Catfish Prove Too Much for Hoots in Loss

Ludwig and Long record multi-hit games

CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO. – The O’Fallon Hoots (16-14, 1-2) traveled to Cape Girardeau Friday night to take on the Cape Catfish (25-8, 3-2). Despite striking first, the Hoots were unable to contain a hot Catfish offense, dropping the game 10-3.  

Inside the Box Score

• Tyson Ludwig and Michael Long both went 2-4 at the plate, each driving in one run. 
• John Stallcup also had a multi-hit performance, gathering two hits in four at-bats.
• Braedon Stoakes and Jack Meyer also had hits for the Hoots.

How it Happened

• O’Fallon wasted little time getting the ball rolling. In the first, Braedon Stoakes led the game off by drawing a walk, and then a double from Tyson Ludwig scored the Hoots’s leadoff man. A wild pitch moved Ludwig to third, with another wild pitch allowing Ludwig to cross home, giving the Hoots an early 2-0 lead. 
• Another O’Fallon run came in the third. Jack Meyer drew a walk, advanced to second on a balk, and then got to third when Nick Harms reached first on a dropped third strike. Michael Long then drove in Meyer with an RBI single, setting the score at 3-0. 
• Cape found their response in the bottom half of the third. With the bases loaded, Brody Chrisman hit a double to score two runs and cut the Hoots’s lead to just one. Lane Crowden then tied the game at three with a sacrifice fly to right field.
• Cape’s offense really found its groove in the seventh inning. With runners on first and second, Justin Carinci singled to drive one run in and give the Catfish the lead. Chrisman then collected another RBI when his double plated Jeff Clarke. Crowden hit a bases clearing triple to tack on two more runs, and up Cape’s lead to 7-3. Crowden would eventually score himself on an O’Fallon error, making it 8-3. 
• Insurance runs came for Cape in the eighth. With the bags full, Kolten Poorman walked to push Chris Hall across home. Curry Sutherland also drew a walk to score the Catfishes’s final run of the day, finalizing the score at 10-3. 

Up Next

The Hoots return to CarShield Field Saturday, July 8, for a modified doubleheader against the Quincy Gems. Game one will be the conclusion of July 1’s suspended game and will pick up where that game left off, tied 4-4 in the bottom of the third inning. Game two will then be a seven inning game. Game one starts at 5:35 p.m. CST, and coverage can be found at ofallonhoots.com, as well as the team’s Twitter (@ofallonbaseball) and Instagram (ofallonhoots).