Chatham owns the season’s most remarkable pitching streak, a 30-inning scoreless string that ended earlier this week. The Anglers were at it again Thursday at Wareham, but they ran into a pitching staff on a pretty impressive streak of its own.
The Gatemen edged Chatham 1-0 in 10 innings for their fifth consecutive win. And in those victories, Wareham starting pitchers have not allowed a single run.
Griffin Roberts (Wake Forest) started the streak with six innings of one-hit baseball in a win over Cotuit Saturday. Miller Hogan (St. Louis) took a no-hitter into the seventh a day later. Joey Matulovich (California) went five scoreless in a blowout win over Hyannis and Mason Feole (UConn) did the same in an easy win over Brewster.
For the fifth game, the Gatemen turned to a standout, but one who had pitched only in relief. Noah Zavolas (Harvard) responded with six dominant innings in his first start. He struck out eight and scattered five hits.
In all, the streak adds up to zero runs in 29 innings pitched, with just 10 hits allowed and 30 strikeouts.
The crazy thing is that Justin Montgomery (California Baptist), the Right Field Fog Midseason Pitcher of the Year, didn’t pitch in. He was the last starter to allow a run, after Harwich touched him up last Friday . . . for the first runs he had allowed all year.
As good as Zavola was Thursday, the game wasn’t decided until much later than his time on the mound. Chatham’s Justin Lasko (UMass) – returning as a late reinforcement after getting released on a temp contract in June – went four scoreless innings and Rodney Hutchison Jr. (North Carolina) went four more. Jordan Britton (Oregon State), Brett Conine (Cal State Fullerton) and Dalton Roach (Minnesota State Mankato) kept the shutout going for Wareham.
The Gatemen won it in the 10th when Robert Metz (George Washington) hit a walk-off single to plate Jarren Duran (Long Beach State) with the game’s lone run.
The win ran Wareham’s record to 16-15-1. The Gatemen are part of a three-way tie for second place with Cotuit and Falmouth. Bourne is one point ahead in first.
Bourne 5, Cotuit 3
The Braves had lost two in a row to the Kettleers, but a turnaround this time vaulted them into first place. Bourne trailed 3-0 but scored four runs in the fifth and one in the seventh to complete the comeback. Lyle Lin (Arizona State) had two RBI and Jeremy Eierman (Missouri State) hit his second home run in his second game with the team. Zac Susi (UConn) added an RBI and Andrew Fregia (Sam Houston State) had two hits. After Zack Hess (LSU) allowed three runs in 3.2 innings, P.J. Poulin (UConn) dominated in relief with 3.1 scoreless innings. Chad Luensmann (Nebraska) pitched the final two innings for the save.
Y-D 10, Hyannis 0
Hyannis pitching has struggled mightily in a six-game losing streak. Micheal Brettell (Central Michigan) served as the stopper as he carried a shutout into the seventh, but the bullpen faltered and Y-D exploded for all 10 of its runs over the final three innings. Carlos Cortes (South Carolina) homered and drove in two and Drew Mendoza (Florida State) followed up a grand slam Wednesday with a 3-for-5, 3 RBI night. Alfonso Rivas (Arizona) added three hits and scored two runs. Kyle Isbel (UNLV) and Alex McKenna (Cal Poly) had two hits each. Y-D starter Spencer Van Scoyoc (Arizona State) went 6.1 scoreless innings, lowering his ERA to 0.93. The Red Sox have won six in a row.
Orleans 8, Brewster 6
The Firebirds were in danger of dropping their second game in a row when they fell behind 6-1, but a seven-run fifth inning turned the game around. Romy Gonzalez (Miami) and Niko Decolati (Loyola Marymount) had the key hits in the big inning and both finished the night with two hits. Jimmy Herron (Duke) went 3-for-4 with two runs scored. Riley Thompson (Louisville) earned the win in relief and Jake Wong (Grand Canyon) grabbed the save. With the win and a loss by last-place Harwich, Orleans became the first team in the league to clinch a playoff spot. Chandler Taylor (Alabama) was a bright spot in the loss for Brewster, blasting two home runs to move into a tie for the league lead with seven.
Falmouth 2, Harwich 1
Falmouth tallied just one extra-base hit but found a way to slip past Harwich for a 2-1 win. George Janca (Texas A&M) doubled in the fourth and scored on a Joshua Breaux (McLennan CC) base hit and ensuing outfield error. Hunter Steinmetz (Missouri State) single-handedly manufactured what proved to be the decisive run when he was hit by a pitch in the seventh then stole second and third. The throw to third got away, and Steinmetz raced home. Derrick Adams (Jacksonville State) earned the win in relief and Ryan Zeferjahn (Kansas) picked up the save. The starting pitching matchup had a rivalry flavor as Ole Miss’ James McArthur went for Falmouth against Mississippi State’s Jacob Billingsley. McArthur went five scoreless innings. Billingsley allowed one earned run in seven innings.
What to Watch
The hottest teams in the league meet at Red Wilson Field, as Wareham puts its five-game winning streak up against Y-D and its six-game heater.
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