From the Southern Illinois Miners

Newly acquired right-hander Matt Parish (Southern Illinois Miners Photo)

MARION, IL – The Southern Illinois Miners got seven shutout innings from starter Matt Parish in his debut with the club, helping a go-ahead RBI single in the fourth inning by Anthony Critelli stand up in a 1-0 shutout victory over the Washington Wild Things at Rent One Park in Marion to end a five-game losing streak.

The Miners had runners on base in every inning of the contest with the Wild Things, but could not break through in the first three innings against Washington starter Brandon Bixler (0-2). But they bunched three hits together in the fourth inning, with Nolan Earley singling with one out for the Miners’ first hit of the game, and Ben Moore reaching on an infield hit two batters later with two outs. That set up Critelli, who knocked a single into center field and scored Earley from second base as he slid just around the tag at home from Kyle Pollock for a 1-0 Miners lead.

That was all Parish (1-0) needed. In the fourth inning, after permitting three singles but no runs in the first three frames, he walked Kane Sweeney leading off. The New Jersey-native retired the next two hitters, however, including Hector Roa on a “strike-em-out, throw-em-out” double play to end the frame and start an impressive streak of 11 consecutive batters retired to end his outing. Overall, Parish allowed three hits and one walk with four strikeouts in seven innings to get the win in his first game in a Southern Illinois uniform.

The Miners’ bullpen would also stand tall, as Kyle Grana and John Werner combined for flawless innings in the eighth and ninth with the Southern Illinois pitching staff retiring the final 17 batters they faced in the game. Seven of the last nine Washington hitters were retired on strikeouts with Grana fanning the side in the eighth and Werner striking out two in the ninth for his 11th save of the season.

The Miners will go for a series win on Wednesday night at 7:05 p.m. back at Rent One Park, with Damon Proctor drawing the starting assignment on the mound against Washington southpaw Brian O’Keefe.

The Southern Illinois Miners are the 2016 Frontier League West Division Champions, the 2014 and 2015 Frontier League East Division Champions and the 2012 Frontier League Champions. They have been awarded the Frontier League Organization of the Year award three times since their inception, and also set a new Frontier League attendance record in 2007, their inaugural season. For ticket information, contact the Rent One Park box office at (618) 998-8499. For any additional information, visit our website at www.southernillinoisminers.com.

From the US Army Corps of Engineers, Rend Lake Project Office

LARGEMOUTH BASS:  Good Minnows spinner baits, worms, and black and blue jigs.  Reports of fish being caught around Jackie Branch, Sandusky Cove, and below the dam. Fish in shallow bays near brush cover and bushes. Fish around bridges and along the rocks 14” minimum length limit, 6 daily creel limit. 1 fish daily creel limit in PONDS 14” minimum length.

CRAPPIE:  Excellent Meal worms. Small & medium minnows. Quarter-ounce pink and white tub jigs. Shallow water!  Fish attractors!  From shore, fish near structures, hot spots are Jackie Branch, Sandusky, Sailboat Harbor, Marcum coves, and Ina Boat Ramp. Try the Jackie Branch Breakwater and along Mine 21 Road. Fish the main lake drop off areas.  25 fish daily creel limit with no more than 10 fish 10 inches or longer

BLUEGILL:  Good Small jigs, worms, meal worms, wax worms, crickets.  From shore try Sailboat Harbor and Mine 21 Road. Try fishing shallow with crickets, worms or small jigs. Fish in the back of necks and on flat shallow banks and on the rocks.  10 fish daily creel limit in PONDS.

CHANNEL CATFISH:  Excellent Large minnows, leeches, Hoss’s Hawg Bait, night crawlers, and Sonny’s stink bait.  Try leeches in moving water.  Drift fish the flats. Set line 3-4’ from the shore over rocks. Try the Waltonville Dam, Turnip Patch, Jackie Branch, and North Sandusky Day Use Area.  6 fish daily creel limit in PONDS. Jugs must be attended at all times while fishing.

WHITE BASS:   Good In-line spinners, jig and curly tail grubs.    Reports of fish being caught around the 154 bridges. Fish around along the rocks and drop-offs Fish in shallow bays near brush cover and bushes. 20 fish creel limit. No more than 3 fish 17” or longer daily.

Information as of:  07/18/2017 LAKE LEVEL: 407.01      AVERAGE POOL FOR THIS DATE: 407.06     WATER TEMP:  84°F

Use of a minnow seine, cast net, or shad scoop for bait collecting within 1000 yards downstream of the Rend Lake dam and spillway is prohibited.

Maps of the Fish Attractor tree locations along with GPS readings are available at the Rend Lake Corps of Engineers Project Office.  Contact Randy Cordray for more information at (618) 724-2493.

Press Release from the St. Louis Cardinals

After coming off a successful, special-edition of Cardinals Fantasy Camp in Cooperstown with Ozzie Smith earlier this month, the St. Louis Cardinals announced today that their 2017 regular season Fantasy Camp will be held at AutoZone Park in Memphis, Tenn. from September 14-17.

Presented by Heartland Coca-Cola Bottling Company, the four-day camp gives fans the opportunity to play alongside former Cardinals players Rick Ankiel and Kyle McClellan, be drafted and managed by Cardinals Alumni Danny Cox and Tom Lawless and interact with Redbirds legends Whitey Herzog and Willie McGee. The regular season Fantasy Camp has proven to be a popular addition to the yearly Cardinals Fantasy Camps held at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, Fla., dating back to 2001.