Kittens Survive Eagle Attack

Timely hitting, near-flawless defense, and a pair of late insurance runs proved crucial as Harmony Sea Kittens (1-0) held on for a 12-11 victory over a strong Silver Eagle (0-1) squad on the opening night of MSCR Kenosha League play at Olbrich Park Wednesday.

A week after the full slate of Kenosha League games were washed out by rain and temperatures in the 40s, May 15th dawned bright and beautiful and the Harmony and Silver Eagle sides took the field under a sublime setting sun and temps in the low 70s.  Alex Latzka-the Polish Puma and Sea Kittens’s single-season triples record holder- dug in to the batter’s box to open the 2019 campaign. He promptly delivered his signature hit- a three-bagger to the right field fence to open the Sea Kitten season with a bang.  But the next two Kitten batters could not get him home, and with two out Helen Bradley stepped to the plate.  The Boo Rabbit knocked a hit to right and collected the first of four two-out RBI she’d collect on a night the Cats would need every run they could get.

David “Zen Master” Rowe made his third consecutive Opening Day start for the Harmony side and opened his season with a called strike.  His second pitch also found the strike zone and was promptly deposited into Starkweather Creek to even the game at 1, but it proved to be the only run he’d allow through the game’s first three innings.

After stranding runners on second and third base in the 2nd inning, the Sea Kitten lineup made some noise in the 3rd.  The Puma followed his triple with a big fly to right field to give Harmony a 2-1 lead, and with two out the cats strung together three hits and two walks- including a run-scoring walk taken by Boom Boom Magyera. Club player-manager Joe Hennessy punctuated the rally with a hard two-run single to center after Roadrunner Jami Hauer walked to load the bases, and Sea Kittens led 5-1.

Boom Boom showed off his vac-coom of a glove in the 3rd, ending the Silver inning by starting a nice grab-and-step 6-3 double play, and the Cats’ bats quickly got back to work.  The Zen Master started the two-out rally with a trademark hustle-double- one which almost was not one by the combination of the Eagle left fielder’s arm and perhaps another year of “experience” in the Zen Master’s legs.  The effort was applauded but rendered unnecessary when Latzka banged a rocket off the left-center field scoreboard to the delight of the Kitten faithful. Mama Cat O’Brien reignited the rally by ripping a hit just inside the third base bag, Dan DynamOele followed with a double off the left-field fence and Bradley brought the duo home with another RBI knock.

A string of two-out Silver Eagle hits cut the Kitten advantage to 9-2 at the end of four innings.

After a quiet Kitten fifth- too quiet- the Eagle bats began to stir, and a three-run homer with nobody out made it a 9-5 ballgame.  Rowe and the Harmony defense settled after that to escape the inning without further damage, but notice had been served that these Eagles would not go quietly.

Once again Sea Kittens loaded the bases with two out, and once again Bradley delivered, driving home one, but Boom Boom was bamboozled by a wicked off-speed pitch and the Sea Kitten rally ended with the visitors enjoying a 10-5 lead.

Rowe set the bottom of the Silver Eagle order down 1-2-3 in the bottom of the 6th, and as the seventh inning opened Hennessy chirped for insurance runs.  He hoped for seven, but Sea Kittens settled for two, as both the manager and Man-Aaron Jossart launched homers to left to extend the margin to seven runs. Jossart’s blast was the 11th 2-out run Sea Kittens scored in the game.

The top trio of the Silver Eagle order repeated their 5th-inning performance in the 7th, going hit-hit-homer to make it a 12-8 ballgame.  Rowe notched a strikeout- one out. The next Eagle batter blasted a towering fly to right-center, just clearing the 248′ fence. 12-9.  Hit-hit-hit- Silver Eagle began lacing liners around the field, and when the dust settled after a ground ball deked Schultzy Oele at second base, the situation stood at 12-11, with Silver Eagle runners on first and second, one out.  Rowe retired the Eagle 11th-place hitter- and 11th batter of the inning- on a comebacker as the runners advanced a station.  Second and third, two out, Kittens up by a single run, with the top of the Silver Eagle order stepping to the plate.  The Kitten outfield shuffled, torn between playing for deep fly out or shallow enough to possibly prevent the decisive run from scoring on a base hit.  Tension mounted. Ball one.  Rowe snatched the return throw from Red Shoes Hewitt, kicked the dirt, and delivered. A perfect pitch floated into the batter’s kitchen, and the inevitable pop -up followed.  As the batter howled “Noooooo!” The Cats held their collective breath until the towering pop landed securely in Boom Boom’s glove, and then yowled with delight for a hard-earned win.

Next up:  Sea Kittens (1-0) host Run Like Mad (1-0), who dispatched Bat Intentions 11-3 in their Opener. Olbrich Field 4, 6:30 PM.

Game Notes:

• Sea Kittens moved to 17-12 all-time in one-run games
• Sea Kittens scored 11 of its 12 runs with 2 outs!!! C.L.U.T.C.H.
• 6 runs is the most a Sea Kitten squad has allowed in the 7th inning since May 28, 2014, a 13-11 loss to Bowlavard- the infamous “Hennessy Taunting Game.”
• A trio of Kittens hitting home runs matched a team record- it was the sixth time a trio has done so, most recently 8/19/2018, in Game 1 of the Harmony Tournament, one of four times three different Sea Kittens homered in a single game in 2018.
• The 4 home runs were the most by a Sea Kitten squad in a Summer League game (the all-time club record is 5, in the 2018 Harmony Tourney opener, and the Cats also hit 4 against Infield Flies 10/19/2016 in Fall league play).
• The multi-homer game was the 3rd of Alex’s career, matching Joe & Dan for tops in Sea Kitten history.
• Alex’s 12 total bases are a team Summer League record, and only one shy of Joe’s 13  (10/19/2016 vs. Infield Flies).  He became the first Kitten to have record multiple games with more than 10 total bases, having also notched 12 against BSG’s statuesque right fielder 8/29/2018.  And by statuesque, we mean it in the street performance art way, not  “tall, shapely, and dignified.”
• Helen’s 4 RBI matched her career high, one shy of the record shared by Erin & Katherine among SK women; she also became the 8th woman and 22nd player overall to collect 4 hits in a game.
• Aaron’s homer was his first since 8/2/2017.

Salmon Snacks

• Alex, obv. for the huge game at the plate and stellar outfield defense
• Helen for making her Summer League debut in splendid form, going 4-4 and recording 4 two-out RBI
• Kyle for the sweet double play and securing the game-ending pop-up
• All of the Cats for stellar all-around defense
• All of the Cats for not being rattled when the game got tight
• Man-Aaron & Joe for the late homers

*NEW* Vote for the Sea Kittens’ Great Fillet of the Game!