Run Like Mad Can’t Catch Cats

For the second consecutive week Harmony Sea Kittens (2-0) endured and outlasted a battering 7^th-inning rally from its opponent, this time topping Run Like Mad 8-6 in a nail-biter of an MSCR Kenosha League matchup.

Twice in seven innings of play Sea Kittens ended a frame with the bases loaded with Mad baserunners, and twice again stranded its opponents on second & third base- in total Run Like Mad left 16 ducks on the pond.  In the meantime, Sea Kittens only mustered 13 hits but deployed them efficiently and only stranded six baserunners in the entire contest.

Making his first start of the season, Joe Hennessy (1-0) was greeted rudely by the first four RLM batters, all of whom reached base, plating one run and loading the bases for the lumbering outfielder Slugger Doug.  Digging in and pitching for a strikeout, Hennessy got the strikeout and a shot of adrenaline for the Cats.  Shortstop Dan DynamOele retired the next hitter on a popup and when Mama Cat Erin O’Brien made a nice stretch and catch on a low throw to complete an inning-ending ground out, Sea Kittens escaped with no further damage.

Roadrunner Jami Hauer swatted a one-out single to get the Sea Kitten offense going in the bottom half of the inning, and after Man-Aaron Jossart drew a manly two-base walk, Sea Kittens punched two home for a one-run advantage.

The lone tally Run Like Mad posted in the first inning proved to be the last run it would post until the fifth inning, but not for lack of opportunity.   The Sea Kitten defense settled in and clamped down after a few first-inning jitters, but in the meantime the Harmony offense made little noise of its own, scoring only on a Hennessy sac fly after the Polish Puma, Alex Latzka, tripled to open the second inning.

Down 3-1, the heart of the RLM order opened the fifth inning with a barrage of hits, including a run-scoring single from Doug to pull his squad within a run.  Pressured once again, Hennessy again worked a big strikeout, and Boom Boom Magyera– just inserted at third base- snagged a wicked liner for the second out.  A hit loaded the bases, and RLM outfielder Kyle stepped in and smoked a ball at Magyera.  Sea Kitten Kyle won the battle of Kyles, snatching the liner after juggling it once to take out some of the sting.

The first one stung my hand.

Boom Boom Magyera, on his nifty picks at third base

With two out in the bottom of the fifth, Sunshine Curtis knocked her first hit of the season, and hustled home like a hustler on a triple off Hennessy’s bat.  Red Shoes Hewitt plated Hennessy with a hit and Los Gatitos had a 5-2 lead and a little breathing room.

Harmony set down Run Like Mad quickly in the sixth and went to work again with two outs in the bottom of the inning.  Man-Aaron singled, and after scorching a ball just foul down the right-field line, Helen Boo Rabbit Bradley went back to the spot and burned the right fielder for an RBI double, providing DynamOele with a chance at the plate.  Oele delivered, crushing a homer run through the teeth of the wind and extending the Cat advantage to 8-2.

Sensing victory, some Kitten-esque toying with their prey ensued.  Hennessy walked the RLM leadoff hitter. Two hits and a fielder’s choice scored a run and put runners on first and second, but Hennessy found another good spot to induce a strikeout, effectively working the top and bottom of the strike zone. The game-ending out was tough to secure, and RLM cranked out two more RBI singles surrounding another base on balls, putting the game-tying runs on second and third, but the Cats corralled an inning- and game-ending grounder and strutted off winners.

Next Up:  Sea Kittens (2-0) tangle with Monona Mashers (0-2).  Mashers are a new squad which forfeited its first game, and then fell 16-5 to a tough Silver Eagle club. The Cats will be without their top-end speed, as Puma and Roadrunner will be absent.  Wednesday May 22, 8:30 PM, Olbrich 3

Game Notes

• After scoring 11 of 12 runs with two out last week, Sea Kittens scored six of its eight runs with two out in this game.
• This game- #156 in the Sea Kitten Annals- marked the first time the team has ever won by two runs.  The club was previously 0-9 in games decided by two runs.
• Sea Kittens are now 18-21 all-time in games decided by two runs or less, but 8-4 in such games since 2016.
• Something had to give:
  • Sea Kitten record when scoring fewer than 10 runs: 16-62
  • Sea Kitten record when allowing fewer than 10 runs: 63-23
• Despite the team’s atrocious track record when scoring fewer than 10 runs, Sea Kittens have won the past four times they’ve done so.
• Sea Kittens have drawn four walks through their first two games- it took until Game 8 of the Summer 2018 season to walk four times.
• Thanks in large part to Joe’s pre-game jinx and to a lesser degree pitch selection, Dave’s hitting streak ended at 46 games. 

Salmon Snacks

• Aaron for the music!
• Laura for beating out two hits, including an RBI single in the 5^th
• Katherine for hustling home on Joe’s triple in the 5^th
• Dan for the game-breaking-and needed- home run
• Helen for a nice snag of a liner at 3B, and Kyle for doing that twice!
• Kendra for filling in to keep our lineup balanced
• Alex for hustling home on Joe’s sacrifice fly
• Erin for some nice grabs at 1B, and for potentially saving one guy’s melon on an errant throw
• Jami for a solid game at 2B
• The whole outfield crew- Brad, Dave, Aaron, Kendra, Laura- played a busy & solid game
• Joe for notching three key strikeouts

Sea Kittens Great Fillet of the Game

1. In the second inning with two out and nobody on base, Laura bashed a ball that may not have traveled more than two ball-widths before sticking in the soft dirt in front of home plate. She got those Red Shoes running like mad down the line- some observers claim she got to first before the catcher even got to the ball!
2. In the fifth inning with two out and Sea Kittens clinging to a 3-2 lead, Katherine raced from first to home on what ended being a triple from Joe.  Sunshine was off with the crack of the bat, saw her base coaches, and never hesitated in digging for home with a crucial run.

VOTE!

Last week Alex won the inaugural Great Fillet with his home run off the scoreboard!