U13 RiverCats Take 3rd Place In Clearwater

The U13 RiverCats, playing in their first tournament together, found success and took 3rd place in the rainy MLK Preseason Blast in Clearwater, FL.  The RiverCats were eventually eliminated by the Cape Coral Cannons, ranked 4th in the state of Florida currently in the U13 age division.

In Game One, the RiverCats took care of the Safety Harbor Crush in convincing fashion, winning 12 to 0.  Jacob Nelson-Waterloo, WI, was the winning pitcher for the ‘Cats, scattering 4 walks over 3 hitless innings.  Nelson struck out one.  Zach Haugen-Cambridge,WI, Nick Schrader-Cambridge, WI, Aaron Mack-Madison, WI, and Tanner Johnson-Jefferson, WI, led the offensive charge for the RiverCats.  Haugen was 3 for 4 at the plate and Schrader was 2 for 3 with 3 RBI’s.  Mack and Johnson each chipped in with 2 RBI’s a piece.  Defensively, the RiverCats did not have any errors.

In Game Two, the RiverCats won a tough game over the Tampa Bay Legends 5 to 1.  Winning pitcher Conner Funnell-Sun Prairie,WI, threw 5 innings of one run ball.  That run was unearned.  Aaron Mack and Jacob Nelson were 2 for 3 at the plate.  Pete Schuler-Pleasant Prairie, WI, had a key pinch hit triple in the 7th inning that resulted in 2 RBI’s to break the game open.  Cade Bunnell-Stoughton, WI, closed the game for the RiverCats, earning the save.  Overall, the RiverCats knocked 10 hits in the second game.

A heavy rain forced the rest of the bracket games to be cancelled.  Due to the 2-0 record, the RiverCats were place in a four team, single elimination playoff to determine the champion.  The RiverCats lost to the Cape Coral Cannons, whose starting left handed pitcher mixed three pitches effectively to quiet the bats of the RiverCats.  The final score of the game was 7 to 0.  Conner Funnell had the hot stick going 2 for 3.

The RiverCats will play their next games in the President’s Day Challenge in Cocoa Beach, FL, from Feb 13th through the 15th.