O’FALLON, MO. –– After scoring two runs in the top of the first, the Hoots had to battle back in the bottom of the ninth to take a 5-4 victory at home against the Cape Catfish in front of a sellout crowd in O’Fallon to open the 2025 Prospect League season and the i3 Broadband Show Me Slugfest.
After the Catfish took the lead with a two-run eighth inning, the Hoots got to work on the Cape bullepn. With 1 out, the Catfish walked one and then hit a batter. Baden Hackworth hit into a fielder’s choice ground ball to short, moving a runner into scoring position. Cape got an out at second, but then made an errant throw to first, allowing one run to score. Hackworth stole both second and third, setting up runners on second and third with two outs. Down to their last out, Hoots’ first baseman Mitch Bonczkowski snuck a ground ball single to left field, scoring Hackworth and Michael Callahan to give the Hoots the one-run victory.
O’Fallon 5, Cape 4
KEY MOMENTS
• The Hoots built a 2-run lead in the bottom of the first with a Hackworth leadoff single, a Callahan walk, then a Bonczkowski single, where Hackworth scored on a throwing error. Jasiak brought in Callahan with his groundout to second.
• In the top of the second, Cooper Newsom singled to right center, scoring Moises Rosario.
• The Catfish tied up the game in top of the seventh when Nathan Bowie Homered to right center.
• In the bottom of the eighth, Jasiak loaded the bases with a walk, a single to left, and an infield single, bunt. Isaiah French got hit-by-a pitch, scoring Wilser to take the lead 3-2. The Catfish went up two when J.J. Williams hit an infield single, scoring Moises Rosario.
• The Hoots came raging back in the ninth. Floyd walked, Mendel was hit-by-a pitch, Hackworth reached on a fielder’s choice, and Floyd scored on an error by the shortstop, bringing O’Fallon within one. Hackworth stole second, and Callahan was hit-by-a pitch. Both runners advanced on a wild pitch. Bonczkowski singled to left, scoring both runners and ending the game 5-4.
NOTABLES
• Bonczkowski recorded 3 of O’Fallon’s 5 hits and 2 of their 4 RBIs.
• Hoots veteran Hoshaw had an impressive start with 5 IP, allowing just 5 hits and 1 run.
• Schneider records his first win as a Hoot via his effective ninth-inning outing, where he got all three batters out in succession, striking out two.
UP NEXT
O’Fallon embarks on a five-day, five-game road trip, starting tomorrow at 5:35 pm against the Champion City Kings.
