Catfish Open Trip With Loss

The first visit to Appalachian Power Park in Charleston, WV by the Columbus Catfish got off to a rough start Wednesday night. The West Virginia Power bested the Catfish 8-4 behind the pitching of SAL ERA leader William Inman.

The Catfish jumped to an early lead when C Anthony Harper doubled in the first inning, scoring 1B Jason Mooneyham, who reached after being hit by a pitch. West Virginia tied it up in the first, then took the lead in the second, scoring two unearned runs. They added a run in the 3rd, making it 4-1.

The Catfish got two runs back in the 4th, when, with one out, RF Lucas May singled and moved to third on LF Adam Godwin's single. Luke scored when CF Bridger Hunt smacked his 6th double of the season. Godwin scored when SS Ivan De Jesus grounded out to short.

In the fifth, the Catfish tied the score. Tony Harper hit by a pitch. 3B Russell Mitchell singled, but was erased on a double play, which moved Harper to third. Harper scored when Lucas May singled on a line drive to left field.

West Virginia broke it open in the bottom of the fifth. A double, two single, and a walked chased starter Marlon Arias with one out and West Virginia holding a 5-4 lead. New Catfish pitcher Dave Preziosi (who pitched for Boston College this season, before signing with the Dodgers) allowed a single, which allowed two more runs to score. A throwing error by Adam Godwin allowed the final run, unearned to score.

West Virginia's Kevin Roberts came in and held the Catfish scoreless for three innings, then Dane Renkert pitched a perfect 9th to secure the win for Inman, whose ERA jumped to 1.65. However, previous ERA leader Matthew Maloney of Lakewood saw his ERA jump to 1.69 after his loss to Kannapolis tonight.

Although outhitting West Virginia 10-7, the Catfish stranded 12 runners on base tonight, 8 in scoring position. Bridger Hunt was 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI. Lucas May was 2-for-5, with an RBI and a run scored. The only other extra-base hit by the Catfish was Tony Harper's RBI double in the first. He also scored a run, but struck out twice, and was thrown out of the game in the 8th inning after being called out on strikes, along with Catfish skipper Travis Barbary.