O’Fallon, MO– The MRV Banks Show Me Slugfest is back for another year as the rivalry series between the O’Fallon Hoots and Cape Catfish enters its third year.
“We’re excited to have it back,” said Hoots GM Brendan Saak. “It’s a great series, and we’re thankful for MRV Bank for continuing to sponsor and support it.”
MRV Bank, the sponsor for the series, has roots in both communities, making it the ideal partner for this series. The bank has five locations between Cape Girardeau and the St. Louis area. The teams are fighting not only for bragging rights, but also a unique trophy: a wrestling-style championship belt, which the Hoots hung onto for the past offseason as winners of last year’s rivalry series.
The Hoots and the Catfish will play each other nine times this year. Three games will be played in O’Fallon, including this year’s season opener. The other six will be played in Cape Girardeau.
The Cape Catfish took the first rivalry series in 2024, six games to one. They would end up being eliminated in the first round of the playoffs by the Thrillville Thrillbillies that season.
As the only two teams in the Prospect League located in Missouri, the rivalry series has produced some classic games, including a walkoff for the Hoots in last year’s season opener. The Hoots would end up taking the rivalry series last year three games to two, but the Catfish had the last laugh as they bounced the Hoots from the playoffs in the first round.
The Hoots are looking to take not only the series, but move deeper in the playoffs this year.
“Obviously, it was great to win the series last year,” said Saak, “but this year we want to carry it into the postseason. It hurt to have them eliminate us after we won the series. But this year, we’re looking to finish the job.”
Tickets for all Hoots home games can be purchased here.
