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Prospect League Baseball

Catfish Take Championship Series Lead With Victory Over Aviators In Game One

The Cape Catfish defeated the Aviators 7-3 in Lafayette in game one of the Prospect League Championship Series to take a 1-0 series lead!

Catfish Take Championship Series Lead With Victory Over Aviators In Game One
PLN Box Score
August 5, 2025

The Basics
Score: Cape Catfish 7, Lafayette Aviators 3
Records:  Cape Catfish (39-20, 3-0), Lafayette Aviators (37-22, 2-1)
Location: Loeb Stadium - Lafayette, IN

LAFAYETTE, IN  – The Cape Catfish took a 1-0 lead in the Prospect League Championship Series with a 7-3 victory over the Lafayette Aviators Tuesday at Loeb Stadium.

After a scoreless 1st inning, the Catfish struck first. Hayden Nazarenus scored on an error, and Tank Sims came home on a Caleb Champion single to give the Catfish a 2-0 lead.

The Aviators answered in the 2nd and 3rd, scoring two runs of their own. First, Garrett Rainey drove home Gavin Smith with the bases loaded. Then. Tripp Johns plated Diego Frey to tie the game 2-2.

In the 4th, the Catfish took their deciding lead, scoring three runs all with two outs. Caleb Niehaus singled and stole second before Champion drove him home with a double. Nathan Bowie then brought Champion home with a double of his own, and Cooper Newsom finished the job with a single to score Bowie. The Catfish led 5-2 heading to the bottom of the 4th.

Each team added a run in the 6th. For the Catfish, Isaiah French singled to score Bowie. For the Aviators, Kolton Schaller doubled to bring in Smith.

The Catfish held their lead the remainder of the contest, adding a run in the 9th on singles from Sims and Bowie.

Turning Point
The three-run top of the 6th inning for the Catfish was the difference, taking the momentum back after the Aviators had just erased a 2-0 deficit.

Inside The Box Score

  • Neither starter made it past the 4th inning, as each was tagged with the majority of the runs.

  • Larson McMaster took the victory for the Catfish, tossing 2 innings in relief.

  • The Catfish outhit the Aviators 12-8, and out-walked the Aviators 7-1.

  • The 7-8-9 hitters for the Catfish each recorded 2 hits and scored a run.

Notes

  • The last time these two met in the Championship Series, the winner of game one was also the road team (Lafayette).

  • The last time these two met in the Championship Series, the road team won all 3 games (Cape won games two and three in Lafayette).

  • The Catfish are one win away from their second Championship, their first coming over the Aviators in 2021.

Up Next
The Prospect League Championship Series resumes on Thursday for game two at 6:35 PM (CT) at Capaha Field in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. Followed by an if-needed game three in Cape Girardeau on Friday.