More of the Same

Ryne Birk catches a throw as Cotuit's Jeren Kendall slides underneath him in Monday's playoff game. — Ryne Birk catches a throw as Cotuit’s Jeren Kendall slides underneath him in Monday’s playoff game.

Cotuit went 0-for-6 against Hyannis in the regular season. If ever the Kettleers were going to break through, game one of their playoff series Monday looked like a pretty good time. They had ace Jon Woodcock (Virginia Tech) on the hill and the regular-season slate was wiped clean.

But Hyannis simply rolled on.

The top-seeded Harbor Hawks touched up Woodcock for eight runs – five of them earned – and built an 8-0 lead en route to a 10-3 victory at McKeon Park.

Woodcock ranked fourth in the league in ERA, but Hyannis had done a little damage against him in his final regular-season start, scoring three runs in 3.2 innings.

This time, the Harbor Hawks scored three runs in the first, one in the second and two in the third in racing to the early lead. Dakota Hudson (Mississippi State) pitched six strong innings for the win, allowing just two unearned runs. Zach Girrens (St. Louis) picked up a three-inning save.

Jacob Noll (Florida Gulf Coast) and Ryne Birk (Texas A&M) both homered for the Harbor Hawks. Noll added a single and finished with four RBI. Colby Bortles (Ole Miss) and Jake Rogers (Tulane) drove in two runs each, while Bobby Melley (Connecticut) continued his triumphant return with a 3-for-3 night. He was coming off a 4-for-5 performance in the season finale, his first Cape game since June 14.

Cotuit showed some life late with two runs in the sixth and one in the seventh. Spencer Gaa (Bradley) had two hits and an RBI.

It was too little, too late, just as it has been all season for Cotuit against Hyannis. The Kettleers will have one more chance to change that.

Orleans 4, Chatham 1

East top seed Orleans also took care of business in its opener, rallying from an early 1-0 deficit to beat Chatham 4-1. The Anglers struck first and pushed a run across against Mitchell Jordan (Stetson), a pretty rare feat. But Jordan would go the next 5.2 innings without allowing another run. He struck out four. Kit Scheetz (Virginia Tech) and Kyle Serrano (Tennessee) – who apparently is sliding to the bullpen – finished the job. The Firebirds took the lead in the second against Chatham starter Zac Gallen (North Carolina) and added two more runs in the fifth. Kyle Lewis (Mercer), Willie Abreu (Miami) and Nick Zammarelli (Elon) knocked in one run each. Abreu, who went 2-for-3, has a five-game hit streak that includes two home runs, giving Orleans one more dangerous hitter.

Y-D 3, Brewster 2

The only upset of the day happened at Stony Brook Field, where No. 3 Y-D rallied against the Brewster bullpen for a 3-2 victory over the No. 2 Whitecaps. Pitching figured to be the key for the Whitecaps – who had the league’s best batting average but the second-worst ERA – and Hunter Martin (Tennessee) gave them exactly what they needed. He went 6.2 shutout innings, keeping Brewster in front 1-0. Anthony Arias (Fresno State) relieved him with two outs in the seventh and got a quick third out but Y-D started the eighth with a single and a walk. The Red Sox then greeted new pitcher Thomas Hackimer (St. John’s) with two straight run-scoring singles and a sacrifice fly. Donnie Walton (Oklahoma State) and Dallas Carroll (Utah) had the base hits while Mike Donadio (St. John’s) delivered the sac fly. The Whitecaps got one run back in the bottom of the eighth but nothing else. Chad Hockin (Cal State Fullerton) then struck out two in a scoreless ninth.

Bourne 7, Wareham 1

The Braves scoed five runs in the second inning and never looked back in a 7-1 victory over Wareham. Reid Humphreys (Mississippi State) went 2-for-4 with three RBI to lead Bourne’s 10-hit attack. C.J. Chatham (Florida Atlantic) went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and Pete Alonso (Florida) had two hits. Cody Sedlock (Illinois), who opened the season in the Bourne bullpen but transitioned to the rotation for three regular-season starts in July, showed why that was a good move. He went seven innings and gave up just one run, striking out five. Bryan Baker (North Florida) pitched the final two innings.

Award Winners

A number of Cape League awards were presented Monday, most notably the MVP and Pitcher of the Year honors.

The MVP went to Brewster’s Nick Senzel, and deservedly so. The Tennessee standout was solid early in the season then got hot and never cooled off. He ended up hitting .364 – second only to Andrew Calica – and led the league in RBI with 33. He is Brewster’s first MVP since J.C. Holt in 2003.

Senzel also took home Top Prospect honors.

Mitchell Jordan, another shoo-in, won Pitcher of the Year honors. Jordan tied a CCBL record with a 0.21 ERA, while going 6-0 for Orleans. He is the second straight Firebird hurler to take top honors. Kolton Mahoney won it last year.

What to Watch

Brewster at Y-D, 4 p.m.
Hyannis at Cotuit, 4 p.m.
Bourne at Wareham, 7 p.m.
Orleans at Chatham, 7 p.m.

Orleans will have its other ace, Eric Lauer, on the hill as it tries to finish off a sweep of Chatham at Veterans Field. Lauer finished the regular season as the league leader in strikeouts.

July 30, 2015July 30, 2015

Serving Notice

Tyson Miller struck out 11 and allowed just an unearned run as Brewster beat Orleans.

The Orleans Firebirds will likely win the East Division title and could still finish with the same 31-12-1 record as the 2007 Y-D Red Sox, the benchmark for great Cape teams in the last 15 years. But the last two nights have hinted that, regardless of where they finish, the Firebirds won’t have an easy time of it in the postseason.

After tying Orleans Tuesday, second-place Brewster beat the Firebirds 4-1 Wednesday behind a fantastic pitching performance by Tyson Miller (California Baptist). The Whitecaps, who clinched a playoff spot with the win, are now eight points back of Orleans with four games left for both teams, meaning there’s a chance they could finish in a tie. Brewster has the second-best record in the league at 23-16-1.

Miller set the course for Wednesday’s win. The 6’4 righty – who struck out 85 for D-II California Baptist this spring – had his best start in what was already a solid summer. In fact, given the opponent, it was perhaps the Cape League’s best start of the summer. Miller allowed just an unearned run on three hits in eight innings and struck out 11. He didn’t walk a single batter. Orleans managed just one extra-base hit for the game.

Thomas Hackimer (St. John’s) pitched the final inning for the save.

If you had predicted a pitcher to dominate Wednesday’s game, Orleans starter Eric Lauer (Kent State) would have been the choice. Lauer came in with a 1.47 ERA and leads the league in strikeouts. Brewster touched him up for three early runs and chased him after three innings.

Nick Senzel (Tennessee) went 2-for-4 with his 15th double of the season, while Robbie Tenerowicz (California) went 3-for-4 with two runs scored. Four other Whitecaps drove in runs and Brewster finished with nine hits.

Brewster has now earned a tie and a win while facing Orleans co-aces Mitchell Jordan and Lauer. Granted, the Whitecaps were shut-out by Jordan before coming through against the bullpen. And Lauer wasn’t at his best. But still – those guys don’t typically get beat. The loss was Lauer’s first. Tuesday’s game was the first one Jordan has pitched in that Orleans didn’t win.

Orleans will take another crack at a division crown tonight — and they won’t have to play Brewster again in the regular season. If the last two days are any indication, they may meet again when postseason baseball comes around.

Y-D 9, Wareham 1

Y-D broke open a 2-1 game with seven runs in the eighth inning and cruised past Wareham to keep pace in the race for the last two East playoff spots. The Red Sox are now 20-20 and still hold a one-game lead on Harwich for fourth place. Gio Brusa (Pacific) had two doubles and three RBI to lead the way Wednesday. Cole Billingsley (South Alabama), Tommy Edman (Stanford) and Mike Donadio (St. John’s) chipped in two hits each. Ricky Thomas (Fresno State) won his league-best seventh game with 6.2 strong innings. He gave up one run on five hits and struck out eight. The big news for Wareham – and the league – in the loss was that Andrew Calica (UC Santa Barbara) has reached the plate appearance mark necessary to qualify for the batting title. He also went 3-for-4, pushing his league-best average to .439. With just four games remaining, Calica has as good a shot as anybody in recent years to become the Cape League’s first .400 hitter since 1990.

Hyannis 5, Cotuit 2

Hyannis improved to 5-0 against rival Cotuit this year thanks to a 5-2 victory at McKeon Park. With everybody else in the West losing Wednesday, the Harbor Hawks also inched closer to a division title. They now have a five-point edge on second-place Bourne. Dakota Hudson (Mississippi State) starred in relief Wednesday, striking out eight of the 16 batters he faced in four shutout innings. Bulldog teammate Vance Tatum started and went 4.1 innings. Austin Hays (Jacksonville) and Blake Tiberi (Louisville) each had three hits to pace the offense. Tristan Hildebrandt (Cal State Fullerton), a late roster reinforcement, went 2-for-3 in his seventh game as a Harbor Hawk. Hyannis scored three of their five runs off Cotuit ace Jon Woodcock (Virginia Tech), who had allowed a total of four earned runs on the year before Wednesday. Cotuit fell to 16-24 but remains in a tie for third place with Wareham, five points ahead of last-place Falmouth.

Chatham 3, Falmouth 2

The aforementioned Commodores were on the verge of snapping a six-game losing streak but Chatham erased a 2-0 deficit with three runs in the eighth and won 3-2. Nate Mondou (Wake Forest) and Aaron Knapp (California) singled to start the eighth inning rally. A groundout brought one run home before an error on an overthrow from third base plated two more. Armed with the lead, Andre Scrubb (High Point) and Aaron McGarity (Virginia Tech) tossed a scoreless inning each to finish it off. Knapp had two hits to lead the Chatham offense. Heath Quinn (Samford) homered for Falmouth. Turner Larkins (Texas A&M) went 6.1 scoreless innings but was left with a no-decision after Chatham’s rally. The Anglers improved to 22-18 and have a magic number of two for clinching a playoff spot.

Harwich 3, Bourne 1

Harwich remained in the mix for an East playoff berth with a 3-1 victory over Bourne. The Mariners are one game back of Y-D for the fourth and final postseason spot. Hunter Williams (North Carolina) allowed one run in 4.1 innings and struck out six. Relievers Joe Ravert (La Salle) and Zach Schellenger (Seton Hall) followed with 2.1 scoreless innings apiece, with Schellenger earning the win. Adam Pate (North Carolina) went 2-for-4 with an RBI to lead an eight-hit attack. Cavan Biggio (Notre Dame) and Johnny Adams (Boston College) knocked in one run each.

What to Watch

Flame-throwing reliever Zach Burdi (Louisville) is scheduled to make a start as Chatham hosts Y-D and Brandon Bailey (Gonzaga), with both teams in the thick of the East playoff race. In Hyannis, division leaders will meet when the Harbor Hawks host Orleans.

July 16, 2015July 16, 2015

Four-for-Four

Nick Solak and Bourne improved to 4-0 against Hyannis this summer with a win Wednesday.

For most of the summer, the West Division standings have had Hyannis at the top and nobody else particularly close. The Harbor Hawks are 17-13 right now and no other team is even above .500.

But in that landscape, a funny thing has happened: Bourne has consistently gotten the better of the first-place Harbor Hawks.

With a 3-2 victory Wednesday night at Doran Park, the Braves moved to 4-0 against Hyannis this summer. That’s nearly a third of their 13 total wins on the season. Hyannis still owns a six-point lead on the second-place Braves but it would be a whole lot bigger if not for their head-to-head series.

Wednesday, the Harbor Hawks took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning and made it 2-0 in the sixth. Starter Vance Tatum (Mississippi State) was cruising with the lead and took a no-hitter into the fifth.

Even from that beginning, Bourne still found a way.

The Braves scored three runs in the sixth inning, with a double by Jacob Robson (Mississippi State) and a single by Camden Duzenack (Dallas Baptist) setting up RBI for Pete Alonso (Florida), Corey Julks (Houston) and Reid Humphreys (Mississippi State).

Bourne’s Indiana State bullpen tandem then took over. Ryan Keaffaber, who had served up a home run in the top of the sixth, worked a scoreless seventh and college teammate Austin Conway followed with two perfect innings en route to his seventh save.

The Harbor Hawks got two hits from Blake Tiberi (Louisville), who now qualifies for the batting average leaderboard – and vaulted to the top spot with his .380 average. They also got the first home run of the summer from recent arrival Matt Thaiss, who won a national championship with Virginia.

But against Bourne, nothing the Harbor Hawks do has mattered much.

The Braves have their number.

Orleans 12, Harwich 3

Orleans is on its third streak of at least four wins this summer thanks to a 12-3 drubbing of Harwich last night. The Firebirds scored five runs in each of the first two innings as they put the game away quickly. Nick Zammarelli (Elon), who’s quietly been one of the team’s steadiest performers, had a loud night, hitting a three-run homer in the first and knocking in two with a single in the second. He finished 2-for-4 with five RBI. Willie Abreu (Miami) and Alex Call (Ball State) drove in two runs each. Leadoff man Bryan Reynolds (Vanderbilt) scored three runs. Starting pitcher Kyle Serrano (Tennessee) allowed two runs in four innings. Carmen Benedetti (Michigan) got the win in relief.

Y-D 4, Falmouth 3

The Firebirds aren’t the only hot team in the East, as Y-D pushed its win streak to five in dramatic fashion with a 4-3 walk-off victory over Falmouth. With the game tied 3-3 in the ninth, the Red Sox strung together four straight singles, with the fourth one winning the game. Tommy Edman (Stanford) delivered it, plating Joshua Vidales (Houston) with the winning run. Earlier in the at-bat, Edman had failed to get down a squeeze bunt, which caused the runner from third to get tagged out in a rundown. Edman then came through and now has a hit in 10 straight games and ranks fourth in the league in hitting at .341. Vidales and Cole Billingsley (South Alabama) each had three hits. Chad Hockin (Cal State Fullerton) made his first appearance of the summer and got the win with three innings of relief. Y-D improved to 16-14, tied with Brewster for third place in the East.

Brewster 2, Cotuit 1

The Whitecaps stayed hot with a little late drama as well, edging Cotuit for their third straight win. Trailing 1-0 in the ninth, the Whitecaps tied it on a J.C. Escarra (Florida International) RBI single and won it later in the inning when Escarra raced in from third on a wild pitch. Brewster had been shut-out by Jon Woodcock (Virginia Tech) but had managed to stay within a run thanks to a strong pitching performance of its own. Alex Schick (California) gave up one run in 6.1 innings Four relievers teamed up for the final 2.2 innings and allowed just one hit.

Chatham 2, Wareham 1

The Anglers rallied from an early 1-0 deficit to slip past Wareham at Veterans Field. Daulton Jefferies (California) made his return from Team USA for the Gatemen and allowed one run in four innings, but Chatham pushed through against the Gatemen bullpen, plating the go-ahead run in the seventh on an RBI single by Todd Czinege (Villanova). Brandon Miller (Millersville) earned the win with three scoreless innings of relief. Cameron Stone (Stony Brook) and Aaron McGarity (Virginia Tech) finished off the victory. Aaron Barnett (Peppedine) added two hits and an RBI for the Anglers.

What to Watch

Nothing on the schedule today. When games get going again Friday, Orleans will host Brewster in a battle of streaking East teams.

July 8, 2015July 8, 2015

Something Brewing

Nico Giarratano and Brewster have won four of six to move into third place.

The Cape League’s best hitting team was shut-out 1-0 in its final June game. Since the calendar flipped to July, one run has not been enough to beat the Brewster Whitecaps.

Powered by its fourth double-digit hit game in its last six, Brewster not coincidentally won the fourth time in six games Tuesday, 9-4 over Y-D. In the victories, the Whitecaps have racked up 57 hits, bringing their league-best batting average to .273.

They’re still only one game over .500 and behind two teams in the East, but it’s pretty clear at this point that the Whitecaps can hit. They are not near the top in extra-base hits, but what they lack in pop, they make up for in sheer volume.

In Tuesday’s win, the Whitecaps totaled 16 hits. Every player in the lineup had at least one. Five players had multi-hit games. And there was a little pop – two doubles and two home runs.

Cassidy Brown (Loyola Marymount) – who’s emerging as the top offensive catcher on the Cape – went 3-for-5 with a double, a home run and two RBI. He’s riding a seven-game hitting streak.

Robbie Tenerowicz (California) went 2-for-4 and hit his fourth home run of the summer. Toby Handley (Stony Brook) added a double and scored three runs. Nick Senzel (Tennessee), who’s been red-hot, had his second straight three-hit night, scored three runs and knocked in two. Senzel is now second in the league in hitting.

Brewster’s pitching numbers have remained in the middle of the pack for much of the summer, but all the offense certainly helps the cause. Alec Rash (Missouri) gave up two runs in three innings Tuesday before a strong relief performance by Anthony Arias (Fresno State), who struck out 10 and gave up two runs in five innings.

Orleans 11, Falmouth 2

If Brewster is the league’s best hitting team, Orleans is its most powerful. The Firebirds hit two more runs – bringing their league-best total to 17 – in an 11-2 victory over Falmouth. Sean Murphy (Wright State) hit his third in a 3-for-5 night while Ronnie Dawson (Ohio State) smacked his second. Murphy also tripled. Nick Zammarelli (Elon) added three hits and two RBI for the Firebirds. Five pitchers had no trouble making the lead stand up, with Tanner Tully (Ohio State) picking up the win in relief. Falmouth’s Turner Larkins (Texas A&M) allowed just an unearned run in five innings but Orleans broke through against the Falmouth bullpen. The Firebirds have won three in a row and are now 17-6.

Chatham 4, Bourne 3

With Orleans and Brewster winning, Chatham also kept pace thanks to a victory over Bourne. The Anglers scored four runs in the first two innings and held onto the lead from there. Brandon Miller (Millersville) got the win in relief while Aaron McGarity (Virginia Tech) pitched two innings for his fourth save. Jake Fraley (LSU) went 2-for-4 and is batting .350 since his late arrival in Chatham. Aaron Knapp (California) also had two hits. Chatham is now 13-11, which is suddenly the third-best record in the league.

Hyannis 4, Harwich 1

The Harbor Hawks were getting a push from Wareham in the West standings for a while there, but with their second straight win and Wareham’s third straight loss, they now have a seven-point cushion at the top. Vance Tatum (Mississippi State) and Aaron Civale (Northeastern) worked in tandem for the second time in as many Tatum starts. Tatum gave up one run in 5.2 innings and Civale went 3.1 innings without allowing a hit, bringing his ERA to 0.54. The Hyannis offense was led by Jacob Noll (Florida Gulf Coast), who surged back to the top of the batting average leaderboard with a 3-for-4 night. He also hit his first home run. Errol Robinson (Ole Miss) added three hits for the Harbor Hawks.

Cotuit 2, Wareham 1

Cotuit may not have great starting pitching depth, but the Kettleers have officially found themselves an ace. Jon Woodcock (Virginia Tech) tossed seven shutout innings, striking out five and giving up five hits, as Cotuit edged Wareham. Woodcock now has a 0.99 ERA and has gone at least 5.2 innings with no more than one run allowed in his last three starts. Justin Dunn (Boston College) grabbed the save Tuesday. Jackson Klein (Stanford) had an RBI single and Brody Weiss (UCLA) had a sacrifice fly to bring in two runs in the fifth, which was all the offense Cotuit needed. The Kettleers moved ahead of Falmouth for fourth place in the West.

What to Watch

Several of the league’s best arms are slated to be on the mound tonight. Nick Deeg (Central Michigan) goes for Hyannis in Falmouth. Matt Krook (Oregon) starts for Wareham in Chatham. Eric Lauer gets the ball for Orleans at home against Cotuit.

July 6, 2015July 6, 2015

2015 Midseason Awards

The Orleans Firebirds are the best team in the league and is it any wonder? In the Right Field Fog Midseason Awards, the Firebirds take two.

MOST VALUABLE PLAYER

Kyle Lewis, Orleans

Lewis was not on the first roster that the Orleans Firebirds posted on their web site earlier this year, but it’s safe to say he was a pretty good addition.

Lewis is hitting .338 with five home runs and 13 RBI while leading the powerful Firebirds to the best record in the league. Lewis ranks second in the league in hitting, first in home runs and second in RBI. He also leads the league in slugging percentage and is eighth in on-base percentage.

At 6’4, 205, he’s the kind of athlete that scouts love, and his production is now right in line with his tools. He grew up playing basketball and baseball and has said that, of the two, he took basketball more seriously. But after giving it up, he’s emerging as a bona fide star who may be in line for Cape League Top Prospect honors, as well.

The big summer represents another major step for a guy who had a breakout sophomore season at Mercer. He hit .367 and smashed 17 home runs on his way to a host of accolades, including Southern Conference Player of the Year honors. He was coming off a decent debut, in which he hit .281 as a freshman. He then had a strong summer in the Great Lakes League before he played briefly for Cotuit at the end of last season, getting two hits in six games.

His return trip has been a little bit better.

IN THE RUNNING

Jacob Noll, Hyannis
Donnie Walton, Y-D
Cavan Biggio, Harwich
Nick Senzel, Brewster
Errol Robinson, Hyannis

OUTSTANDING PITCHER

Mitchell Jordan, Orleans

Jordan had a good summer in the New England Collegiate Baseball League last year then was solid for Stetson as a sophomore.

This has been better than good or solid.

Jordan started on opening night for Orleans and tossed five shutout innings in a 1-0 win over Bourne. He has started five more games since and has gone at least five innings in each one, without allowing a single earned run. That’s right – the guy who’s second in the league in innings pitched also has a 0.00 ERA. He’s 4-0 and leads the league in strikeouts with 31.

Jordan, a 6’2 righty, has simply been untouchable. Opponents are hitting .106 against him, which is a pretty amazing number. To make that number even crazier, he has allowed nine hits and none – NONE – have gone for extra bases.

A lot of pitchers have been very good this summer, but nobody can match up with Jordan.

Good, solid – and pretty spectacular.

IN THE RUNNING

Nick Deeg, Hyannis
Ricky Thomas, Y-D
Zac Gallen, Chatham
Eric Lauer, Orleans
Devin Smeltzer, Hyannis
Jon Woodcock, Cotuit

OUTSTANDING RELIEF PITCHER

Andrew Frankenreider, Falmouth

Saves typically trump everything else for this award, but for bullpen work of all kinds, Frankenreider takes the cake.

The Northern Illinois standout has saved three games while sharing Falmouth closer duties with Stephen Villines. Frankenreider has allowed two hits and no runs – earned or unearned – in eight games (11.2) innings. He has also struck out 17, second-best among full-time relievers.

Northern Illinois is not a school that sends many players to the Cape – he’s just the third in school history – but he’s certainly making a good impression after saving nine games for the Huskies in the spring.

Harwich’s Luke Scherzer leads the league in saves – and four other guys have four saves – but Frankenreider has been too good to pass over.

IN THE RUNNING

Luke Scherzer, Harwich
Stephen Villines, Falmouth
Austin Conway, Bourne
Jason Harper, Orleans
Andre Scrubb, Chatham
Thomas Hackimer, Brewster
Aaron McGarity, Chatham

July 2, 2015July 2, 2015

All it Takes is One

Last Friday, Wareham beat Cotuit by a run with two runs in the top of the ninth inning. The go-ahead run scored on a passed ball. Wednesday, Wareham won by a run again, and this one might have been even more frustrating for the Kettleers.

A solo home run by Andrew Calica (UC Santa Barbara) in the sixth inning was the game’s only run – and Wareham’s only hit. Four Gatemen pitchers combined on a shutout as the Gatemen won 1-0.

Wareham improved to 10-9 and is one game back of Hyannis for first place in the West. Cotuit dropped to 6-13.

The Gatemen were 0-5 in one-run games before the 4-3 victory over Cotuit Friday. Their luck turned around in that game and apparently didn’t run out, either. Cotuit’s Jon Woodcock (Virginia Tech) obviously took a no-hitter into the sixth Wednesday, but the one hit sent him to the hardest of hard-luck losses.

Calica, the No. 9 hitter in the order, came up with two outs in the sixth and smacked a 2-1 pitch for his first home run of the summer. Calica, who hit .329 for UC Santa Barbara, only had one home run this spring, too. He’s now hitting .438 in six games on the Cape.

Woodcock didn’t allow anything else – his season ERA is now 1.50 – and Mitch Stallings (Duke) tossed two hitless innings. But Wareham’s pitchers remained in control.

Matt Krook (Oregon) started and went two innings. He walked four and struck out two but didn’t give up a run or a hit. Blake Fox (Rice) followed with 4.2 innings, Ian Hamilton (Washington State) tossed two-thirds of an inning and Shea Spitzbarth (Molloy) went the final 1.2 without surrendering a hit.

Cotuit threatened with a little luck of its own when Will Haynie (Alabama) led off the ninth by reaching on a dropped third strike. He made it to second on a bunt and third on a groundout, but Spitzbarth stranded him there. Kort Peterson (UCLA) lined out to end the inning.

The Kettleers finished with four hits but none went for extra bases. Wareham’s one hit did a little more damage.

Harwich 6, Bourne 2

Harwich scored four runs in the fifth to break away for a 6-2 win over Bourne. Johnny Adams (Boston College) and Connor Justus (Georgia Tech) went 2-for-3 with three RBI for the Mariners. Adam Pate (North Carolina) went 2-for-3 and now has 10 hits in eight games since Harwich picked him up after he was released by Orleans. Pate has three straight two-hit games and ranks third in the league with a .356 batting average. Pate’s UNC teammate Hunter Williams struck out seven in four innings and Ross Vance (West Virginia) got the win in relief after Harwich’s big inning. Joe DiBenedetto (Seton Hall) went three scoreless innings for his first save. Harwich did much of its damage at the plate against Bourne starter Nick Jensen-Clagg (Kent State), who hadn’t allowed a hit in his first two starts. He gave up six Wednesday, walked five and was charged with three earned runs.

Y-D 9, Chatham 2

The Red Sox built an early lead then pulled away with a six-run seventh inning in a win over Chatham. It was Y-D’s second win this week over Chatham, and the Red Sox sit just one game back of the second-place Anglers in the East standings. Donnie Walton (Oklahoma State) led the Y-D offense with three hits, a home run and two RBI. It was the fourth three-hit game of the summer for Walton, who’s batting .318. The homer was his first. Stephen Wrenn (Georgia) added two hits while Gio Brusa (Washington) – a 2014 CCBL All-Star – shook off his slow start to 2015 with a two-hit night. Barnstable native Will Toffey (Vanderbilt) made his Cape League debut and drew three walks. On the mound for Y-D, Brett Adcock (Michigan) walked five but surrendered only one run in five innings. Chatham got home runs from Luke Persico (UCLA) and Todd Czinege (Villanova).

Falmouth at Hyannis, PPD; Brewster at Orleans, PPD

What to Watch

Four games on tap today, including what should be a good pitching match-up at Red Wilson Field. Josh Rogers (Louisville), who was drafted in the 11th round this year but is planning to return to school, goes for Bourne against Y-D’s Shane Bieber (UC Santa Barbara), who went 7.2 shutout innings last time out. Also on the hill tonight is Chatham’s T.J. Zeuch (Pittsburgh), who will go against Brewster at Veterans Field. Zeuch has not allowed an earned run in his three starts.

June 30, 2015June 30, 2015

Big Bats

Will Haynie hit his third and fourth home runs of the year to lead Cotuit past Y-D 11-1.

In 84 Cape League games prior to Tuesday night’s slate, teams had hit double digits in runs only five times. Tuesday, it happened twice.

Perhaps the bats – always behind at the start of a Cape summer – are catching up.

Bourne beat Falmouth 12-3 with a 15-hit, six extra-base-hit attack, while Cotuit broke out for its best offensive day of the season in an 11-1 victory over Y-D.

(Chatham and Orleans also had big nights, scoring nine and eight runs, respectively, while Hyannis went and ruined the league-wide storyline with a 1-0 victory over Brewster.)

For Bourne, the offense was steady in the early going, with single runs in the first, second and third innings, and four in the fourth. For good measure, the Braves scored five in the top of the ninth to hammer it home.

Camden Duzenack (Dallas Baptist) went 3-for-5 with a home run, three runs scored and two RBI. Six other players drove in runs, with Ryan Boldt (Nebraska) and Jacob Robson (Mississippi State) bringing home two each. Florida standout Pete Alonso, playing his second game in a Braves uniform, went 3-for-5 with a double and scored a run. C.J. Chatham (Florida Atlantic) had a triple. Every player in the starting lineup had at least one hit.

The 12 runs were a season-high for the Braves, who raised their team batting average by a whopping .10 points, from .229 up to .239.

The outburst was plenty for Keegan Akin (Western Michigan), who tossed five shutout innings. Doug Norman, who had a strong spring in LSU’s bullpen, made his first Braves appearance and picked up the save. Bourne improved to 8-8-1.

Over at Lowell Park, Cotuit was up to similar tricks, although they were a bit more condensed. After getting shut-out for five innings, the Kettleers scored five runs in the sixth inning and six runs in the eighth to blow past Y-D.

Will Haynie (Alabama) was the star of the show with two home runs, a three-run shot in the sixth and a two-run homer in the eighth. Haynie, though he’s only batting .179, is now tied for the league lead in homers with four.

Gene Cone (South Carolina) also homered and drove in two, while Jackson Klein (Stanford) had two hits and two RBI.

Daniel Brown (Mississippi State) gave up one run in five innings on the hill, and Matthew Milburn (Wofford) went the last four innings for the win. He struck out six.

The win was the second straight for Cotuit, who is now 6-12.

Chatham 9, Wareham 2

The Gatemen had won three in a row, but Chatham broke open a close game with five runs in the sixth inning on its way to the 9-2 win. Aaron Knapp (California) and Will Craig (Wake Forest) each had two RBI for the Anglers. Trenton Brooks (Nevada), Cory Raley (Texas Tech) and Kyle Adams (Richmond) added two hits each. Jesse Adams (Boston College) allowed one run in five innings of work for the win. Wareham got a home run from Jarett Rindfleisch (Ball State). Chatham improved to 10-8, which is the third-best record in the league. Wareham is 9-9.

Orleans 8, Harwich 5

Orleans also had a big inning – a five-run fourth – to pull away from Harwich in an 8-5 victory. The Firebirds racked up 16 hits, led by three each from Austin Miller (Loyola Marymount) and T.J. Nichting (Charlotte). Kyle Lewis (Mercer) had two hits and two RBI for his third consecutive two-hit game. The emerging star is second in the league in hitting with a .368 mark and is tied for the league lead in home runs and RBI. In addition to the big night at the plate, Orleans got another strong outing from Mitchell Jordan (Stetson), who struck out eight in six innings of two-hit ball. The only run he allowed was unearned, keeping his season ERA at 0.00. Jordan is 3-0 and leads the league in strikeouts with 25.

Hyannis 1, Brewster 0

The lone exception on the offensive night was in Hyannis, where the Harbor Hawks and Whitecaps were scoreless for eight innings before a walk-off in the ninth. Nicholas Pappas (College of Charleston) plated the winning run with a two-out single in the ninth, scoring Austin Hays (Jacksonville). Before those heroics, two Hyannis pitchers and four Whitecaps were engaged in quite the duel. Vance Tatum (Mississippi State) scattered five hits in five scoreless innings for Hyannis, before Andrew Civale (Northeastern) struck out five in four scoreless frames. Alex Schick (California) gave up just two hits in six innings for Brewster.

What to Watch

No games today. When things pick back up Wednesday, Wareham might be a good place to be. Matt Krook (Oregon), the former first-round pick who’s working his way back from Tommy John Surgery, is slated to start for the Gatemen against Cotuit’s Jon Woodcock (Virginia Tech), who is 2-0 with a 1.25 ERA.

June 26, 2015June 26, 2015

Knocking on the Door

Parker Dunshee, pictured on the mound earlier this season, didn't pitch Thursday but scored the go-ahead run as a pinch-runner in the 10th. — Parker Dunshee, pictured on the mound earlier this season, didn’t pitch Thursday but scored the go-ahead run as a pinch-runner in the 10th.

Coming into Thursday’s game with Chatham, Orleans had won five straight games over its East Division brethren, but most of those wins came against the last-place Y-D Red Sox. In 14 games, the Firebirds had played the Red Sox four times..

Chatham finally got a crack at the Firebirds Thursday – the first meeting of the year between the rivals – and the Anglers served notice that the East may yet put up a fight. The Anglers won a terrific pitchers duel 2-1 in 10 innings for its third straight win, and moved within two points of first-place Orleans in the East standings. The Firebirds are 10-4 while Chatham is now 9-5.

Chatham’s T.J. Zeuch (Pittsburgh) and Orleans’ Eric Lauer (Kent State) were as good as advertised in their part of the duel. Each allowed just one hit in six innings of work, though Chatham did manage an unearned run off Lauer. Zeuch struck out five and kept his season ERA at 0.00. Lauer fanned six, with the only run scoring in the third on an error.

Neither starter factored in the decision, after Chatham’s lead was erased in the seventh when Kyle Lewis (Tennessee) tripled and scored on a groundout by Jeremy Martinez (USC).

After two scoreless innings, Chatham manufactured a run in the top of the 10th. Will Craig (Wake Forest) walked and his college teammate Parker Dunshee (Wake Forest) – a pitcher – pinch-ran for him at first. A sac bunt moved him to second and he tagged up on a fly ball to get to third. He then raced home on a wild pitch with the go-ahead run. Not bad for a pitcher.

Andre Scrubb (High Point) came on for the bottom of the 10th and worked around a two-out walk for his fifth consecutive scoreless outing and his fourth save.

Hyannis 2, Cotuit 1

Hyannis bounced back from three straight losses in dramatic fashion, walking off with a 2-1 win over Cotuit to move to 3-0 against the Kettleers this season. The Harbor Hawks led 1-0 from the second inning on and got a dominant start from Nick Deeg (Central Michigan), who struck out six in eight innings and now leads the league in Ks. But Cotuit touched him up for a run in the seventh to tie the game, which set up the Harbor Hawks’ late heroics. In the bottom of the ninth, Ben DeLuzio (Florida) singled on a 1-2 pitch with two outs, and Jacob Noll (Florida Gulf Coast) scampered in from third with the winning run. Thomas Burrows (Alabama) got the win in relief. Noll had two hits, including a single to start the ninth and pushed his league-best batting average to .400. For Cotuit, Jon Woodcock (Virginia Tech) struck out five and allowed just a run in 5.2 innings. Cotuit fell to 4-11 while Hyannis upped its record to 9-6.

What to Watch

Orleans may find itself in another pitchers duel as it visits Falmouth tonight. Kyle Serrano (Tennessee), who struck out eight in five innings in his last start, goes for the Firebirds against Falmouth’s Bryce Montes de Oca (Missouri), who has struck out 13 in 11.1 innings.

June 18, 2015June 18, 2015

Joining the Club

Charlie Warren, pictured last summer, scored a run as Wareham beat Hyannis Wednesday.

Some statistics lie. Others tell a pretty good story. Runs scored and runs allowed can generally be counted among the more reliable. They tend to have a direct impact on the columns that accompany them in the standings – wins and losses.

A quick glance at those numbers in the Cape League standings shows three teams that should be above everybody else. Orleans, Hyannis and Wareham have all scored 44 runs, best in the league. They have all allowed 30 or under, with run differentials of at least 14. No one else in the league has a differential better than five.

And yet, only two of those teams are above everybody else where it counts. Hyannis and Orleans are 7-2. Wareham is 4-5.

The Gatemen have been the victims of two 1-0 losses and a game they lost in which they scored 11 runs. They have found some unique ways to lose.

Wednesday night, they were happy to find a unique way to win. Taking full advantage of four Hyannis errors, the Gatemen scored five unearned runs off potential Harbor Hawks ace Nick Deeg (Central Michigan) and won 7-0 over the previously red-hot Harbor Hawks.

Hyannis had won five in a row since its only loss, which incidentally came at the hands of the Gatemen in the first week of the season. Wareham had lost four in a row heading into Wednesday.

The Gatemen began capitalizing in the second inning. Deeg’s own error on a sacrifice bunt attempt came back to hurt when the Gatemen pushed three runs across on the extra out. Jarett Rindfleisch (Ball State) had a sacrifice fly and Mark Karaviotis (Oregon) brought in two runs with a two-out single.

An error on a stolen base attempt and another on a ground ball allowed two runs to score in the fifth. Andrew Knizner (NC State) had a two-run double in the seventh to cap the scoring.

Hyannis never got back into the game, as three Wareham pitchers combined on a four-hit shutout. Bailey Clark (Duke) went five innings for the win, Daulton Jefferies (California) allowed one hit in three innings and Shea Spitzbarth (Molloy) pitched a scoreless ninth.

Wareham’s losing skid was over. And for one night at least, the Gatemen were right where the numbers say they should be.

Bourne 4, Falmouth 3

Winless until Tuesday, Bourne has now won two straight after a dramatic 4-3 victory over Falmouth last night. The Braves trailed 3-1, tied it with two in the sixth and won it in the bottom of the ninth when Mike Garzillo (Lehigh) raced home with the winning run on a passed ball. Garzillo had singled to start the inning. The walk-off passed ball came with two outs and the bases loaded. Garzillo had previoulsy tied the game in the sixth with an RBI double. Charles Galiano (Fordham) also had an RBI double in that frame. Bryan Baker (North Florida), who pitched the final two innings in relief, picked up the win.

Harwich 4, Chatham 0

Harwich won for a second consecutive night over the Anglers, and this one was even more impressive than the first. Geoff Bramblett (Alabama) tossed 6.1 innings of two-hit ball and the Mariners had a steady night at the dish for the 4-0 win. Bramblett, who improved to 2-0, gave up just two singles – one of the infield variety – and struck out six. Anthony Ciavarella (Monmouth) and Williams Durruthy (Florida International) finished off the shutout. Cavan Biggio (Notre Dame) went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI, continuing a strong start to his second summer in Harwich. He hit .203 last year but is at .360 so far this year as he rides a four-game hitting streak. Connor Justus (Georgia Tech) also had two hits and an RBI. Harwich has won three straight and is 5-3-1, good for second place in the East behind Orleans.

Orleans 6, Y-D 5

Orleans won its fourth in a row and matched Hyannis for the league’s best record with a victory over Y-D. The Firebirds got three hits and an RBI from Bryson Brigman (San Diego). Kyle Lewis (Mercer) added two hits and two runs scored. Eric Lauer (Kent State), who had gone five scoreless in his first start, allowed two runs in five innings this time in moving to 2-0. Donovan Walton (Oklahoma State) had three hits and three RBI for Y-D, which scored three runs in the ninth to get within one before Jason Harper (Southern Connecticut) wiggled out of trouble for the save.

Cotuit 4, Brewster 3

The Whitecaps dropped their fifth straight since a 3-0 start as Cotuit scored a run in the eighth for the narrow margin. An RBI single by Jackson Klein (Stanford) brought in the go-ahead run. Cotuit also got two RBI from Brody Weiss (Riverside CC). Jon Woodcock (Virginia Tech) earned the win with four strong innings of relief. After Brewster scored a run in the top of the eighth – and his team answered – Woodcock worked a perfect ninth to finish off the win.

What to Watch

Just one game on tap today, a make-up of the fogged-out match-up between Chatham and Brewster. The Anglers will have T.J. Zeuch (Pittsburgh) on the hill for his second start. He went 5.2 innings without giving up an earned run in his first start. Brewster counters with Jacob Jenkins (Pacific), who will be making his first appearance.

June 12, 2015June 12, 2015

Catching a Wave

The Brewster dugout makes some noise during a game last season. With a 3-0 start to 2015, the Whitecaps have had even more to cheer about this year.

Brewster had one three-game winning streak all of last summer. With only three games in the books in 2015, the Whitecaps already have one this summer.

After a 6-0 shutout of Chatham Thursday night, Brewster is 3-0 and the only undefeated team in the league. The Whitecaps won their opener by a single run and their next game by two before pulling away from Chatham. The Anglers also came in with a 2-0 record but couldn’t keep up on this night.

It’s just a start, of course, but a lot has gone right. Thursday, it was both pitching and hitting that did the trick. Brewster had 12 hits – four that went for extra bases – and saw five pitchers combine on a three-hitter.

Eli White, a late roster addition who had a solid spring with Clemson, led the way with a 3-for-4, two RBI night. Toby Handley (Stony Brook) also went 3-for-4 and knocked in a run. Catcher Cassidy Brown (Loyola Marymount) homered and Nick Senzel (Tennessee) hit a pair of doubles. Senzel has five hits this season for a .417 average, and four of the hits have gone for extra bases. Ryan Peurifoy (Georgia Tech) went 1-for-2 and has had a hit in each game this year.

On the mound, Georgia Tech’s Brandon Gold picked up where he left off after a strong spring and tossed four scoreless innings, allowing just two hits. Hansen Butler (North Carolina) followed with two innings, before Nick Highberger (Creighton), Gage Griffin (Franklin Pierce) and Alex Schick (California) went the final three innings without surrendering a hit. That continued an early trend – the Brewster bullpen has allowed one run in 12.2 innings of work so far this season.

Brewster takes on Chatham again tonight, this time at Veterans Field. The Whitecaps didn’t have a single four-game winning streak last year, but they’re in position to break that spell quickly in 2015.

Orleans 7, Y-D 0

The Firebirds (2-1) won by shutout for the second time this season in a 7-0 victory over Y-D. Eric Lauer (Kent State), a former 17th-round pick of the Blue Jays who was terrific this spring (1.98 ERA, 103 Ks), delivered more of the same in his first Cape start, striking out seven and giving up two hits in five scoreless innings. Three relievers combined on four hitless innings to finish off the win. Colby Woodmansee (Arizona State) and Alex Call (Ball State) each knocked in two runs to pace the Orleans offense. The Red Sox, who fell to 0-3, got hits from Stephen Wrenn (Georgia) and Connor Wong (Houston).

Falmouth 4, Harwich 1

Falmouth got hits from eight different players and broke through for its first win, 4-1 over Harwich. Both teams are now 1-2. Boomer White (Texas A&M), in his second summer with the Commodores, had two hits, as did Michael Tinsley (Kansas), the second-team All-Big 12 catcher this past season. Andrew Frankenreider (Northern Illinois) picked up the win with 3.2 scoreless innings out of the bullpen. Stephen Villines (Kansas) notched the save.

Wareham 6, Hyannis 2

The Gatemen are 2-1 and have now scored the most runs in the league after Thursday’s 6-2 victory over previously unbeaten Hyannis. Logan Sowers (Indiana), next in a long line of Hoosiers in Wareham, had the best day of his young Cape career, going 3-for-4 with a home run and two RBI. David MacKinnon (Hartford) added two hits and five other Gatemen chipped in one apiece. Daulton Jefferies (California) got the start on the mound and made the offense count with five strong innings. Zac Houston (Mississippi State) was dominant in relief, with five strikeouts in three innings. David Martinelli (Dallas Baptist) homered for Hyannis.

Cotuit 7, Bourne 2

Cotuit had only nine hits in its first two games but broke out with 12 in a victory over the Braves. Michael Paez (Coastal Carolina) doubled and knocked in two runs from the leadoff spot. Matthew Dacey (Richmond) added two hits and two RBI, while Spencer Gaa (Bradley) and Matt Albanese (Bryant) chipped in doubles. Jonathan King (Georgia Tech) gave up two runs in 4.1 innings before giving way to Jon Woodcock (Virginia Tech), who was lights out in 4.2 innings of relief. He struck out six and didn’t allow a run. Bourne got three hits each from Corey Julks (Houston) and Ryan Boldt (Nebraska) but remained winless at 0-3.

What to Watch

The second Brewster-Chatham match-up in as many days features an interesting probable starter for the Whitecaps. Missouri’s Alec Rash is a former second-round pick who has seen very limited action in his time with the Tigers. The junior was recently drafted in the 23rd round by the Nationals.