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Collegiate Baseball in Bloomington-Normal, Illinois | part of the Midwest Collegiate League

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Bloomington Bobcats

Bobcats go to Extras Twice, Series Finale with Hounds

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This week the Bobcats have been entrenched in a tight four-game series with the DuPage County Hounds in which the series stands 2-1 in favor of DuPage.

In game one, senior pitcher Brian Henry dominant to say the least as he pitched nine innings allowing only one earned run on six hits while fanning four batters.

“He was excellent. He only let up one free pass and we didn’t make any errors in the field we just didn’t have it in the bullpen. But if we can keep up that pace we will be in position to win a lot of games” said pitching coach, Clint Stroud.

Reliever, Blade Matthews came on in the 10th to shut the door to extend the game for the Cats but surrendered a 2-out double off the bat of Joe Engel for the Hounds to win in walk-off fashion.

Games two and three were played on Wednesday in doubleheader format of two-seven inning games.

Lucas Hall (ISU) started game 2 in which he lasted six innings letting up ten runs where only five of which earned.

The bats were quiet for the Cats who only scored two runs to the Hounds ten. Not to mention the Bobcats were guilty of three key errors throughout the game.

The nightcap of the doubleheader was decided by another extra-inning bout, this time in Bobcat favor.

Nick Brune started the game and went all seven innings of regulation until handing it over to Matthews again in extra innings. Brune allowed only two earned runs on six hits striking out six Hound hitters.

With two men on and two out in the bottom of the 8th and Joe Engel looking to be the hero in extra innings again, Matthews struck out Engel to earn his first career save in a Bobcat uniform.

Brune earned his second straight win and fourth this summer as a Bobcat.

As for tonight, Mitch Weis (2-3, 2.45ERA) will be on the hill for the Bobcats as they take on the Hounds in the series finale at O’Neil Park in Bloomington.

Cats are currently tied with Southland for the fourth and final spot in the playoff push with a record of 15-20.

First pitch will be at 5:30 tonight as the Bobcats make their final run for the playoffs.

 

 

Bobcats in 2016 All-Star Game, Second Half of Season

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For the first time in MCL history, the Bloomington Bobcats were represented in the All-Star game ending last night in a 10-2 victory for the Blue Team.

Managed by former Lexington Snipes coach, Billy DuBois, the MCL White All-Stars were compiled of 11 Oilmen, 6 Vikings and 6 Bobcats.

Cody Rogers, Mitch Weis, Grant Anderson, Pat Mollo, Kody Silverthorn and Garrett Shea were the 6 Bobcats represented, and they represented the Bobcats lustrously both on the mound and at the plate.

In batting practice, the White All-Stars made a habit of launching baseballs over the 50-ft tall left field. However, the game ended with the runner-up accumulated only 2 runs on 6 hits in which Bobcat jerseys took plenty credit for.

Singles were acquired by Rogers, Anderson and Mollo while Shea drove Mollo in on a sac-fly to center to score the first run for the White team. Shea also reached base by a hit-by-pitch in his second at bat.

On the hill, Weis and Silverthorn both pitched the 2nd and 7th innings respectively and only threw 20 pitches combined in two innings pitched.

In the second, Weis sat down 3 out of 4 only allowing a 2-out base hit to right field with zero runs scored. As for the seventh, Silverthorn hurled 12 pitches, striking out two and allowing zero runs scored. Weis and Silverthorn chalked up 2 of the 5 scoreless innings for the White All-Stars.

Heading into the second half of the season, the Bobcats stand in a solid position to get back to .500 and earn their place in the post season.

After dropping 8 straight in the league, the Cats have won 3 straight to set their mark to 13-14.

Standing 1 whole game behind the Admirals and 0.5 games above the Vikings, the race to stay in the playoffs will remain tight.

The Cats will continue their season tomorrow as they will host the DuPage County Hounds at O’Neil Park in Bloomington.

 

Weekly Update 6/13

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Two weeks and 12 games into their season, the Bobcats are off to a promising start for a team who hasn’t been in existence for the last fourteen summers.

Competing in the Midwest Collegiate League the Bobcats stand at 8-4 and have had at least a share of first place for the majority of the short season. As of Sunday, the Bobcats loss to the Southland Vikings put the Cats 0.5 games behind the DuPage County Hounds.

The season, which is still very much young, has had its share of ups and downs.  A complication very much understandable for a group of kids who had never played before their first game on May 27th against the Oilmen.

Pitching has been the highlight for the Bobcats thus far with Senior Mitch Weis (3-0) being the catalyst of the staff.

Weis is currently the two-time reigning “Pitcher of the Week” among the Midwest Collegiate League. In three starts, Weis has accumulated 25 strikeouts and only 3 walks. The key for Weis has been getting the lead off man out.  In 23 innings pitched, the leadoff man has been sat down 21 times. The Missouri native has been a buzzsaw for opposing offenses.

The staff goes beyond Weis with names like Brian ‘Bubba’ Henry, Blade Matthews, Nick Brune and Kody Silverthorn.

Silverthorn has emerged as the primary closer for the Bobcats earning 3 saves in just four save appearances.

Doing just about everything on the mound has been Bubba Henry.  Henry has served as closer, set up man, long relief and even as a starter. As a closer, Henry has earned 2 saves and as a starter he tossed six innings of one-run baseball for the Bobcats.

Leading the team in average has been Illinois Wesleyan hitters Cody Rogers and Garrett Shea. Both are tied up with a .310 average and 9 hits a piece.

Nick Brunson has been the leading run scorer for the Bobcats crossing the plate 11 times thanks to his .488 on base percentage. Also producing for the Bobcats has been Senior, Pat Mollo. Mollo leads the team with 7 runs batted in with Shea and Brunson tied with 6 right behind him.

In their first season since 2002, the Bloomington Bobcats are on their way to reestablishing their place as the premier collegiate team in the McLean County area.

Bobcats have six games this week as they are away Wednesday, Thursday and Friday but return home for the weekend with a doubleheader at O’Neil Park on Saturday and a single game on Sunday.

Come Wednesday, the battle for first place continues on the road against the DuPage County Hounds. The series currently stands at 2-1 in Bobcat favor.

As always, stay tuned on twitter with @blmbobcats and on www.facebook.com/blmbobcats