The MSCR Monroe League’s two second-half unbeatens squared off on a sublime summer night at Olbrich Park Wednesday, and Harmony Sea Kittens (5-1, 3-0) powered past Mickey’s Bomb Squad (4-2, 2-1) 17-7, behind the strength of a relentless offense that banged 25 hits, including 10 for extra bases. The win puts Sea kittens firmly in control of its playoff destiny, with a win next week against Caribou Bou Crew clinching the second-half title and a spot in the summer league championship game for the first time since 2012.
The Polish Puma- Alex Latzka- led the charge for Harmony with four hits, notching a double and two triples in the process. Latzka set the tone for the Cats in the top of the first inning, hammering a two-strike, two-out two-bagger to drive home the team’s first two runs. “Dueces wild,” cried nobody, unfortunately.
Mickey’s got to work cutting the deficit in the bottom of the first, working a leadoff walk off Sea Kitten starter Joe Hennessy and translating it into a run, but the Sea Kitten defense stayed steady and stranded runners on first and second, and emerged with a 2-1 lead.
The Cats worked two-out magic again in the second, with Sweet Thing Harkins and KC Curtis singling- the latter hit an infield roller that Curtis valiantly beat out. Hennessy rewarded KC’s effort, swatting the first pitch he saw into Olbrich Gardens for his fifth home run of the season and a 5-1 Harmony advantage. Mickey’s challenged again in the bottom of the inning, but the second time around couldn’t push a run across, and Harmony jumped on the opportunity.
Dan Dynam-Oele blasted a solo shot to left-center for the third inning’s opening salvo, and Schultzy Schultz followed with a long double to center. Following a Latzka single, Red Shoes Hewitt plated the Sea Kittens’ second run of the inning with an infield hit, and Boom Boom Magyera laced a two-strike single to push the Harmony advantage to 8-1. Hewitt raced home with another score on a Sweet Thing flyout to left and Los Gatitos were cruising.
But Mickey’s hadn’t achieved their 4-1 record by rolling over, and largely dismantled the Sea Kitten advantage in the bottom of the third. A leadoff double started a string of five consecutive Mickey’s runners reaching safely, and between a mix of sharp hits and a pair of walks, eight of the first nine Bomb Squadders reached, scoring six runs in the process and drawing the score to 9-7 Harmony.
Backed into a corner, the Kittens responded aggressively, scoring two in the 4th on a Schultz sac fly and another two-out extra base hit from
Also by the end of the 5th dugout chatter changed from game strategy to dissecting the Bacherlorette.
Latzka and another five in the fifth, highlighted by Boom Boom going “boom!” for his second dinger of the season and a long two-run double to right center from Mama Cat O’Brien to plate two more. By the time the top of the fifth ended every Sea Kitten had stepped on home plate and tallied at least one run.
This time the Cats maintained their healthy 9-run advantage, and Hennessy continued a string of retiring seven consecutive Mickey’s batters into the bottom of the fifth. A one-out double ended the string, but when that Bomb Squadder tried to sneak home as O’Brien flipped the ball to Hennessy after a 5-3 putout, Hennessy relayed the ball to Curtis to complete the 5-3-1-2 double play and end the inning and what would prove to be Mickey’s last gasp. After one more Sea Kitten run in the sixth, an errant throw in the bottom of the inning led the last Bomb Squad runner of the night, but no drama unfolded and Harmony was doing its Sea Cat Strut off the diamond.
Game Notes
Jess joined Mama Cat and Heidibadger Nelson as the only three Sea Kitten women to loft a sacrifice fly. No Sea kitten woman had recoded one since Heidi’s on September 26, 2012
Sea Kittens have allowed at least one first-inning run in six consecutive games, the second-longest streak of its kind in recorded team history. The cats allowed first-inning runs in eight consecutive games June 16 – July 28, 2010. Line scores for a seven -game stretch during The Schneid were burned in The Cleansing; the longest possible streak would have been 10 games.
“Don’t play lawyer ball!” Has been taken to heart by the 2018 Sea Kittens, whom have not drawn a walk. The team record for fewest walks in a season is 13, established in 2011.
‘We pay good money to swing the dang bat!”
Salmon Snacks
Laura & Aaron for being ready and tagging up on fly balls. And whomever was coaching 3rd at those times!
Erin for a flawless game at 1B
Dan, Erin, Katherine, & Joe for the unorthodox 5-3-1-2 double play
Alex was 4-4 with a double, two triples, two runs scored and 3 RBI, and made some sweet running grabs in left-center
Aaron, Dan, Kyle, and Brad all had 3-hit games and collected 3 doubles and 2 HR collectively
Katherine for keeping that second inning alive with her hustle to first- Joe owes you a salmon snack for setting him up for a 3-run HR
Jess & Erin for rapping doubles
Jami for a nice two-hit game, and hitting the ball hard every at-bat
Joe for collecting 5 RBI from the 11 spot in the order. (ed. note: Thanks, baserunners!)
Mickey's
