Gems can’t hang on to late lead, fall to 9-12 in second half

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. — The Quincy Gems led 5-3 entering the bottom of the seventh inning but gave up three runs in the seventh and one more in the eighth in a 7-5 loss Saturday night to the Cape Catfish in a Prospect League game at Capaha Field.

Quincy (28-25 overall, 9-12 second half) is in second place in the Great River Division, four games behind Normal. The Gems won the first half title and will be the host of a first-round playoff game on Sunday, Aug. 7.

Quincy scored first in the first inning when Hayden Moore doubled, stole third and scored when catcher Blake Barton’s throw went past third baseman Kolton Poorman.

Bennett Eltoft led off the Gems’ second inning with a ground rule double. He reached third on a passed ball and scored when Jayden Shafer grounded to second.

Logan Voth doubled to lead off the Gems’ third inning, moved to third on a fly ball to center and scored when center fielder Christopher Hall’s throw to the infield got away from second baseman Zane Wallace.

Quincy lefthander Luc Fladda retired the first eight Catfish batters before giving up a hit. However, the Catfish tied the score with three runs in the fourth.

The Gems regained the lead in the fifth when Dayson Croes singled with two outs and scored when Drew Townsend doubled to right. A single to left by Jonathan Latham then scored Townsend. 

The Catfish loaded the bases in the seventh when Gems relief pitcher Donovan Prost issued a walk, hit a batter, and Hall reached base on an error. Ty Stauss single to drive in two runs, and Barton singled to put Cape ahead. The Catfish added an insurance run in the eighth.

Fladda allowed three runs in six innings. Prost (0-1) took the loss, allowing four runs on four hits over two innings. No Gems player had more than one hit. Croes extended his hitting streak to 11 games.