Stephen “Slash” Grutzik completed the 3rd cycle in Sea Kitten history and Joe Hennessy added five more hits to pace the Cats’ offense in a 21-5 win over Hot Pitches (3-3) last Thursday night at Bowman Park. The Kitten defense was flawless behind starting pitcher David Zen Master Rowe as the team put together its most complete performance of the summer season. The win moved the 3-3 Cats back to 0.500 and the team secured the #4 seed in the Madison Sport & Social Club Thursday night playoffs, which begin August 17.
Batting from the Brooklyn side, Slash Grutzik rips a triple to right-center as part of his cycle on August 10, 2023. The cycle was the 3rd in team history.
Sea Kittens roller-coastered through the 2023 Summer season: the team lost for the 100th time in franchise history in the summer opener- a 13-6 loss to always-tough Bat & Boujee; took a 16-15 walk-off loss to RM; and was bludgeoned 20-2 by Da Hittas on a Miserably Hot July Evening. But the Cats also battled for a 7-5 win over Bat & Boujee- breaking a streak of 17 straight losses when scoring seven runs or fewer- and Aaron AaLo Lomax made perhaps the most memorable catch in Sea Kitten history to end- and save- the game; and the Cats held off Busch Lattes 14-11 in a tightly-played game in addition to the big win over Hot Pitches in the regular-season finale.
The Cats’ win and a Busch Lattes (3-3) victory over Da Hittas (4-2) created a four-way jumble in the middle of the Arboretum League standings. Overall run differential decided placing, and only three runs separated Sea Kittens from their 4th seed and 2nd place- and a first-round playoff bye. Busch Lattes’ final win clinched the two-seed. The league was one of the more remarkably competitive in which Sea Kittens have ever played, though Da Hittas were the only squad with a positive run differential in the 6-game season, boosted primarily by their drubbing of the Cats on the Miserably Hot July Evening and a nine-run win over Hot pitches.
The Puma lashes an inside-the-park grand slam against Roughneck Maulers.
Throughout the season, Sea Kittens have been successful when scoring more run than their opponents, and less so when scoring fewer runs than their rivals.
“I really think that’s the key,” said Hennessy;
“I’ve spent a lot of time with the numbers, and scoring more than the opponent seems to be the biggest variable driving winning versus losing.”
After a string of five consecutive 6:30 PM starts in Spring season, Sea Kittens finally started playing later games in the Summer campaign,
and Grutzik has benefitted in particular, going 12-14 in four 7:30 and 8:30 PM games, with nine extra-base hits and 15 runs batted in. “I like later starts,” gushed Grutzik effusively.
But Slash will have to bring that stick to an early playoff game this week, as Los Gatitos square off in a rematch with Hot Pitches at 6:30 PM on August 17. Grutzik is not alone in his preference for later games, as all-time Sea Kittens have averaged a full four runs per game more when starting after 7 PM than when starting before 7 PM, but have allowed runs at the same rate regardless of start time. Hennessy’s theory that scoring more runs than opponents leads to wins holds up by starting time, too: Sea Kittens are 43-48-1 when starting before 7 PM, and 82-54 in later games.
If the Cats can manage to buck up for the 6:30 start and get past Hot Pitches, they’ll square off with Da Hittas at 7:30. Third-place Bat and Boujee (3-3) will square off in the nightcap against Roughneck Maulers (2-4), who were snakebit in a pair of one-run losses (including one to B&B in their regular-season finale), but snake-bit the Cats with a 4-run 6th to walk off winners in those teams’ July 20th contest.
Click here for recaps of all six Sea Kittens Summer 2023 games!
Salmon Snacks- a season’s worth
- Everybody gets a Salmon Snack, just because I’ve neglected write-ups
- Brad- to help heal his ailing shoulder. The Sweet Thing has been out all summer
- Josh for dusting off the softball gear after a 6-year hiatus and jumping in with the Cats
- Adrienne for her full-time Sea Kitten debut
- Joe & A each snagged hot liners in game 1
- KC walked to lead off the 2nd inning in game two, and Laura motored around the bases as her pinch-runner to help ignite a pivotal 5-run inning in game 2
- Dan made a sliding stop behind 2nd to save a run in game 2
- And Hilary for a nice running grab at the left field line in that one as well
- Joe & Alex homered in the 5th to give the Cats a 6-run lead in game 3.
- Dave & Laura made great grabs in the 5th of that game to keep the Cats ahead. We won’t talk about what happened after that
- Nobody passed out of heatstroke in The Game That Must Be Forgotten
- AaLo for The Catch to end Game 5
- Josh made a great sliding scoop of a soft liner to right field in that game, too.
- Jami with a sweet stop & Erin with a sweet stretch in that one
- A turned an unassisted double play in game 6 to end a bases-loaded threat
Sea Kittens Great Fillet of the Game
You had to see it to believe it- but here’s Aaron Lomax making the Sea Kittens Great Fillet of The Century (so far):
Next Up
Summer playoffs! Sea Kittens (3-3) try to make it back-to-back wins over Hot Pitches (3-3) at 6:30 PM August 17 on Bowman Field 1. the winner gets a date with Da Hittas (4-2) in a 7:30 PM semifinal- Da Hittas topped Sea Kittens in the Spring Championship, and finished Summer season in first place, and are clearly the team to beat.
Game Notes
- Sea Kittens June 29 loss was the 100th in team history (The team is now 125-102-1 all-time)
- The Cats’ July 20 16-15 loss to Roughneck Maulers was the team’s first walk-off loss since June 26, 2019, and the 5th in club history. The Cats have 6 walk-off wins to their credit… and that bitter tie that really was the 7th. ;-P
- Sea Kittens 7-5 win August 3 ended a streak of 17 consecutive losses when scoring 7 runs or fewer- the last time the team won with seven runs or less was a 7-4 victory over Steal Your Base July 25, 2018
- The Cats 10-run first inning August 10 matched a team record for first-inning runs, accomplished four times.
Sea Kittens for The Cycle
| Player | Date | Result |
| Dan DynamOele | 10/19/2016 | Sea Kittens 21, Infield Flies 5 |
| Joe Hennessy | 6/27/2018 | Sea Kittens 18, Steal Your Base 8 |
| Slash Grutzik | 8/10/2023 | Sea Kittens 21, Hot Pitches 5 |
On the Catwalk
- Laura (105) passed Heidibadger Nelson (104) for 6th place on the Sea Kittens’ all-time games played list
- Dave made his 600th plate appearance as a Sea Kitten
- Dan made his 500th plate appearance
- Joe collected his 400th RBI
- Stephen notched his 100th RBI