Bees Sting Catfish, Win By 8-7

FROM CAPE:

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – The Burlington Bees opened a two-game series against the Cape Catfish Friday night with an 8-7 win at Capaha Park. The win improved Burlington's record to 4-7 while Cape dropped back to the .500 mark with 5 wins and 5 loses.

Burlington opened the scoring in the top of the first when first baseman Weston Fulk, who entered the game batting .194, hit his first home run of the season, a two-run shot over the left field wall.

The Catfish answered with a run in the second on an RBI double by Jackson's Lane Crowden (Three Rivers Community College) and two more runs in the third on a sacrifice fly by Cam Careswell (University of Misssouri) and an RBI single by Kolten Poorman (Three Rivers).

Both teams scored three runs in the fourth frame. The Bees scored their fourth inning runs on an error, a single and a fielder's choice, while the Catfish's runs in the bottom of that inning came on a wild pitch by Bees' starter Cauy Massner and a pair of RBI singles by Cape center fielder Christopher Hall (Florida State College at Jacksonville) and catcher Ty Stauss (Southeast Missouri State University).

Cape held a one-run lead going into the fifth inning, but the Bees plated two runs on the strength of an RBI single and a sacrifice fly to take a one run lead, 7-6. The Catfish evened the score at 7 in the seventh inning when Careswell picked up his second RBI of the night, driving in right fielder Dante Zamudio (West Virginia State University).

The score was still tied entering the ninth, but Bees leadoff hitter Sam Monroe, who entered the game with a batting average of .357, drilled a triple to right field for his only hit of the night. The next batter, Bees' second baseman Charlie Terrill, singled to drive in Monroe with what would prove to be the winning run.

The Catfish made it interesting in the bottom of the ninth, putting runners on first and second with one out, but the game ended on a 6-4-3 double play.

Cape finished the game with 14 hits and three errors while Burlington had 11 hits and one miscue.

Catfish reliever Austin Brock (Arkansas State) pitched the ninth and took the loss. C.J. Lewis, who pitched the fifth through eighth innings, was the winning pitcher for the Bees while Kyle Maurer, who pitched the ninth, got the save.

Cape field manager Stephen Larkin said the Catfish had plenty of offense, but errors in the field contributed to the loss. "We swung the bats okay, but we've got to take better care of the ball on defense," he said. "We've got to get 'em tomorrow."

Burlington and Cape will face each other again Saturday at Capaha Park. Game time is 6:35 p.m.