Dominic Keegan was a late-round pick in the Major League Baseball Draft last week but has already made the decision to return to Vanderbilt.
That also means the Massachusetts native should be on the Cape for the rest of the summer, and if his first three games are any indication, it’s going to be a good run.
Keegan went 2-for-4 with two home runs for Yarmouth-Dennis on Monday night against Harwich. He also homered on Sunday.
Vanderbilt players have started to have a big impact on the Cape after the team’s runner-up finish at the College World Series. Keegan figured to leave a big mark. He was Vandy’s leading hitter with a .345 batting average. He also had 15 home runs, good for second on the team, and led the team with 57 RBI.
Back in 2019, Keegan played briefly for Orleans in the Cape League and had a rough go of it, finishing the season hitless in 11 at-bats. He made his return with Y-D last Friday and took an 0-for-4 in his debut.
His first career Cape League hit was a home run on Sunday, a two-run blast that helped the Red Sox beat his former team, Orleans, 11-9.
It was more – and more – of the same on Monday. Keegan went deep in the first inning. With Y-D later trailing 2-1 in the ninth, Keegan went yard again, his solo shot tying the game. That’s where it ended as the Red Sox played to a 2-2 draw with the Mariners.
Harwich had won three in a row coming into the game. Chris Newell (Virginia) homered for the Mariners and Max Cotier (Virginia) had an RBI.
Keegan’s second homer made certain that a strong pitching performance wouldn’t go for naught. Luis Ramirez (Long Beach State) allowed two runs in five innings and moved up to second in the league in strikeouts. Jacob Meador (TCU) was even better, tossing four one-hit innings with five strikeouts.
Y-D remains two points back of Harwich for second place in the East.
Bourne 9, Falmouth 8
I don’t even know what to say anymore. Bourne gave up a late lead but won in the bottom of the ninth on a walk-off home run by Colby Thomas (Mercer). It’s their sixth consecutive win. Their league-best record is now 17-2-3. Yes, more than halfway through the 40-game season, they have lost just twice. Falmouth gave it a shot at handing the Braves loss number three, rallying from an 8-6 deficit with two runs in the eighth. But Thomas played hero in the ninth. With two outs, he smacked an 0-1 pitch over the fence for his third home run of the summer. Zach Agnos (East Carolina) also homered for the Braves. Dalton Rushing (Louisville) and Cayden Wallace (Arkansas) had two RBI each. A rare off night in the pitching department for Bourne ended on a high note as Cade Smith (Mississippi State) pitched 1.2 scoreless innings to set the stage for the game-winner.
Hyannis 13, Orleans 1
Break up the Harbor Hawks. Their 12-game losing streak ended on Sunday, and on Monday, they started a win streak with an emphatic victory over Orleans. Adrian Siravo (Weatherford) pitched six shutout innings, one of the club’s best starts of the summer, and reliever Sam Beck (San Francisco) went two scoreless frames in his first CCBL appearances. There was plenty of back-up from the offense as Hyannis totaled 14 hits for a season-high 13 runs. Luke Mann (Missouri) went 3-for-5 with five RBI. Kyle Ball (Stetson) drove in two runs. Mitchell Hartigan (Florida Atlantic) had three hits and scored a run, while college teammate Caleb Pendleton had two hits and scored two runs. Hyannis is 4-19 and Orleans is 8-10-4.
Brewster 2, Cotuit 1
Bryce Hubbart (Florida State) dominated again and Brewster had just enough for its fourth consecutive win. Hubbart struck out nine and didn’t allow a hit in five innings. Cotuit scratched an unearned run across but nothing else. Hubbart hasn’t given up an earned run since his season debut, a string of 22 innings. He leads the league with 41 strikeouts. Hubbart ended up taking a no-decision, leaving with the game tied, but Brewster scored a run in the seventh to take the lead. Dale Stanavich (Rutgers) recorded his third save of the summer to finish off the win. Spencer Jones (Vanderbilt) had three hits to lead the Whitecaps. Cotuit finished with just one hit agains three Brewster pitchers. The Kettleers got solid pitching from Dalton Rogers (Southern Miss) and Ian Foggo (Lenoir-Rhyne). Brewster is 14-7-2 and Cotuit is 11-12.
Wareham 8, Chatham 1
The Gatemen stopped a six-game losing streak with a bang, knocking 13 hits and riding great pitching from three arms to a win over Chatham. Tommy Troy (Stanford) went 4-for-4 with a run scored and an RBI to lead the offensive burst. Sean McClain (Arizona State) had two hits, including a homer, and Kade Kern (Ohio State) had two RBI. Owen Diodati (Alabama) hit his seventh home run and now leads the league in home runs and is tied for the top spot in RBI. Mack Anglin (Clemson) allowed only an unearned run in four innings of work. Out of the bullpen, Cole Kirschsieper (Illinois) was tremendous in his first CCBL appearance, striking out nine in four scoreless innings. Jack Noble (Long Beach State) closed it out with a scoreless ninth. Wareham is 8-12-4 and Chatham is 9-13-3.
WHAT TO WATCH
Harwich hasn’t lost since July 11. Bourne never loses. Those two meet at Whitehouse Field in an East-West matchup.
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