Baseball: The Cats' Meow – Oswego Cats going to World Series

Lengthy games are certainly nothing new in baseball, and though the Oswego Cats have had plenty of extended outings in their history, Sunday was one of their most memorable.

After 18 innings, the Cats earned a 12-10 victory over host Lombard to take the National Amateur Baseball Federation (NABF) Regional Championship at Madison Meadows.

It was the third regional title in the program’s existence and first such honor since taking the American Amateur Baseball Congress’ North Central Regional in 2015.

With the win, Oswego (23-17, 18-14 Chicago Suburban Baseball League) clinched a berth to the Charles M. Blackburn Major Division World Series that starts Thursday in Battle Creek, Michigan.

But the route to the World Series wasn’t an easy one.

Sunday’s contest was the culmination of a weekend of hard-earned victories for the Cats, who defeated the Orioles 8-7 on Friday and followed it up with a 9-8 win over the DuPage Angels on Saturday afternoon as part of the double-elimination tournament.

Against Lombard on Sunday, the back-and-forth battle continued well into extra innings.

Oswego led 5-4 after five, but Lombard put up three in the bottom of the sixth. The Cats eventually tied it up with single runs in the eighth and ninth, pushing the game to extras.

“We had to refocus on Sunday, but none of our guys quit,” Cats field manager Todd Miller said. “You know, we’re kind of at the upper crust of the league, and this was just two heavyweights going punch for punch.

“As frustrating as it was, at the end, it was like ‘finally.’”

The bout lasted another nine frames, as the teams exchanged single runs in the 14th, 15th and 16th. Things remained knotted until the 18th, when the Cats scored on a passed ball at home and on a bases-loaded walk.

“That was definitely the longest game I’ve played, but just that back and forth was exciting,” said right fielder Bobby Smith, who went 3-for-8 with two runs batted in.

Clay Schuler went 5-for-8 with an RBI and three runs scored for the Cats, while Nick Mathey (3-for-5), designated hitter Ryan O’Dell (1-for-4) and catcher Chris Hill (1-for-8) each had two RBIs.

Right-hander Carter Turnquist allowed 10 hits, seven runs, four walks and two strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings, finishing without a decision in the game. He also pitched in relief on Friday against the Orioles.

“They’re a good team, and hats off to them; they did a phenomenal job this year like they do every year, but there’s a lot of pressure to want to do well,” said Turnquist, who started the season with Lombard before being granted his release to join his hometown Cats.

In relief of Turnquist, right-hander Austin Kapusinski allowed two hits, one run, four walks, six strikeouts in 7 2/3 innings.

“That was enormous; without him bridging the game, there’s absolutely no way [we win],” Miller said.

After Kapusinski’s efforts, second baseman Trevor Lines shifted from the infield to the mound, tossing the final five innings, where he gave up six hits, two runs and one walk, holding Lombard in the bottom of the 18th to secure the victory.

Oswego won’t have much time to relish the spoils of the triumph, as they prepare for Battle Creek this week.

This will be the Cats’ first appearance in the NABF World Series. They made three previous trips to the AABC Stan Musial World Series, finishing fourth in 2012 and fifth in 2015.

For many of the members on the current squad, this will be their first venture into a deep postseason run.

“I’ve always said that this is what we play for,” Miller said. “It used to be just ‘getting here’ and now, it’s getting to that next step and making an impact when we get there, which we have in years past.

“With the brand of baseball that we play in Illinois in this league, it’s sometimes head and shoulders above some of the other teams that we see on the Battle Creek stage, and the World Series stage is just amazing.”

Miller, who has been with the team since its founding, knows the importance of this postseason berth, acknowledging that Sunday’s game is the first step in a ladder of success.

“It’s summer baseball, but when you get a taste of this, you want more,” Miller said. “Hopefully, you bring the same kind of mentality to the field up there. I can’t ask for more of a group effort out of everyone; it was just unbelievable.”

If they don’t play for one another, then the players are more than willing to play for Miller, whose impact is not lost on them.

“It means more winning these games for Todd, because he puts everything he has into our team and into the Oswego Cats program; it means more to him than anything else, and it means more to us to do that for him,” said O’Dell, a Cat since 2012.

“We do have a good amount of returners, so they know how important it is to make it to the World Series. There, you’re playing against some of the best teams around, so it’s special any time you make it. It means a lot.”

Opponents for the major bracket have not been determined yet, but fans can follow Oswego either on the NABF website, www.nabf.com/world-series, or on Twitter @NABFInfo.

Notes: Against Lombard on Friday night, shortstop Garrett Saunders' big night (2-for-3, four RBIs and one run scored) supported starting right hander Cameron Paladines, who gave up nine hits, five runs – three earned – and three walks while striking out three in 5 2/3 innings. Turnquist came on in relief.

On Saturday versus DuPage, the team led 4-0 heading into the bottom of the third, where the Angels scored seven. They added another in the fourth, but the Cats came back with one in the fifth, three in the sixth and one in the seventh to seal the win. Mathey (1-for-4), Jose Camacho (2-for-4) and Vince Schwartz (2-for-2) each had two RBIs.

Right-hander Jacob Lipscomb allowed nine hits, eight runs (four earned) and four walks in 3 2/3 innings before right-hander Marty Maves closed things out with 3 1/3 shutout innings (three strikeouts).