Cats Can’t Capture Crown

After enduring a 3-game losing streak to finish the Spring regular season at 3-3 in Madison Sport and Social Club Thursday night play, Sea Kittens battled their way to the league championship game, winning back-to-back one-run playoff games before falling 12-9 in the final to Da Hittas, who completed a perfect 8-0 season.

Sea Kittens 9, Bat & Boujee 8

Road Cats for the post-season softball action June 22, Sea Kittens jumped ahead early on second-seeded Bat and Boujee (4-3), scoring four runs in each of the first two innings to stake an 8-2 advantage.  Joe Hennessy tripled off the base of the right-field fence to drive home two first-inning Sea Kitten runs, and five straight Cats collected hits with two out in the second inning.  The man-Aaron Jossart/ Katie Sunshine Curtis duo ignited the rally with hits, and Jami Roadrunner Hauer punctuated it with a huge two-run single as the Kittens staked their early lead.

A week after scuffling mightily on defense, the Kittens played crisply through the first four innings to hold B&B in check.  The Roadrunner initiated a double play, catching a runner wandering off first base after a lineout to second, Dan DynamOele made  a nice over-the-shoulder grab at shortstop, and  Erin Mama Cat O’Brien made a scrambling out at first base to end the fourth when Hennessy failed to cover.

The Boujee defense also played well, including three plays highlighted with a little star in the scorebook to keep the game within reach. Los Gatitos finally broke through and extended the advantage to 9-2 in the fifth as Alex ‘Puma” Latzka scored from second base on a deep sac fly from Stephen “Slash” Grutzik.  

Sweet Thing Brad Harkins went on a playoff tear, going 9-9 with a walk, double, and triple in three playoff games.

The run proved pivotal as B&B  made a furious run at the Kittens in the fifth.  The Boujee bats came to life, peppering Hennessy and the Kittens for six runs to draw the score within 9-8. But Chil Hil Dugan made a brilliant running catch on the left-field line to end the inning with go-ahead runs on base, and the teams were informed there would be one more inning to play.

The Cats could not break through the Boujee defense, and faced a do-or-die final three outs for the third time in two games.  B&B set up shop, but Oele made a great grab for the second out of the inning, and Latzka’s legs again rescued the Kits as the centerfielder made a game-saving running catch at knee-height for the final out.

Da Hittas 12, Sea Kittens 9

The Championship game followed immediately, with Sea Kittens lining up against top-seeded Da Hittas for the third time in five weeks.   

As they did in the semi-final, the Cats came out strong, putting up three runs on four hits in the span of the game’s first five batters.  O’Brien followed with another hit, moving Hennessy to third and setting up runners on the corners with one out.  Brad Sweet Thing Harkins looped a ball over second base.  Hennessy held at third until the ball dropped, then dashed for home and beat the throw… but not the call.  The decision cost the Kittens a run and an out, and the first-inning scoring stalled at three.

Da Hittas answered with a run, but the rrrr-Alley Cats roared back in the second, erupting for five two-out runs.  With the Aarons Jossart & Lomax on base,   Latzka, Grutzik, Hauer, Oele, and Hennessy smacked consecutive hits as Sea Kittens surged ahead 8-1.

But Da Hittas had an answer and scored five of their own to finish the second down 8-6.  Harkins opened the third with a two-base walk and came home one out later on a single from Lomax to extend the Kitten advantage to 9-6, but Da Hitters played longball in the bottom of the inning, tagging Hennessy for back-to-back two-out shouts- one of the three-run variety- to move ahead 10-9.

After the dingers the Cats held da Hittas largely in check, surrendering only two runs in the bottom of the fifth when DH loaded the bases with nobody out, but the Kitten offense faded late for the third time in recent weeks.  Back-to-back hits to open the Sea Kitten fifth inning were erased on a double (damn-near-triple) play (saved only by O’Brien’s hustle from the batter’s box), and another twin killing ended the Kitten sixth.

Down 12-9 entering the seventh Sea Kittens were still within striking distance, and put runners on first and second with one out.  Grutzik dug in as the tying run, and lashed a rocket to left- center, but Da Fielder made a play and robbed Slash of extra bases for the second out.  Hauer followed with a line drive to the left side, but Da Hitter shortstop snagged the ball before it could find left field to close out the well-played contest, and for the second consecutive season Sea Kittens finished runners-up.

Salmon Snacks- two games’ worth here!

• Brad: after an 0-9 regular season, the Sweet Thing went 9-9 with a 2B, 3B, and BB in three playoff games, and scored 4 runs!
• Defensive gems in the semi-final:
  • Jami- started double play
  • Dan- over-the-shoulder grab
  • Alex- two big running catches
  • Erin- scrambling unassisted putout at 1B
  • Hilary running catch at the line to end the 5th
• Erin for hustling down the line and sparing us the ignominy of a triple play

 

Sea Kittens Great Fillet of the Game

You didn’t have to see it to believe it. Vote here for the Sea Kittens Great Fillet of the Game!  Both of this weeks’ options came in the Kittens’ thrilling 9-8 semifinal win. 

 

Next Up

Spring turns to Summer in the softball calendar, and Sea Kittens open with a rematch of the dramatic Spring semi-final, facing Bat & Boujee at 6:30 PM June 29 on Bowman Field 1 in both teams’ Summer League Opener.  Sea Kittens lead the all-time series 2-1, but none of the games have been decided by more than 5 runs.  The Cats will be without Messrs. Jossart and Zen Master Rowe, and Sweet Thing Harkins will miss the game with shoulder trouble.  Bottomfeeders third-baseman Adrienne Howard will debut as a full-time Sea Kitten.

Game Notes

• Sea Kittens’ 19 runs on June 15 were more than their three previous games combined.
• The semifinal win was the Kittens’ second consecutive one-run victory- the first time since Jun 13 & June 20, 2012 the Cats won one-run games in consecutive weeks! Those wins were against Uff Da & Harmony Royals- the only time Sea Kittens topped the latter crew.
  • The last time Sea Kittens played consecutive one-run games was June 5 & June 26, 2019. 
  • DYK?  Sea Kittens won 10 of the first 11 one-run games in team history, but then lost 8 straight one-run decisions.  Overall the team is 20-14 in one-run games.
• Nine is the inflection point: in the 15 games Sea Kittens have scored 9 runs, their record is 7-7-1
  • At any run point below 9, Sea Kittens are below 0.500, and at any run point above 9, Sea Kittens are above 0.500

On the Catwalk

• Congrats to Erin for playing career game #200, and Laura for career game #100!  Erin joins Joe in the 200 Club, and Laura is the 7th person in the 100 Club.
  • With a little luck- and perfect attendance- five more players could join the 100 Club in 2023! Knocking at the door are Katherine (91), Jami (90), Alex (89), Brad (85), and Man-Aaron (85)
• Missed it at the time- Erin notched career hit #300 on Opening Night
• This week Alex collected career hit #200 and his 150th run scored
• Brad and Katherine each made their 300th Sea Kittens plate appearance, and two weeks ago Dave made #600
• For Spring season, Jami rapped 17 hits and scored 13 runs- both are #2 on the all-time list for SK women in a single season.  Jami tops the runs scored list with 14 in Fall, 2022, and Erin’s 19 hits in Summer 2021 is atop the hits list.
• Laura’s 5 walks this Spring ties the third-most walks by a Sea Kitten in a single-season.  Only Boomer Boehm and KJ Johnson have taken more free passes- both had 6 in 2013.  Dan, Tom, Heidi, Alex, and KJ had 5-walk seasons, and this was Laura’s second such.