Tradewater came from behind Sunday to win a make-up game from the week before, keeping Marion in last place and mathematically eliminating the Bobcats from a first-round play-off bye.
Marion jumped out to an early lead and tallied 12 hits on the night, but a make-shift pitching corps used by Manager Steve Fowler could not hold the lead, allowing the Pirates to erase a 3-1 lead after five and half innings and cruise to a 7-3 win.
With 10 games left in the regular season, an injury-depleted pitching staff and only eight days remaining in the season, Fowler turned to three position players comfortable enough on the mound to account for nine innings of work. Mike Rizzuto, who had pitched on previous occasions in middle relief, started the game for the Bobcats, giving up only one run in three innings of work. Outfielder Pat Murphy then made his pitching debut, but lasted only 2 1/3 after giving up four runs. Rob Dyer, who had climbed the mound away from his usual position at first on only one other occasion, closed the game, allowing two more Pirate runs. Murphy took the loss.
For Fowler, there was little choice. Marion is in the midst of a 13-game, 11-day period without an off day due to make-ups of earlier rain-outs. The Bobcats' schedule has them playing three more games in the last two weeks of the regular season than any other KIT League team and that is with a pitching staff of nine hurlers, down two from a full roster due to injuries.
At plate, Mitch McClay kept his bat hot, going 2-for-5, as did Rob Dyer, who is sixth in the league in batting by players with 100 or more plate appearances. Austin Messersmith and Murphy – who served as all three designated hitter, pitcher and outfielder for the game – also contributed a double and single each. Mike DeSanto, Fred Rossi, Drew Barrett and Daniel Pugh also added a hit each. Jake Martin was the only starter to not reach safely.
The bottom of the order, Murphy and DeSanto, accounted for the Bobcats' RBI, with one each.
All other teams in the KIT League were idle Sunday.
Sunday's loss eliminated any shot Marion had of sitting out the first round of the postseason, a one game playoff set for next Monday. With 10 games remaining for Marion and only six for Fulton before Sunday's game, the Bobcats, 8.5 games out, had already been eliminated from the possibility of reaching first place. Sunday's loss, however, also removed any chance Marion had of catching second-place Union City. Owensboro, eight games out in fifth place, has also been eliminated from a first-round bye.
The win for Tradewater kept their hopes alive at three games out of first place. With three head-to-head games left with each first-place Fulton and second-place Union City, Tradewater is the only team in the league that holds its own destiny. Three games out of first place and two out of second, the Pirates host a three-game series with Union City beginning tonight. On Thursday, Tradewater travels to the Railroaders for a three-game set to end the season.
Fourth-place Sikeston, however, will have to win outright and hope for some help to earn a playoff bye. The Bulls have three games each with Owensboro and Union City.
Meantime, the Bobcats can still play spoiler, leap over fifth-place Owensboro and hope for hosting the July 27 playoff game. Marion has three games left with Fulton, starting tonight with the first contest of a three-game series to end the home schedule. The team then travels to Owensboro for four games, where the Oilers as of Monday were only one game ahead of the Bobcats in the standings. Marion finishes the season Sunday with a double header at Sikeston, hoping a third or fourth place finish can earn them home-field advantage for the first round of the postseason.
As of Monday, Fulton's magic number is 6, meaning any combination of Railroader wins or losses by second-place Union City will earn them first place.
Jason Stowers
