KCL Week 8: Cats End Season 2-0 to Clinch 3rd Seed
Author: Jackson Ewers
**The information below will just be regarding week 8. Stay tuned for our next article though, which will provide a comprehensive overview of the entire season**
Welcome back to the final week of the KCL Baseball League! It’s been an exhilarating season, and now it’s time for the teams to give their all in these playoff games. Let’s dive into the exciting action from Week 8.
The Bobcats closed out their season on a high note, going 2-0 and securing the 3rd-place position over the Blue Caps. Their strong finish showcased their determination and skill, capping off a season of hard-fought battles. Despite my previous mistake in last week’s article, it turns out that the tiebreaker is based on head-to-head matchups, not run differential. However, this did not affect the final standings as the Bobcats’ victories were enough to secure their position.
Looking ahead to the playoffs, we have two thrilling matchups in store. The Ground Sloths, who have been a force to be reckoned with throughout the season, will face off against the Blue Caps. Meanwhile, the Merchants, another formidable team, will take on the Bobcats. The winners of these two games will advance to the championship, where they will battle for ultimate glory.
In recognition of their outstanding performances this week, we congratulate Nate Cooley for his impressive showing at the plate. Cooley, from the Ground Sloths, went 4-for-7 with a triple, 5 RBIs, and 2 runs scored. His contributions undoubtedly played a significant role in his team’s success.
Additionally, we applaud Nick Bacura, who stepped up to the mound for the first time this season and delivered an exceptional pitching performance. Bacura, representing the Merchants, pitched 4 solid relief innings, allowing no hits, 2 walks, and 0 earned runs while striking out an impressive 8 batters. His remarkable display of skill and composure helped his team secure a victory.
As we bid farewell to the regular season, the anticipation for the upcoming championship is at an all-time high. Get ready for more thrilling baseball action as the teams vie for the ultimate KCL Baseball League championship.
STANDINGS & MATCHUPS
Week 8 Standings
| Team | Wins | Losses | Run Differential | Runs Scored | Runs Allowed |
| Bobcats | 2 | 0 | 9 | 20 | 11 |
| Ground Sloths | 1 | 1 | 6 | 18 | 12 |
| Merchants | 1 | 1 | -8 | 7 | 15 |
| Blue Caps | 0 | 2 | -7 | 8 | 15 |
Week 8 Game Logs
Batting/Pitching/Fielding leaders in the KCL can be found on the KCL main page, along with each individual team’s leaders. Below is a more fun and interesting list of leaders that gives a little more insight into who’s doing well in the KCL League.
FANTASY PERFORMANCES
Players’ fantasy points are calculated using ESPN’s Fantasy Baseball standard scoring system (excluding pitching holds). (https://support.espn.com/hc/en-us/articles/360057163871-Standard-Scoring-for-Public-Baseball-leagues)
Week 8 Top 10 Hitting and Pitching Fantasy Leaders
| Hitting | Pitching | ||||
| Player | Team | Fantasy Points | Player | Team | Fantasy Points |
| Tyler Thompson | Bobcats | 14 | Nick Bacura | Merchants | 20.0 |
| Nate Cooley | Ground Sloths | 14 | Jesse Courtney | Ground Sloths | 9.0 |
| Dan Mosele | Bobcats | 12 | Troy McLeese | Bobcats | 6.0 |
| Eduardo Letamendi | Ground Sloths | 12 | Alex Smith | Bobcats | 5.0 |
| Luke Stulga | Ground Sloths | 12 | Parker Stoneking | Blue Caps | 4.0 |
| Tugg Hollandsworth | Bobcats | 11 | Logan Barnett | Bobcats | 4.0 |
| Ashton Horchem | Merchants | 11 | Rance Bryant | Ground Sloths | 4.0 |
| Caleb Royer | Blue Caps | 10 | Jacob O’Day | Bobcats | 3.0 |
| Riley McAllister | Bobcats | 9 | Grant Aten | Ground Sloths | 3.0 |
| Gage Wolfe | Blue Caps | 8 | Marshall Ingold | Bobcats | 2.0 |
| Cade Tomhave | Bobcats | 8 | Cody Shouse | Ground Sloths | 2.0 |
Week 8 Top Batter Game Performances
| Player | Team | Opponent | Date | Game Stats |
| Tyler Thompson | Bobcats | Blue Caps | 7-13-23 | 3-3, 2B, 2 3Bs, 4 Rs |
| Dan Mosele | Bobcats | Blue Caps | 7-13-23 | 4-5, HR, 3 RBIs, 2 Rs |
| Luke Stulga | Ground Sloths | Bobcats | 7-12-23 | 2-4, 2B, HR, 3 RBIs, 1 R |
Week 8 Top Pitcher Game Performances
| Player | Team | Opponent | Date | Game Stats |
| Nick Bacura | Merchants | Blue Caps | 7-12-23 | 4 IP, 0 H, 2 BBs, 8 Ks, 0 ER |
| Jesse Courtney | Ground Sloths | Merchants | 7-13-23 | 2 IP, 0 H, 2 BBs, 3 Ks, 0 ER |
| Troy McLeese | Bobcats | Ground Sloths | 7-12-23 | 3 IP, 2 H, 1 BB, 2 Ks, 1 ER |
HITTING STREAKS
Top 10 Current Game-Hitting Streak Leaders
| Player | Team | Hitting Streak |
| Justin Gutierrez | Ground Sloths | 11 |
| Kannon Kliene | Blue Caps | 6 |
| Tyler Thompson | Bobcats | 6 |
| Anthony Martinez | Merchants | 6 |
| Daniel Contretas | Bobcats | 5 |
| Caleb Royer | Blue Caps | 4 |
| Cade Tomhave | Bobcats | 3 |
| Eli Kieser | Ground Sloths | 3 |
| Ashton Horchem | Merchants | 3 |
| Nathan Garard | Merchants | 3 |