O’Fallon, MO- The O’Fallon Hoots could not have asked for a better start to their season. In the season and home opener at Carshield Field, the Hoots offense showed up in a big way, slugging their way to a 13-3 win over the reigning Prospect League champion Cape Catfish in the first ShowMe Slugfest rivalry game of the year.
Top Performers:
DH Brady Vessels- 4-4, 2 2B, 1 HR, 3 R, 6 RBI
LF Nick Bonczkowski- 3-4, 1 3B, 3 RBI
SP Keller Costello- 5.0 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 5 Ks, 1 BB
How it Happened:
The Hoots started the scoring early, as Nick Bonczkowski drove in two runs on a deep triple that the Catfish center fielder couldn’t handle on the warning track in the first inning. The Hoots would add another run in the third on a Vessels single. The Hoots offense then exploded for six runs in the fourth, punctuated by a 2-RBI double by Vessels before Nick Bonczkowski drove in his third run of the day on a single.
The Catfish would answer back in the fifth, as Hayden Nazarenus hit a three run home run after a single and hit by pitch put two runners on. But the Hoots immediately retaliated, with Vessels hitting his own three run home run that put the Hoots back up 13-3.
Keller Costello pitched a great and efficient game. He pitched 5 solid innings, allowing 3 runs and striking out 5 on 71 pitches. Alex Jung pitched two scoreless innings in relief. Though the Catfish did load the bases in the seventh with two outs, they couldn’t muster any runs. Shortstop Nick Steurer made a slick play, ranging to his left to field the ball and flipping to second to get the out, ending the game there as a result of the ten run mercy rule.
The O’Fallon Hoots will head to Marion, Illinois to play the Thrillville Thrillbillies next. All games can be watched on the Home Team Network, which can be found by going to the Hoots website here.
