3-for-4 and drove in four runs from the leadoff position to lead the Catfish to an 8-0 win over the O'Fallon Hoots.

“On top of (his ability),” Butler continued, “he is a terrific young man, to boot. He’s not a replaceable guy.”

Cape Catfish hitter Lane Crowden readies for his next at-bat in a recent game at Capaha Field.

Tony Capobianco ~ Tcapobianco@semoball.com

The victory clinched the second-half playoff spot for the Catfish, ensuring that Crowden's third and final season with the team would end in the playoffs. The Catfish (31-25 overall, 17-10 second half) closed the 2024 regular season on Wednesday with a 13-7 thumping of O’Fallon, their 11th win in the past 12 games.

“It was getting hot at the right time,” Crowden said. That is all there is to that. We lost a ton of one-run games at the beginning of the season. We’re just bouncing back now and got hot at the right time.”

Crowden has played the four infield positions (catcher and pitcher, aside) this season and led the Prospect League in stolen bases with 47. He was sixth in the league in triples (three) and fourth in assists while playing 41 games this summer.

Crowden hit .314 this summer and totaled 33 RBI and scored 35 times, the latter two categories led the Catfish this summer, as did his 50 hits.

Crowden’s 24 walks were the second most on the team, as were his seven doubles.

“Lane is a great dugout guy,” Butler said. “He does everything, so, you can’t find a replacement for Lane Crowden.”

The Prospect League doesn’t allow players to play more than three seasons with a club, so this postseason will wrap up Crowden’s time in his hometown. He will finish his collegiate career at the Ohio Valley Conference program Southern Illinois Edwardsville after spending last season at OVC program Southern Indiana.

“(SIUE) is just a really good school,” Crowden said of his move. “They were the first team to reach out to me (after entering the transfer portal). We got connected early, God answered my prayers and led me to that place.”

Crowden can play any of the infield positions and said that SIUE will even look at him in centerfield this fall.

“I like being versatile,” Crowden said. “I like trying out new positions.”

Cape Catfish manager Phil Butler consoles Dylan Peck during a South Division Championship game against the Thrillville Thrillbillies on Thursday, Aug. 1, in Marion, Illinois.

Tony Capobianco ~ tcapobianco@semoball.com

A pair of RBI singles from Gunner Doyle and Owen Mandler in the top of the first inning gave Catfish starter Dylan Peck a 2-0 cushion. He was chased in the bottom of the inning after giving up seven runs on five hits without recording an out.

The Thrillbillies lead grew to as large as 11-2 after a two-run home run by Jackson Lindsey in the third inning. The Catfish cut the deficit a bit in the fourth inning on an RBI single from Wes Gingerich and a sacrifice fly from Brooks Kettering.

The Catfish added two more runs in the ninth inning after Doyle added another RBI on a base hit in the ninth inning and Owen Henne scored on an error.

Jordan Riley was the only Catfish pitcher who didn't allow a run. The reliever gave up one hit and struck out four batters in the final two innings of the game. His season ends with a 13.83 K/9 rate and a 1.98 ERA in 15 appearances.

Since joining the Prospect League in 2019, the Catfish have made the playoffs four times, including the Prospect League Championship season in 2021.